The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1890-08-31

party WITH canfeenS ana camp-ketties ~
get some of that pure. cold water which is
only found at greal attitudes.
After spending very comfortable night
we started out next morning, feeling confi-
dent that before night we would reach the
snow-line. We continued our course up
ward along the narrow ridge which we had
been traversing the day before. This was
the divide between the middle and north
forks, rising precipitously on each side. In
a few hours we had assembled to height OF
5000 feet, the eliminating point of the
ridge, and there we had an unobstructed
view of Mount Baker, with IT'S glistening
glaciers and domes of rock. While resting
and enjoying the scene the party made
several photographs of the mountain. After
fully enjoying the scenery we pushed on
to the snowiieds which we could see in the
distance. From this point our pathway
became very rugged and dangerous.
Sometimes we found ourselves on ridge
not more than two feet wide. descending
almost perpendicularly on each side for
many hundred feet. We had to make use
of our rope quite frequently, and to use
the greatest caution in order to pass safely
along. Noon overlook us upon this high
ridge, hungry and thirsty. Two members
OF the party made a descent OF
about 500 feet in search of water.
They were rewarded by finding spring OF
ice-cold water bubbling from the noun
tain's base. After partaking of copious
draughts themselves, they filed their cam
teens and returned to their thirsty COM
panions. After making our lunch of dried
prunes, we again took up the line of march,
and after four hours of hard and danger
Gus climbing along one of the main ridges,
we made permanent camp near field OF
eternal snow. We then made ourselves as
comfortable as possible and resolved to rest
the following day.
1--WE spent that day in visiting various
points of interest, and making photographs
of the surrounding scenery. The hunters
OF the party, while up to that day they had
shot an occasional blue grouse that was
unlucky enough to be in our pathway,
now began to hunt grouse, which were
very plentiful, and very large at that ele-
walton, and from that time on there was no
lack of that delicious species of game. In
addition to the grouse, one of the party
brought in half dozen ptarmigans, which
we found still more palatable, if possible,
than the grouse.
"On the morning of the second day upon
the mountain we woke bright and early
with The expectation of making the ascent
to the summit, but to our disappointment
we found ourselves enveloped in a sea of
clouds, which caused US to abandon the
idea of making the ascent that day. In
order to put in our time and test our
climbing abilities. we decided to follow up
one of the glaciers as far as we could.
Accordingly about o'clock we started
upward through the clouds. We found
our ascent for the first 1000 feet quite
easy, although we were unable to distin-
guish objects more than twenty
feet away on account of the
density of the surrounding clouds
When we reached an elevation of about
$500 feet the clouds lifted for a moment
and we were permitted to gaze upon the
summit of the mountain. With shout
the younger members of the party rushed
upward, thinking that the summit was
only few hundred feet away, but the ex-
perienced members knew that it was more
than 1000 feet above them. All of the
party pushed forward as rapidly as the
hard climbing and light atmosphere would
allow, jumping a crevasse here, crossing
another by means of a snow bridge, or
making detour to the right or left and
thereby avoiding some.
after about ten minutes the clouds
again closed down upon us and shut out
the view of the summit, but we decided to
push on until we met some more serious
obstacles than we had thus far. At an ele-
walton of 5000 feet we found ourselves
confronted by crevices all the way from
twenty 10 100 feet wide and as many feet
deep. After an hours vain attempt to
make our way around them or to find
snow bridge over them, we decided to re-
turn to camp and wait for a clear day.
THE descent to permanent camp was
made in less than an hour, over the same
pathway that we were six hours ascend
ing. After preparing our evening meal,
we sought our blankets with the determi-
nation that tomorrow we would ascend the
mountain from the north side, along
rocky spur which continues to the very
top, but on the morrow we were again dis
appointed. Not only during the entire
night did the rain pour down in torrents,
with occasional flashes of lightning and the
roh Of thunder, but it continued
cloudy or rainy during the entire day, and
We were obliged to remain in camp. The
next day was but repetition of the one
| previous. Upon taking account of our
stock of provisions, we found them run
| ming low in various essentials and very re.
] luctantly came to the conclusion that I'M
| less it cleared up next morning we would
have to start back on the return trip.
Fate was again against US and the next
morning instead of opening bright with
| hope, it still continued rainy. AS there
was no promise of its clearing up, we be-
| gan our descent. In descending we
| avoided the south fork, which had given
US so much trouble on our wav up and
| kept to the middle fork. Our descent was
| much more rapid than our ascent At the
end of the third day we found ourselves
| again in camp at the mouth of Baker river.
and one day brought us all safely back to
Seattle
in some of the canyons We saw unmis-
taxable signs of the presence of iron and
coal, and in many places detected the odor
OF mineral springs. and in some places
! tasted ii in the water of the river
Mount Baker itself is not on so grand a
| scale as Mount Rainier, while the sur
rounding ranges surpass those of Rainier
| in height and extent. Mount Rainier is
| backed on the south by beautiful, rugged
range, while Mount Baker is backed on
| both the north and south by extensive
snow-covered ranges. The ranges around
Mount Baker range from 1000 to s. 600 feet
| high. Mount Rainier stands more alone
than Baker, while Baker seems to be sun
| ported by these two extensive ranges.
Baker has ten or twelve large
well defined glaciers, giving source to the
| Baker, Nooksack and other large rivers.
The principal ANIMALS around Baker are
ths 4