Fairhaven herald. [volume] (Fairhaven, Wash.) 1890-????, 1891-07-08
ON MOUNT BAKERS TOP
A Party of Seven Men Reach
the Topmost Point OF
Mount Baker
The Crater Seen in All Its
Smoking Ugliness at
Close Range
A View of Unrivalled Magnih-
cence Obtained from
the Heights

On June 27th party, consisting vi
Messrs. Percival j. Paris, L. HOBART
Clark. w. O. Amsden, Henry Love-
George w. Smith, Thomas Skatbo, Ed f.
Whitstruck and V. V. Lowe, left FAR
haven for the purpose OF ascending 10 Ihe
ton of Mount Baker. The attempt had
been made by one Of the party V. v
| Lowe. seven years ago, but he ialled 10
reach the highest point, and by many the
ascent was regarded as almost Impossible
Yesterday afternoon, however Ihe
marty arrived over the Bellngham Bay ~
British Columbia railroad, trayel-stalned
and somewhat weary, bearing ample evil
dences that they had faced sun and storm,
had endured hardships and undergone
priyations. But they had been successful
in their undertaking, the mountain had
been scaled, and on its topmost point the
American flag flung to the breezes, which
for ages have been sweeping over plains
and valleys below, amid robust pines anu
graceful cedars, but here uhhlhuereu anu
alone. ,,..
MIR. Clark was seen by HERALD re-
porter last night, and he gave decldedly
interesting account OF the TRIP. -.
after reaching Silver lake, said MT.
of the Nooksack for some miles, ana
then followed a creek which has It's origin
| in the bosOm of the mighty mountain.
: Here we camped at nearly snow line, ana
at 70 on the sixth day after leaving Jhls
city we began the perllous ascent 10 @ @tnS
ton. Up. up we toiled, feeling our way
o with our al penstocks, through snow, man
: feet deem. but packed so hard that III
lrface would carry the lighter weights
the party. Here, deep creVasse con
fronted us, and there steep almost up
right wall, but we never faltered. some
times we were compelled TO cut steps II
the ice and snow, in order TO OBTAIN
foothold and again we were in lmmlneh
= danger Of being dashed 10 pieces, cow
countless fathoms below into some darl
ms rose a round bare dome, Tor all IN
world like the crown OF DERBY haJ' ah'
we knew that success was ours
we reached the top and looked aroul
- ne The TOD or dome OF the mountain J
about two hundred acres In extent, am
on its east side rises sharp cone INK
neak or pillar, fully htty ieet hlgh.
sIght denressiOn interVcnes and there
- the southeast of the dome Is the smOkln
crater OF a live volcano. lhefe Is y
optical illusion there. Slowly ana VIII
Du- maiesIic-like puffs the smoke rises an
~ disappears In the ether ABOVE ouI hoU
" any great volume.
.:Iookinu down at our feet, away belO
. ms are the Twin Sisters and other peak
a yeritable sea of mountains, IN lact, u
like and magnihcence OF when must
seen i'm their sublime, yet rugged gfande
to be appreciated. r,,-,.
"T ookinQ to the westward Bellingha
~ bay can easily be seen, ana away ouJ
( the straits and the gull, va
couyer and innumerable Other lslah
surface. Southwark, fully. 10 mi
away, rises Mount Raj lnier, clear ana a
tinct. standing like a hoary headed ga
contemplating the scenes around MN
the north could be seen the fraser, a
the eve could follow its course Tor NIL
TIC yfeyy is simply grand and the Wis
almost unlimited. From the mountal
ton we took a number OF views look
north, east, south and west. we also tt
a view of the crater, and another sho
the party surrounding the nag stan
cheering with all their might.
Some idea Of the difficulty OF the u
nav be got from the fact that u TOOK
hours to make the ascent OF the DC
I'D itself, and we had TO new steps IN -
EN- Ice and snow TO obtain tooth'
There was a spice Of danger ATTACHED
the undertaking, as you can see; a
misstep meaDt being dashed 10 plec'
Thousand feet below. We found cons
. erable difficulty In making the desc
the snow had softened and creVasses ;
and seventy feet had TO De crossed,
gether. t.o
n we assembled the west side oil the mo
III tain. which is probably the only pract
BILE route, No accident occurred, but
us of our party were snow blind, aud
W fered somewhat in consequence.
The day on which we made the as
was calm and clear, and in this we
fortunate, as it enabled US TO take
and see the great panorama OF con
arounI us. ,,
Deer and bear are abundant,
near the mountain tops we saw
mountain goats Jumping
craQ to crag. Mr.. Smith shot bear
we INDUCED in the luxury OF bear s.
- and mountain trout, Of which there
- numbers in the streams.
"Nestling in Mount Bakers boson
found a lovely little meadow, the
grass growing, and flowers OF We
kinds blooming In all their beauty
whole forming as charming a bit OF c
\ ing as one could wish TO see.
n The party returned In hrst rate d
and spirits, their faces burned from
~. sure TO the sun, and enthusiastic owe
orand success of their eXpedi tiOn.