The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1890-10-07
THE HEIGHT Ell II! OF ST. ELIAS );
The Alaskan Peak Not Near as
Tall IS Generally
Believed.
From Nineteen Thousand 1t Is
Scaled Down to Sixteen
Thousand Feet.
Its Crest Inaccessible Because of the Deep
Perennial snow-Naining Peaks
and Ranges.

The st. Elias expedition of the National
Geographical society has returned to
Seattle. They started from there June IL
ON the Queen. After making the regular
trip Of the Alaskan tourists, they started
from Sitka in the United States naval YES
sci Pinta, under Captain Farenhault. and
went to Yakutat bay, some 125 miles further
on. Going to the head of the bay in canoes
they set out westward for Mount st. Elias.
s.The expedition said Isaac G. Russell,
the leader Of the expedition, twas very
successful. Our purpose was to get geoloai-
cal information, to study the glaciers and
make Typographical map of this I'M
surveyed and unknown region. We sue
ceeded in getting material for map of 900
Squire miles, and we took by angulation
the heights of all the peaks in the region.
Not man was sick during the whole of
the time, and though we had some rather
rough experiences, each stuck to his work
unflinchingly and without complaint.
Nothing but praise can be given to the
Seattle men who went with us. All our
provisions were carried ON our backs.
Before leaving here we put up mixed ra-
tions in tin cans holding about forty pounds
each; and this stuff we packed with US.
We would deposit some, and then 20 for
ward making new camp; thus advancing
steadily. Our clothes were heavy woolens
and We were perfect accustomed to hav-
ing them hang wet on MS. To such trifies
as that we were hardened. When man
spends thirty-fve days in the glaciers
above the snow line, dry clothes become
secondary matter.
AFTER going back three miles from the
shore line of Yakutat bay we found a
country absolutely uninhabited. There
was not trace of a human being to be
seen on any side, not a sign en- that any man
days in going up through this country to
the timber line on Mount st. Elias; and as
have said, thirty-fve days above the snow
line.
"The foot of the mountain was heavily
dergrowth, but 1,5OO feet up vegetation
ceases. We saw but little game, though
there are few bear. In fact, nothing to
eat is there except a few berries in the fall.
The climate is exceedingly disagreeable,
being damp and rainy, or rather snowy. up
where we were. But we paid no attention
whatever to the rain and snow, pushing on
whether they fell or not. Of.course, storms
would interfere with our surveying, but
when it came to marching we allowed no
difference to be made between fair weather
and foul. The snow up there was six feet
very soft. So we simply had to founder
or wallow through it. The weather was
not cold, the temperature being usually
about 80 degrees in the daytime.
I'VE discovered that the mountains are
aot nearly SO high as they are generally sup
nncnd to hn Monn& 81 Fliaa 10 aot douy,
1t 1850 feet, but its summit is less than
200 feet above the ocean level Mount
Cook and Mount Vancouver are reputed to
% some 16O 900 feet high, and yet they are
about 1O,OO0 feet. We named the various
ranges and peaks there. In honor of the
Seattle men who did their part so well in
the exposition, we gave the title mount
seattle to bold, triangular. pure white
oeak. beautiful mountain. near the head
of Yakutat bay: 1t is east of Mount Van
,ouver, and the base is within two or three
niles of the shore. The summit rises TO-
700 feet into the air. The other names were
Mostly for the older American biologists.
Mount Hubbard near Mount Seattle at the
lead of Yakutat, was for Gardiner Hubbard,
PRESIDENT of the Geographical Society.
Mount Dalton was for the famous frontiers
nan, but with these exceptions the names
we're for the dead. rugged peak was
called Hitchcock, for the late Professor
Hitchcock state geologist of Massachusetts;
Mount Rogers for former Pennsylvania
state geologist; Mount Newton for Henry
Newton. One glacier was named after
Archibald Morrow.
II have visited the glaciers of Switzerland
and New Zealand, but there is nothing there
10 compare with the glaciers in this Alaska
legion about Mount st. Elias. The only
glaciers equal to them on this continent are
In Greenland. We took a number of obser-
,ations. the results of which will be pub
ished, with all the other material, in my
'eports. One huge glacier on the south
niles by fifty, thus covering 1000 square
miles.
"We tried the ascent of Mount st. Elias,
out were driven back by the snow. Once
when the party turned back to one of the
over camps for provisions pushed forward
o the uppermost camp. Then the snow
hut down on us and it was six days before
hey could get to me or to them. Topog-
Eapher Kerr WAS cut off from us by snow,
md for three days he was out on the glacier
without fire or food; but he did not suffer
my permanent impairment. Two attempts
o scale the Elias peak were stopped by
now. As September came on the snow
forms were more frequent, the snow line
(loWly crept down the mountain sides and
Ne were literally forced out of the country.
"The few hRrdships we suffered were not
% be counted, however. against the value of
he experience and the knowledge we
aimed. We came down out of the country
g We went in, through the Yakutat bay,
captain Hooper met us with the Corwiu
nd brought us to Port Townsend" Mr..
Russell has been working for the United
Aates geological survey for some years in
he western states. Last summer he ex-
rs headwaters.