The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1890-08-31
CLIMBING MT. BAKER.
Seattleites Find the Way
Blocked by Big Creyasse.
FULL ACCOUNT OF THE TRIP.
A Journey Through Fertile Wales and
Rugged Canyons, Over Vast Lsva
Beds and Up Glaciers.

The party which left Seattle about two
weeks ago to ascend Mount Baker, has re-
turned. and though they failed to reach
the summit. thew have brought back
large amount of valuable information
about the peak and its surrounding mount
aims. The party consisted of Professor +.
S. Ingraham, Frank A. Bell. ]. Van Smith.
Fred Calhoun, Arthur Cannon, of Seattle.
and Arthur M. White, of Anacortes.
Following is an account of the trip given
by Professor Ingraham:
sWe left Seattle on the evening of August
Il on the steamer State of Washington for
Anacortes, and went thence by train on
the Seattle & Northern railroad to the end
of the track, six miles below Hamilton.
From the end of the track we walked up
the grade for a distance of about two miles
to Lima, where we stopped all night. Next
morning we hired team to convey US to
the mouth of the Baker river, distance OF
about twenty miles.
1--WE arrived there about noon
and began our camp life there.
After meal we strapped our
packs on our backs, each one
having pack of between forty and fifty
pounds. From that point for distance of
about three miles there is pack trail
That afternoon we made q distance of
about four miles, then pitched our first
camp on the bank, took our evening meal
and had plunge in the river. The next
morning we continued up the river, find
ing traces of trail through dense growth
of vine maple, cottonwood and alder.
About 2 O'Clock we reached what is called
Bear creek, quite a large mountain
stream, which is tributary to Baker
river. At that point about seven miles
from the mouth of the river, the trail
ended. Before going any further we de-
cided to reconnoiter a little, and two of the
party were sent up the river with instruc-
tons to go on for two hours and then re-
turn and report. Two of us were sent up
Bear creek with the same instructions.
Those who went up the river came back
with report that they found blazes for
distance of about three miles, indicating
that some one had been up there before.
and the party decided to continue their
course up the river instead of following
Bear creek.
''For about fifteen miles along Baker
river on each side is large amount of
very fertile bottom land. covered with
growth of vine maple. with alder, cotton
wood and fir interspersed in patches. The
valley is capable of supporting alarge popu-
lation and, while it is unsurveyed land.
settlers are coming in every day. locating
claims and carving out homes. We found
settlers who had been there. some three
years. some six months, and others only
few weeks. Besides being located near the
river nearly every settler can have stream
of pure water flowing across his land, for
nearly every mile mountain streams flow
in. Several of the streams come from lakes
back in the foothills, which are full of
mountain trout.
Continuing our journey, little after
noon of that day we reached the forks of
the river. which consist OF south. middle
and north fork. We decided to follow up
the south fork. From that point on there
were no more blazes or anything to guide
us. We occasionally took advantage of
the numerous bear trails. and for a short
distance made quite rapid progress. We
found ii impossible to follow the river bed,
as we had hoped to do, because of the
many narrow and deep canyons. These
canyons are very rugged and we were con-
stantly coming across cascades, rapids and
waterfalls varying from fifty to
100 feet in height. They were
remarkable for beauty, being the
finest canyons have ever seen. We only
made two miles that afternoon and made
camp in the midst of one of these canyons,
backed on all sides by huge moss-covered
boulders. The next morning we continued
to travel through the canyon and were soon
confronted by beautiful waterfall. an ex-
act miniature of S@oqualmie, and about
one-fourth its height. This barred our fur
Their progress and we decided to leave the
river and try a spur which seemed to come
from the mountain.
I'VE kept along the spur until about
O'Clock in the afternoon, when we began to
think about camp for the night. Wede-
cided that in order 10 get supply of water
we should have to return TO the river. So
We commenced TO descend the spur in the
direction of the river. When we got
within about mile of the river we came to
sn extensive bed of lava, which was COW
cred with thick growth of huckieberry
bushes and vine maple. This was at an
elevation of not more than 500 feet. We
were about two hours making distance
of not over half mile. There were big
irregular boulders piled around pro-
miscuously, with big holes among
them and it looked as if the fragments of
creation had been dumped down there.
When at last We did reach the river. we
found ourselves confronted by a deep
canyon, through which the river flowed
nearly 100 feet below US. Fastening a long
coil OF rope 10 tree, one of the party de-
scended to the bottom of the canyon. The
other members of the party remained at
the top until the packs had been let down,
one by one. Then the others descended,
the last man performing the dangerous
feat without the aid of the rope BY this
time it was quite dark and we hastily
sought place large enough 10 spread our
blankets, free from rocks and underbrush.
This place We appropriately named Camp
Discomfort.
The next morning we arose bright and
early with the determination TO reach the
base OF the mountain. We were able to
continue up the canyon only short dis
lance on account OF its becoming still more
PERCEPTIONS and rugged. We left that fork
OF the river and with our compass for our
guide we struck out due north We soon
encountered another part of the lava beds
which had given US SO much trouble the
day previous. Ascending a huge pile OF
what was once molten rocks, we obtained
the first view OF Mount Baker through the
tree-tops and here We heard the
roar OF what We rightly Judged to
be the middle fork of the Baker.
We at once descended 10 try that fork
For while We were enabled to get along
much faster, but by the increased roar of
the falling water We knew that we were an
preaching another canyon. Sowe assembled
another spur, which from its location we
thought must form the back bone between