The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1897-08-30
CLIMBING ST. ELIAS.
One iof the Party Tells How it Was
Done

00Q0s
Victoria, B. c., Aug. 3O.-By a member
of the expedition of Prince Luigi is given
the first information in detail of the per-
lis of the trip up the precipitous and icy
ST. Elias, the monarch mountain of the
Alaskan range. This intrepid mountain
climber tells the thrilling tale of the as
cent and of the celebration at the sum-
init when the Prince of the House of Sa-
voy planted the flag of Italy on the pin
nacle, 1870 feet above the sea level, and
in the biting air saluted the colors of his
country floating over the peak which man
never before had assembled.
The ascent was exciting, but, more
than that, it has given valuable informa-
ton. Two facts of prime Importance to
the world of science have been determine
ed by the expedition of this spirited
young prince, who climbs the mountains
for sport and makes scientific observa-
tions as an incident of his pleasure tour.
One fact is that Mount St. Elias is 1900
feet high. The altitude of this snowy
peak has been in doubt until the prince,
by a mercury barometer carried to the
apex, determined it almost exactly. The
observations by the princes party make
a positive record of the height, subject to
a variation of not more than 30 40
feet.
The second scientific fact of interest is
that st. Elias is not and never was
great volcano. Thus is given a negative
answer to a question that has been asked
by men of science for many years. About
the white-headed monarch of the range
is not the slightest indication of recent
volcanic action. Like its neighbor crags,
it shows evidence in forests, shells, sand
stone and beds of pebbles of a long rest
under ocean waves before it rose to make
a majestic view from the Pacific ocean.
The narrative of the trip from Mandy,
given out by one of the officers in the
party, is as follows:
1--WE at once proceeded up the Malas-
pima glacier to the foot of Seward gla-
cier, this part of the journey being simply
a three-mile tramp up a glacial stream to
the foot of a great moraine. The next
three miles took us up to the top of the
moraine, which is nothing more nor less
than a mass of rock at the top of the
ice deposited there centuries ago. From
that point to the foot of the Newton gla-
cier, distance of 20 miles, the ice was
covered with snow, and on account of the
prevailing foggy weather we were unable
to see the mountains. Running by the
compass was the customary method of
advance.
Upon reaching the divide between
st. Elias and Mount Newton the weather
conditions were altogether in our favor.
The ascent of the divide, which has an
altitude of II 400 feet, was made in a sim
gle day. On the night of July 80 we
pitched our three tents there. At o'clock
on the morning of the 31st we began the
ascent of the great peak, lifting high
from the range of which it is part The
snow was light and fioury. The Alpine
guide in the lead sank into the snow at
least two feet at every step. For eleven
hours we trudged steadily through the
snow.
AT exactly five minutes before II
o'clock, noon, we stood upon the highest
point of the great st. Elias, the first men
to stand there, the first men to look out
through the clear air over view of rug
ged mountain scenery grander than any
Alpine prospect.
For an hour we remained upon this
summit. The cold was not excessive. The
thermometer showed the temperature
was only 20 degrees below freezing point.
Our mercurial barometer showed the
height to be 1890 feet. One hour upon the
summit was occupied in planting firmly
a Flagstaff from which the flag of Italy
was floated to the Arctic breezes. We
cheered heartily the flag. Prince Luigi
leading the Viva Signor Sella took a
photograph of the mountain top, the flag
and the group Of men.
'sThen the flags of the United States
and Italy were cached on the mountain
top and we descended, in two hours
reaching the divide, the ascent from
which had taken us II hours. Next day
the party descended to camp on the
glacier, and there remained two days for
rest.
From the top of the mountain two
very high peaks were seen, which have
not as yet been mapped or named by any
explorer.
1.-The scenery-wild, rugged and essen
TALLY of snow and ice-was proclaimed by
the entire party far to exceed in gran
deur anything found in the eastern Alps.
We found no trees except a lone place
between the second camp and St. Elias"