The record-union., 1895-07-20
A HAZARDOUS CLIMB.
The Summit of the Great Dome at
Yosemite is Scaled.
Thomas McGee, Jr., and Stuart L
Rawlings Make the Ascent and
Place Flag On It.
from the Yosemite Tourist. July 9th,


Eighteen years ago to-day John Muir
of glacial fame, Thomas Magee, one of the
well-known pioneers of San Francisco.
and the late George G. Anderson, the
latter acting as guide, assembled the Half
Dome. Thomas Magee, Jr., then a mere
boy, was left at the Anderson cabin, near
the dome, for be was too small to attempt
SO perilous feat.
But yesterday he, too, assembled the
Half Dome. and looked down upon the
Yosemite's wonders from it's summit.
At an early hour yesterday morning
he and his friend, Stuart L. Rawlings,
left Camp Etnemere to attempt to do that
which had been done but once in about
fifteen years-reaoh the summit of the
Half Dome. They took horses and fol-
lowed the Clouds Rest trail about two
miles beyond the Nevada Falls. Here
they followed the old Half Dome trail to
the Anderson cabin, the latter be ing
about half-mile from the dome. In the
good old days when those so In cilned
could reach the top OF the dome this cabin
was the starting point. Many, too, would
come here and remain over nlght, ana
then be ready for the climb in the morn
ing. Hero they left their horses yester-
day and after not unexclting trip across
''the saddle" where on either side were
the yawning canyons OF the Merced and
Tenaya, they found themselves at the
foot of the climb, as it were; or rather at
the point where the old rope ladder or
support commenced, many Of the iron
spikes Of which yet remain.
Here they arrived at about o'clock.
The Half-Dome at this point ID cone
shaped ana has slope of about 50o. 1t is
Of q w a OH
face, though crevices and spurs of rock
are few and far between. They carried
with them about 200 feet of one-half inch
rope, siXtsen-foot pole and hatchet.
Here they spent some time looking for
some signs of the trail or spikes leading
to the frownlng summit LOCO feet above
them. But they looked for some time in
vain and were almost on the point of
giving up the attempt and returning.
But 100 feet or more up the side of the
dome they saw an iron pin or spike, and
they assumed that they were supposed to
walk to this point, which they did with
some little difficulty. Here they took of
their shoes and hung them on the pin,
for they knew that safety and shoe wear
| ing did not go together climbing the Half
Dome.
At the cabin they had found two iron
spikes, and to these principally they owe
their triumphal ascent of the dome.
Before leaving their comparatively safe
position at the first pin they had deter
mined upon all reasonable precautions
for safety. They saw that the old iron
pins were from thirty to fifty feet apart
and they knew that If the pins were solid
and rope could be attached in any way
to them that the ascent could be made
quite safely. But those spikes had been
in there twenty years. They agreed that
Mr.. Magee should take the lead and that
L. f-.N h.
above the rope should be attached to him
while Mr.. Rawlings held the other end
and saw that it was securely fastened to
the pin below. Then, too, the pole
helped them to reach the points above.
And as Mr.. Magee found safe lodg-
ment for the rope Mr.. Rawlings followed
safely and quickly. At one point they
threw the rope around pin and pulled
it out. That will be kept as d souvenir of
the trio. In its place they drove one OF
the iron pins they brought from the
cabin. Thus hand over hand, working,
creeping from ledge to ledge, spike to
spike, they climbed up the side of the
eastern slope of the Half Dome and about
l o. clock they had reached the summit
and the l,000-foot incline was below them.
Down at Camp Etnemere there were
anxious eyes watching the summit Of the
mighty dome. whose crest is almost 5000
feet above their grounds. Had they
reached it in safety, or had they made
false step and been hurled into the awful
gorges on either side OF the dome?
Slowly the seconds and minutes went by,
more sharply than ever were their eyes
directed toward its beautifully rounded
but awfully dangerous summit and at
about O'Clock Willie Hush fired the
signal gun, tor there floating from the
six teen-foot pole was the white flag. the
latter being about 5xS feet. Then there
was joy in Camp Etnemere. for the two
hazardous climbers were safely up there.
The flag can be quite plainly seen from
the floor of the valley, and no doubt but
that it will remain there until the storms
of next winter come.
On the summit they found a bank of
snow. There are three juniper trees up
there, two living and one dead. There is
no soil, except pulverized granite, and
John Muir says the juniper is the only
tree that could live under such conditions.
On one of the trees they cut their names
and '95, and on another one they cut the
name Of the party, mentioned above, that
visited there eighteen years ago to-day.
They also brought back small piece of
the dead tree. One of the most wonder
ful things they saw or did was to crawl
out to the edge of the ledge and look down
on Mirror Lake, nearly 5000 feet below.
Those who have gaZed over the iron rail-
ing at Glacier Point can appreciate what
an addition of nearly 1000 feet more
means.
II have been all through Switzerland"
remarked Mr.. Magee, at their camp last
evening, for they made the return trip
quickly and safely arriving at Camp
Etnemere at o'clock, 'and l consider
the view from Half Dome equal to the
com bined grandeur Of Switzerland. l
would not take $1,000 for the trip, were l
not able to duplicate it. think the Com
missioners should replace the rope guard
that was formerly there. In fact the State
Legislature should make q special appro-
priation to put guardway, stairway or
something of this sort up to its summit
Now that the ascent has been safely
made, new pins put in and the old ones
tightened, others are contemplating an
early trip to its crest.
The many visitors now here would
have been treated to fire from the top
of the dome last evening but for the fact
that their matches had become damp.