Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1890-10-24
MISS FULLER's GREAT FEAT.
The First Woman to Climb Mount Tacoma s
Difficult Peak.
New York World.

Mount Tacoma. Washington. rises to g
height OF IA, 444 feet, and to the present
time only twenty-nine persons have climbed
to its summit, ot whom Miss Fay Fuller,
of Tacoma, is the only woman. The party
with whom Miss Fuller made the ascent
on the 10th of August consisted of the
Rev. +. c. Smith, r. r. Parish, w. o.
Amsden. of Seattle, and Leonard Long
mire, the guide, of Yelm. Experienced
mOuutaineers say that Mount Tacoma Is
the most difficult American peak to climb
The ascent of the first Z 200 feet was made
on horseback through dense forest, across
dangerous streams, and beautiful natural
parks. known as the Lower Gardens OF
Eden, and consumed nearly four days.
Then began the ascent on foot, which was
pcrllouS in the extreme. At l2,OUO feet
the wind blew hurricane over the snow
and blue-green glacier. Several crevasses
had TO be crossed, some of which were
large enough to drop house into. The
summit was reached at 4:30 p. IN. of
Aug. 10. 1t is about two miles across.
Standing ON top the climbers could see be-
low thu two large craters looking like
immense bowls with a central common
rim. The large crater is about three
quarters Of a mile across. They are filled
with snow and solid ice, with the rim
around the circumference of the bare rocks
rising about sixty feet in some places.
The steam keeps these rocks bare all the
time. Coming down from the summit,
where they could hardly stand on account
of the wind, they were sheltered in the
crater and examined the steam jets, look
ing as if a row of boiling teakettIes were
placed along the ridge. They sat on the
rocks end were soon damp with the
moisture and parboiied by the heat, and it
was necessary to move. At 6 o'clock Miss
Fuller's account of the expedition says
"On the east ridge of the big crater we
entered an ice cave between the snow and
rim of the crater anu there with steam
beside US, we spread our blankets, which
seemed light enough now, took off our
shoes, bathed our feet in whisky, and be-
gan the night After having reached the
summit | began to feel sick from cold
exhaustion and the sui phur odor, and for
some time suffered from a chill and
nausea. After vomiting felt all right
and ready to enjoy the night. Some of
the gentlcmen were tired and very cold.
Eating had no attraction for me, but some
ate a little. Mr.. Smith melted some ice
in a cup over the steam, heated the
water, dissolved some extract of beef, and
served some good hot beef soup for supper.
Two blankets over us seemed little protec-
ton for the night. Through the small
opening iii the cave above we could watch
the stars and meteors and all night long
hear the awful avalanches roaring down
the mountain sides. | was the only one
fortunate enough to be able to sleep. When
we awoke our shoes were frozen stiff and
had to be melted in the steam before We
could put them ON. The blankets where
tie steam had been were icy
The descent was even more perilOus than
the ascent had been, but it was finally ac-
cOmplished without serious mishap. Miss
FuIler's exposure had caused her lips, nose
and face to swell badly and the skin peeled
off, but she feels well repaid for what she
endured by the novel experience.