Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-12-05
ALAsKA's GIANT MOUNTAIN.
The Adveutares OF the Russell Party on It's
Icy Slopes


An rNrKREsrrNa ACCOUNT or THEN WRITTEN ~
MIR. RussELL-SIaHr MARCHES OVER DAN
oERoUs ckEvAssEs-rHE GRANDEUR OF TIE
VIEW NEAR TnK SUMMIT.
Israel C. Russell. who was chief Of the party
sent out by the National Geographic Society 20
ascend Mount St. Elias and explore the sur
rounding region, has written for the Philadel-
phia Press an interesting account Of the ascent
OF the giant mountain.
In IL he says: Owing to the glare OF the sun
light on the snow fields and the softness Of the
snow at midday our marches we're made princi-
pally at night Even ct midnight IL was still
light enough to travel where the snow was not
badly crevassed, although the nights were
considerably longer than when We began our
journey in June.
Although travelling at night was far more
comfortable than by day IL was more danger
Gus; as We were torcibly reminded the night we
made our nrst advance north OF the SRmovar
Hills. We started soon a. the snow began
TO freeze after sunset and worked our way with
. loaded sled around the worst part OF the ice
fall at the west end Of the Samovar Hills and
through a maze of creyasses above the fall
The snow ahead looked smooth and but slightly
crevassed. and turned back, having work TO
do at the SamovaI Hills, leaving the men 10
advance without me They had scarcely pro-
ceeded hundred wards. however. when Stamy
and White, who were in the lead in the sled
line, suddenly broke through and fell some
twenty feet into a crevasse.
Fortunately, they landed on soft snow. which
had been caught in the chasm and formed
kind of bridge. The men could not move from
the position in which they landed, because of
the snow that had fallen on them aud because
on either hand the chasm descended TO unseen
depths. Their position was exceedingly criti-
cal, but owing TO the GOODNESS and promptness
OF McCarty a rope was lowered to them almost
before they reached bottom, and they were
drawn to the surface. This was the most
serious accident VIC had during the journey to
the mountain. On the way down White again
dropped through a snow bridge near the same
place and disappeared in the blue gulf below
but was again rescued with the aid Of . line
without serious injury.
ABANDONING THE SLED.
Our night marches up the Agassiz glacier
continued until July IA. when We reached the
place where the Newton glacier pours down 9
steep rocky descent and joins the Agassiz.
This was as far as we could take our sled.
Our course then led northwest mp the Newton
glacier, which we knew from the experience Of
the year previous was exceedingly rugged and
broken by several great ice falls.
The work OF packing" our tents, instru-
ments and rations was now resumed. and We
dufduCeu more slowly tnan Wnen We cOulu
use the sled Our camps were on the snow at
sufficient distance from the mountains TO be
out of danger of ayalarches. Cooking was
done over oil stoves. and our food was neces-
sarily simple in the extreme, although usually
sufficient as to quantity.
At several localities steps had to be cut in
steep snow slopes, which made progress very
slow and tiresome. At one place advance
seemed to be impossible. owing to a maze of
huge crevasses which crossed the glacier from
side to side. After viewing the Wild landscape
from the summit of towering pinnacle Of ice
it was decided to cut steps down into one Of the
broadcast crevasses and then up the precipice
over 200 feet high, which formed its opposite
wall. This was accomplished in about half a
day by McCarty, Stamy and myself, who were
then in advance Of the rest Of the party. Cut
ting steps up the precipice was more difficult
than in any case previously encountered, ow-
ing to an overhanging cornice-hke ridge. about
six feet thick near the top, but was finally ac-
compiished, and q rope put in place TO facili-
tate our return. Above the great crevasse,
which We called White cliff. the surface of the
glacier was less broken, and we made good
progress for about five miles to the foot of the
next great ice fall. This was PERCEPTIONS de-
scent of over a thousand feet, up which We
toiled with heavy loads through soft snow for
several hours before reaching the magnificent
its source.
Near the entrance Of this amphitheater We
made what proved to be our highest camp.
The elevation was a little over 5000 feet. The
scenery while travelling up the Agassiz and
Newton glaciers had been magnificent, but the
towering precipices of ice which surrounded
our highest camp surpassed anything We had
seen. Mount Newton, forming the northeast
ern wall Of the vast semi-circle rose nearly
vertically for fully mile. Its sides we're COW
cred with ice, which frequently fell VI thunder
ing avalanches. On the southwest was the
roof-like slope Of st. Elias, having a vertical
height of two miles. From its glittering slopes
alalanches of fearful grandeur repeatedly
rushed down into the snow-bound valley in
which our little tent was pitched.
Between Mounts Newton and st. Elias there
is saddle" the lowest front of which was
1000 feet above our camp. The slope leading
to the saddle was rugged and steep and
crossed from side to side by blue crevasses. the
upper walls Of which frequently rose q hun
dred feet or more above their lower lips. Our
advance above the highest camp was up this
slope of ice and snow, SO steep that steps had
to be cut the greater part Of the way.
In the higher region my companions were
McCarty and Stamy. The rest of the party we're
at lower stations advancing supplies.
With my two companions 1 left the highest
camp at o'clock on the morning of July "a
and climbed the ice cliff leading to the divide
between Mount Newton and Mount St. Elias.
This was q task of no small difficulty, requiring
eight hours Of hard worx On the divide we
had magnificent view OF the desolate noun
famous region to the north, and could see the
thousands of snow-covered mountains that in
tervene between Mount Fairweather. some 200
miles to the southeast. and Mount Wrangel, an
equal distance to the northwest
After having some lunch on the divide and
making such observations as were practicable,
We continued the ascent and at o clock reached
an elevation of IL, 500 feet the north slope Of
the greatpyramid forming the summit OF Mount
st. Elias.
Measurements Of the height Of the noun
tains made after returning to Icy bay have
shown that Mount St. Elias has an elevation of
II, $50 feet. This measurement was made with
care and is believed to be correct within 100
feet.
When we reached our highest point there
were nearly 900 feet Of PERCEPTIONS snow slope
yet above us. Having already climbed over
t,0.c feet since leaving camp, deemed it adj
visable to return and advance our camp to the
divide before making an attempt to reach the
summit
We were reluctant to turn back, but felt con-
fdent that if we placed our tent upon the d.
vide we should be able to reach the summit in
one day and return. Working our way down
the PERCEPTIONS trail we had made during
the ascent, we regained our tent at 10 clock
at night, just twenty hours after leaving it
AT THE SUMMIT.
The day we reached our highest point was
clear and beautiful, but q change was apparent
toward NIGHT and the nert dav 81 Flias vas