The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-06-06
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: THE ASCENT OF MOUNT St. ELIAS. !
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One OF the most important and perhaps
most difficult pieces Of mountain WORK
that have been planned for many years Is
tina ascent OF MI. 81. Elias. the colossus
thai, stands almost on the junction line
which separates the American domain in
Alaska from the British possessions
writes Prof Hilipriu in the Sunday sun
Two parties have determined TO make me
effort during the coming summer. the one
directed by Mr. Henry G. Bryant vice
president of the Geographical Society or
Philadelphia. and the successful explorer
of the Grand falls OF Labrador. and the
other. conducted BY Vittorio Sella. prob
ably the most eminent of landscape pho
tographers that the world has yet seen,
and Prince Luigi OF Savoy, Duke o. Alb
rlIzzi. with q retsnue OF some OF the most
experienced Alpine guides.
The expedition under the direction OF
Mr.. Bryant contemplates the scientific eS-
animation of the 81. Elias region, central
to which are the ascent OF the giant noun
tain. the determination OF its geological.
geological and botanical features. and the
examination of the claims OF NJ. Logan
ESTIMATED 10 be IL. 10 feet in heighU II
be the loftiesS summit OF all North
America Mt. Logan is distinctly on
British territory but the valuation OF Its
altitude is determined from measurements
OF Prof Israel Z. Russell. calculated IN
the bureaus OF the United states coast sur
vey- The attack on Mt. ST. Elias, II is
expected. will he made from the side OF the
Malaspina glacier. TO which a seemingly
most accessible face is turned. The peak
itself has much the form of the famous
Jungfrau or Switzerland, on which the up
per SHOWS have a thickness OF 40 TO 500
feet. except where sharp rock ridges pro-
trude to daylight; what the thickness OF
the snow mantle on ST. Elias may be.
only researches can determine. MIR. Bry-
ant will be accompanied by Mr.. SaInOet j.
En;rikan. who was associated with the
Hilprin-Peary relief expedition of iss2.
and subsequently, 1884 with Mr.. Peary,
and q special topogra pher from the nited
States service at Washington: three or
four additional aids will be taken up on
the California side. one OF whom served
as guide to the Russell party in 1898.
The elevation of Mt. st. Elias. as re-
Gently determined by Prof. Israel c. Rus
SELL is about 1s,l0o feet, or nearly i.5o
feet lower than was assumed from the
earlier measurements made by officers OF
the United States coast survey. The mcun-
tain. consequently lacks between three
quarters of a mile and a mile OF the alti-
tude of Aconcagua and the Pioneer peak.
But ii has a factor in its construction
which Will tend largely to increase the
is the enormous development OF its snow
covering. which has a greater vertical ex-
tension than is known on any other noun
tain, extending continuously from about
the level OF > GO feet TO the summit. or
through an interval OF 1s1a feet. 1t is
this which will tax the best energies or
the mountaineer, and call out resource
which perhaps no previous mountain eX-
ploration has done.
Tie successful accomplishment OF high
mountains OF the class OF Aconcagua. the
Pioneer peak or st. Elias is not matter
that is associated with special dancer
from a rarefied atmosphere. Experience
has plainly demonstrated that much
more rarefied atmosphere than is TO be
found on any of the mountain SUBMITS or
the globe can be safely endured by almost
any healthy heart and pair OF lungs. hut
1t Is the difficulty or exhaustion that is
bound in with muscular exercise under
these special conditions of reduced atmos-
phcre Tor oxygenb which makes a result
doubtful. or even forces permanent in
jury to those attempting the effort. Noun
tain sickness In one form or another. and
the peculiar blood transpirations from
nose, ears and eyes are certainly existent
conditions with some. but seemingly they
are of much less frequent experience than
they were in the early days of mountain
work Whymper Clinton. Dent and other
Alpinists are probably justified in their
contention that no mountain height is too
high for mans ultimate powers OF endur-
ance. and that with proper effort the loft
lest of them will be conquered like the
less lofty.
Nothing so convincingiy demonstrates
for successful mountain work the need OF
that particular knowledge of a mountain
which is held by and is seemingly Unborn
with the class of men known as the Swiss
guides than just these very successes at
tanned by them. Whymper. In his remark
ably ra pid aScents OF the equatorial Andes
~-a'himhoraZo Cotopaxf, etc.-had the ser
vices OF the famous Alpine guide. Jean
Antoine Carrel: Hans Meyer in his ascent
of Kilima' njaro, relied upon the resources
% purtscheller; Conway took Zurbriggen
with him TO the Himalayas. and now titz-
gerald Is essaying the services Of the same
noiintaiueer I'm the Argentinian and Chit
ian Andes. What. II may he asked, is the
special knowledge Of a mountain that
these Alpnists possess - a knowledge
that permits itself tn be applied
from the mountains Of one part or
the world To those removed thousands OF
miles away? To the inexperienced, noun
tain faces look largely alike. and they
seemingly present few features OF contour
or structure that ara not within the grasp
OF the lay student. In reality, however.
they are very complex. and only long
study can fully satisfy the wants OF the
nountaineer If success in an effort and
avoidance Of danger are prime considera
tons with him To he able TO follow with
the eye an available ridge or crest, 10
know where and how impending crags and
cornices can be circumvented, to have a
certain knowledge Of position OF stable and
unstable SHOWS. Of the positions where
avaianchea Of snow. ice or rocks are likely
20 iYnpegil the traveller % the hrmness or
insecurity of ice bridges etc.-these are
Some az the details OF mountain study
which can only he acquired after long.
toisome and almost continuous expert
ence. and not n least important addition
TO this knowledge is thar which pertains
10 foracasting the weather. to know the
signs Of approaching storm. or those swift
changes OF tempera ture and air move
rnents which are the inheritance OF tie
mountain world.
Every mountain that rises well Into the
domain of perpetual ice has It's accumula-
tons OF hard lying and soft lying or move
able SHOWS. The former are usually SAFE,
II not always agreeable route 70 travel.
bat in the latter the mountaineer eucount-
ers particular dangers which IRE frequent
~ no: readily appreCIaoie on their fare.
The avalanche has proved itself 10 he an
ur,rauitting Zoe To the mouutsineer. and
tie death-dea ling work continues from yea-
to year despite all efforts that are made
- avoid its pressnce. II Is an exceedingly
snail and insignificant effort that calls
IL into existence which frequently tatiles
thu rnosf experienced % give II wide
berth Il is well known that the discnar&e
Of = gun viii often s'jsloage q hanging
cornice with its mantle % snow and even
the clapplng Of hands has been known "a
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