New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-11-09
CALIFORNIA ALPS.
LAST SUMMERS WORK OF THE COAST
SURVEY

Miles, CAL, Oct. 90.
One hears much about Shasta Lasscn and few
of the better known peaks Of the Sierra Nevada range
Those who keep track Of the more prominent expora
lions Of recent years aware That Dana Whitney,
Lyell and other remarkable snowpeaks Of the Sierra
are ouite as worthy OF study even Shasta. But
some work done by the Coast Survey IN California
during the past summer has attracted public attention
to Mount Conness as one Of the most difficult OF all
the mountains in the California Alps.
CONFESS Is an enormous pyramid Of granite thrust
upward through thousands of feet of later formations
and rising than 200 feet above the shoulders Of
the deritus about IT, 1t has been htly described
gigantic pillar OF weatherworn fractured and chaotic
granite seemingly ready to fall in thousand dlrec-
tious but peculiarly impressive and interesting to
every explorer The view from it's summit Is said to
be more striking than that from any other Sierra
mountain. Lone Mountain, In Nevada, 102 miles dis
tant, is full within the field OF vision; so is Monte
Diablo San Francisco Bay, 143 miles west; so
the Santa Lucas I65 miles southwest, and Mount
st. John, nearly far northwest The bold and
beautiful physical outlines of central California and
much of Nevada are plainly revealed from the top Of
this remarkable mountain.
The story OF Professor Davidson's expedition to
Mount Conness during the past summer Is extremely
interesting 1t for the purpose Of measuring the
great arc Of the parallel OF 80 degrees by completing
the rIangulaton connecting Mount Diablo and several
other Nevada mountains Twenty-Five men, including
the laborers, made up the party Last winter so
severe In the Sierns that roads and trails were
made impossible and in many cases destroyed.
1t was the end Of June before operations
could be begun by repairing the old Ioga Mine Road
This was very famous roadway, built years ago for
hauling ore, and situated six eight thousand
feet above the sealevel, but 1t had been abandoned
to the elements until it but wreck for more than
Fra Of he
TO the hsides, but landsdes had torn vast lengths
away torrents had destroyed every bridge.
The road was opened for wagons to the Soda Springs,
Tuolumnc Meadows, $500 feet above the sea- where
the whole party camped beside friendly settlers cabin
among the pines. The SHOWS were melting fast at
this season. and the river always grand stream was
full to the brm, wild mountain torrent, such as the
upper Sacramento the Great Kanawha In time OF
flood. The party built raft and mprovsed ferry
ropes that their wagon with supplies tools and IN
sruments safely carried across. Then they struck
for old hunters trail which led toward Mount Con-
Giant pines and cedars had fallen over the trail
and avaanches Of SHOW had swept portions away but
IL slowly opened to the upper edges OF the forests
where the highest camp that had ever been made on
the mountain situated. This seventeen feet
below the summit, and the rest of the way was the
terrible part of the struggle to which all that had been
done before mere chllds play. Tents and working
outfit provisions, fuel for each days use, and the
heavy instruments had 10 be carried up. The summit
Of Mount Conness is nearly 1900 feet above the sea
On the east and the northeast there Is sheer descent o
about LOO feet and the only sides Oh which any
ascent be made hfelines needed in five places,
SO narrow Is the ledge of granite to which one must
cling as he climbs. Three hundred feet below the sum
nit is the Davidson camp, on hill side of granite
fragments and protected BY walls of granite slabs On
the summit IS the hut Of wood built to protect the
theodote 1t is said to be the highest house on the
Pacific Coast and the space Of level area on which 10
stands is not eight feet square. Here is solid con-
crete pier support the instrument and for weeks the
observers went up and down the steep granite peak,
took observations wrote notes. made photographs and
did Mount CONFESS up" as thoroughly as possible.
The fame of the station has spread abroad Two
mountain-tO the sky land sat0n-and flashed the
signals of light to Shasta and to Monte Dabo around
the whole vast circle OF mountains that the Coast
survey has turned into great lantern bearers. The
last climb Of 300 feet is the most trying though the
one-thrd of the atmosphere Is missing, and with
some the heartbcats TO lao pulsattons minute.
The boiling point Is 11O10 Fahrenheit. A host OF
interesting observations being classified for Gov
eminent publication In due season.