The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1890-10-20
MOUNT ST. ELIAS.
Work Of the Alaskan Scientific
Expedition.
Amid SnOY-Clad Mountains and Glaciers
Of Great Magnitude.
" Blossom Island" Lovely Oasis In the
Desert Of Measurements Of
Some Noted Peaks.
Special to THE MORNING CALL.

WASHINGTON, Oct 19.-lle Sclentinc eX-
pedition sent last spring under the joint
auspices of the National Geographical So
ciety and the United States Geological Sur
vey, for the purpose of exploring the region
about Mount st. Elias. Alaska, has returned.
Mr.. Russell. who organized the expedition
and had charge of the work, has furnished
the Associated Press picturesque sketch
OF the work of his party. The actual base
Of operations at the head of Yukatat Bay
was reached June 2Sth, and the study of the
geology and geography of the region began
at once. They found an island near the
head of the bay which they named Grand
View Island. From its summit, which,
rises boldly thousand feet above the water,
stretch ofsnow- clad mountains, from which
glaciers of great magnitude descended to the
sea, and ended in cliffs. several hundred feet
high. From these, the icebergs crowding
the bay were derived. One of these glaciers
are named after Dalton, the pioneer ex-
plorer of the region; another of large size at
the head of the bay was named in honor of
Gardner Hubbard, President of the National
Geographical Society. A magnificent noun
tain peak. rising some 10000 feet Immediately
above Hubbard glacier received the same
name. Another towering peak on the same
mountain crest, triangular in shape, and
always of the purest white, was named
Mount Seattle.
ACROSS GLACIERS AND sNow-FIELDS.
AS soon as the typographical work
was well under way" said Mr.. Rus
sell, "a line of march toward Mount
st. Elias was decided upon. All of our
rat!ons, bedding, tents, ETC.. had to be
carried or packed by men, the character Of
the country not allowing the use of animals.
We found passes in the mountains leading
in the direction we wished to travel and no
insurmountable difficulty in the way, al
though great patience and judgment were
required In threading the network Of
crevases in the ice-felds. Probably more
than nine-tenths of our journey was across
glaciers and snow-fields. On the 1st of
August we were midway between Yukatat
Bay and St Elias, but still at the base of
the mountains. The timber line is there
about 1850 feet high, and all trees disappear
few miles TO the west. An island of rock,
surrounded by vast glaciers, but clothed
with beautiful flowers, rank ferns and dense
spruce lIeGS, IL lot
our base camp. We named this lovely oasis
in the desert of ice Blossom Island"
From there our work 10 the high mountains
began.
MOUNTAIN STORMS.
"After twenty days hard work above the
snow-line We found ourselves encamped at
the base of st. Elias. The weather had
been clear for ten days and we had every
prospect for good DAYS climb on the NOR
row. Arising at 3 o'clock in the morning,
we began at what we believed to be the
final ascent, but after a few hours storm
clouds settled down around us, snow began
to fall and all landmarks were lost to view
The storm continued Tor thirty hours with
out cessation, and it was with difficulty that
we found our way through the binding
snow 10 the camp. where necessary rationS
were to be had. A second attempt to reach
the summit was made two days later, but
another storm broke over the mountain as
alone in the highest camp, where | was i'm
priSoned for six days before being able
to Iejon the party beloy. When / started
down there was six feet of snow, which re-
fused to harden, and rendered it impossible
to do more work among the peaks. On de-
scending to tie lower level | started on an
excursion up the glacier between st. Elias
and Mount Cook, which gave promise of
leading to a low pass across the main range,
but third snOw-storm coming up l was
obliged to return to Blossom island and
there rejOined Mr. Kerr, the topographer
who had descended few days previous
My stay above the snow line lasted thirty
five days and during that time we lived in
tents. many times camping on the open
glacier, SO as TO be out Of the reach of ava
lanches.
AN IMMENSE GLACIER.
fter returning to Blossom Island an ex-
cursion was made far'Out on the great Pied
mont glacier which forms a plateau about
1900 feet high, stretching along the southern
base OF Mount st. Elias range. This glacier
is of continental type in distinction from
Alpine glaciers and has an area by estimate
of about 1000 square miles. 1t is the largest
glacier known In the northern hemisphere
with the exception of the ce-felds of Green
land. We returned to Yukatat Bay about
the 10th OF September, having had stormy
weather almost all the time since leaving
the vicinity of st. Elias, and on the 22d our
hearts were gladdened by seeing the steamer
'Corwin coming VI the bay, Captain
Hooper having made cruise from Sitka
especially for our relief and he conveyed
the expedition to Port Townsend.
A sECoND-RATE MOUNTAIN.
"From the point of view of scientist, if
not an .Alpinist. the expedition was sue
cess. The plan proposed in starting was
carried out almost to the letter, so far as the
study OF glaciers, geology and topography
was concerned, but we did not reach the top
of Mount St. Elias. Measurements made
have determined that all the mountains in
this region are lower than previously sup
posed, and that St Elias, instead of be-
ing the highest point in North America, is
in reality second-rate mountain. Its eeya-
ton, instead of being 19, 800 feet. as preyi-
ously considered, is about 13,50O0. Mount
Cook has an elevation Of 10,250 and Van
couver 9400"
Rndprtiop ro11ad