The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-08-09
UP THE NORTH SIDE.
4 Hard and Perilous Climb to
NJ. Rainier's Crater.
n.KimLEY AND HOBART ON HIGH.
pruE Bailey Willis. OF the GeoioG1cai
survey, Waves Old Glory on the
Mountain Top.

seoralnes and among crevasses approach
tng II difficulty a. least. II not in size,
to some noted Alpine mountains. l unnes-
ttaf1ngsy recommend a "trip To the TOP Oh
N6anE Rainier By the way o. the Carbon
f!ser glacier. over she trail followed and
Dzrtiaily constructed BY the United states
xeosogieai survey party. Under DIR. Bailey
wills. OF which ! was temporary MEM
Der.
A n well known. the ascent OF Mount
Rainier has been frequently made
from the south side OF the mountain via
Fsrsdise park, Camp OF the Clouds and
Gibraltar rock. This route. while difficult
enough, IL not considered as especially
seysre or dangerous. The north side, how
ever. has been assembled but once, I am
Informed. and that only after the perse-
yersng and eventually successful climber,
SIR Evans. Of Seattle. had been baffled
three times by the large. impossible crew
asses. some Of which I estimated 20 be
from one-ararter 10 ihree-Quarfsrs OF a
mile In length. from Eve to fifty feet wide.
at least 100 feet OF depth visible TO the eye,
ard siIIl greater depth perceptlbie TO
The ear. as water and pieces Of lee could
be heard rumbllng and cracking in the
chasm below.
Our party. consisting OF nine members
ana nine pack animals. assembled IN camp
near Alderton on July Il. and on the morn
Carbonate. from which point we were to
rsconnoiter the trail as far as the foot
Of the Carbon river glacier which we es-
tlmated TO be about twenty miles distant.
and report back 10 the main camp at the
foot Of the Carbon river. on the wilkison
and Busywild trail. Although somewhat
confused at first by the network OF paths
and runways In the vicinity Of carbonado.
We eventually struck the right trail ard
reached the ford OF Carbon river In the
evening. The trail up 10 this point In in
very good condition fer foot or pack train
travel. The nfxt morning we shouidered
our packs. containing our blankets, proyis-
Ions and cooking utensils and with our
stout. and a. we soon came to think. In
valuable alpenstoeks In the right hand,
started for ChuBais river. a point We as
sumed TO be about seven miles, but which
proved to be nearer nine miles distant.
This place we proposed to lunch az and
then TO proceed to the foot OF the glacier.
We found before night that we had un-
dsrtAken more than We could perform.
Our path lay sometimes along the rough
river bed. full OF rounded stones from tho
size OF a walnut to that OF a mars head;
sometimes through q dense thicket of
berry bushes. devils club and other weeds.
and then again through tho heavy timber
that skirts the river bank in places. all
OF which combined 10 make our progress
slow. although we did not think so until
while stopping TO drink from brook we
were surprised to see two men on horse
back emerge from the woods opposite us.
n was . pretty warm day and they evil
IDENTIFY felt the heat. for where the trafl
led cut on the river bottom the sun poured
down It's rays with relentless vigor.
We began asking questions and learned
that they had started for the foot of
the glacier three days previous. but had
a. II - N..fE
travelling beyond chunuIs river. Up 20
that point. they told us. was a trail Just
used by party OF surveyors. who were
working In the interest Of the city Of
Tacoma, locating a water supply. We
thought we were about two-thirds az the
distance from the ford 10 Chunuis. but
our fnformants said they had been since
80 coming from Canada creek. one and
thres-auarter miles this side OF Chunuis.
ana II was then 1870 This Indicated We
were hardly half way We started on
again. resolved to reach Chunuls by noon
n possible. but so difficult was tho tran
that al o'clock we we're only At Canada
creek. where we lunched. and II was not
until o'clock that we reached Chunuis
river. thus taking seven hours 10 cover
nine miles
Al Canada creek there Il fine water
fall. the torrent pouring down over sue
ressive steps a distance Of about sixty
feet At the mouth Of chunuls river are
fails vet rrander. The pure, transparent
water rushes down over huge. nearly
vertical granite stairway. a distance or
nearly 100 feet. with a great roar. falling
INTO large pool at the bottom, seething
ana srothinr. from which II energes and
flows into the Carbon river. beautiful.
lrnpid stream. II the city of Tacoma de-
eldss 10 supply It's Inhabitants with this
water II viii certainly have the best that
nature produces.
Our packs were growing pretty heavy
by this time. so We decided 20 leave them
N the cabin al Chunuis and proceed mp
the river bed We found the grade or the
rtver 20 be growing more ste-p as we as
eenaea while the houiSers Increased m
size the nearer we approached the glacier.
rntn We reached a point about three miles
above Chunuis. above which We thought
Il would be hazardous 20 take the animals.
AMI 10 reach this far the stream would
have 10 be foracf The Carbon is an ex-
eeeainxlv angry mountain torrent above
canaaa creek We could hear bouliers
rumble along the river bed as the swift
current pushed them down. - We knew
The question % forairg would be an I'M
por.ant one. requiring further inveStiga-
ton We therefore decided 10 return ana
report the result OF our observations np
70 this point Sleeping a. Chnnuis that
nsrht. we returned and Joined the main
party which we found eamped 81 hihs
cabin. two mites southeast ~ tarboh
river ford. The next day the whole parry
moved forward and canned az Chunuis
river After several trials IN various
places 4 was found impossible 90 get our
animals across the river. 80 II was de-
esded % keen 10 the northeast bank OF me
river. clearing a trall and bridging the
main stream az a noius about two ana
aaif niles from Ch0nu}s river This work
eeeapsed TWO DAYS, 50 that On tho taira
day We struck camp and marched 70 With
N three-au3rters Of mite of the foot
ef the glacier. II was about 3 o'clock
shsa We arrlved at this oamp. In The
mean time foGr % our marty. under Mr..
Wits. had gone ahead the eay previous
and establishes a camp q chcF; distance
non The side 90 the glacier In order 20
fosa this camp ana hrtEr provisions. Two
OF Us toak our blankets and al the feoa
We could carry ard started - iosn The
rsoneevs
Following along the siuucus bod ot the
CARBON for about hass rntie. We came 20
sharp bend after passing which the
glacier suddenly came TITO sight, II was
nY FIRST view ~ glacier. and l must
Se1teSs thar I was disappointed. My pre-
RENEWED sea. formed frem descriptions
ard Ptescsfaphs nas Of a saa OF ice and
snews cold and hrs~ht. grand and awe
inspiring. What saw was a sheer wall
g very Dirty See. varying from 100 20 80
net Ia height. covered with iarge
amount 81 rocks, grave an6 neraine mat
seF At the fcog of this NAIL. ga2er the
ss Is large tuune'. from out Of which
esrsEs tie Carbon river % is tumuiiucus
~ ae~n ihe valley. I remarked 20 my
NShpSni2a that &hs glacier looked as
saeaSh treatment 81 some % the popa-
~ era nds 81 saaD would BE beneficial