The daily morning journal and courier., 1897-11-06
ONE WAS A HARTFORD MAN.
HIGHEST PEAK OF STERRAS
 CLIMBED IN SEPTElrBER.

Giant Pines Guard the Memories of the
 Past--B Beyond the Timber Line-Pio-
 lures of Dante's Inferno Suggested.
 Arthur Marion Hill says in the Hart ford Times: During the month of September the ascent of Mount Freel. the highest peak in the Sierras, was made by MT. Elisha Smith, brother of the late William B. Smith of this city, who resides at Lake Tahoe, Cal. He was accompanied by his wife and MT. Arthur Marion Hill. a nephew of MT. Smith. The following account of the ascent, written by MT. Hill, has been received here by Mrs. Virginia T. Smith, and is exceptionally interesting:
 It is generally accepted as a fact, particularly in the minds of visitors to Lake Tahoe, that Mount Tallac has the highest summit in the Tahoe group, but this is not true, and there are many mountain tops in this locality which rise high above the familiar crest of Tallac. Chief among these higher peaks are Mounts Freel 11,200 feet above the seal, Job Go,OOO), Jobs Sis ter (10,12O, Monument QO,0S5), Pyra- mid (10,020), Dick (10,015), Jack (9,910), while the altitude of Tallac is 9,7S5. Jack and Dick are just west of Tallac, but the latter appears to be higher tahn the other two because it rises from close proximity to the lake shore, thus revealing to the eye of the behold CT almost it's entire contour. The Uni ted States geological survey names the height of Freel as 10,900, and the United States Coast and Geodetic Survey places it at 11,200, the latter figure be- ing considered the most accurate.
 Freel is several miles back from the southeastern shore of Tahoe, but its loftly summit is in plain sight from all most every point on the lake, although intervening mountains lie between it and the shore line. For several years past it has been one of the ambitions of MT. Doryille Libby of the Sierra club of San Francisco, an organization formed for recreation and for the sci entific exploration of mountainous re- gions, to climb to the top of this partic- 11lar mountain and place there metal cylinder enclosing register for record- ing names of subsequent visitors and the preservation of other interesting and appropriate data. MT. Libby had been a frequent visitor at Lakeside House on the state line between Cali fornia and Nevada, and knowing it to be the most convenient and accessible point on the shores of Lake Tahoe from which to start for trip to Mount Freel. he planned to make the ascent this year, September g, 1897.
 The party consisted of MT. and Mrs. E. B. Smith, MT. Libby and myself, and we started out shortly after seven o'clock alive with pleasant anticipa. tions. our pulses quickened by the ex- hilaration of the mountain air on this September morning, so bright and beautiful. Our wagon had the usual complement of wraps and luncheon, guns and fishing tackle. some things necessary and some that were not SO and two saddle horses were led among for assistance in climbing. One animal was in poor condition at the start, and finally refused to be led, so it became necessary to release the unwilling steeo and permit her to find the way back to Lakeside. Mir Libby held the halter rope of the other horse, and he enter tained the party with stories of person. al adventure and experience, apparent ly unmindful of the duty devolvins tipon him in the matter of the horse, ant imperceptibly the rope slipped through his fingers. Suddenly it occurred to us that there should be horse at the real of the wagon and looking around nt animal appeared to greet our aston. ished sight. The earth had evidently swallowed our Mike the name of the truant beast, and we turned back tc discover, if possible, his whereabouts Not far away around a bend in the road he was found quietly grazing by the wayside and fortunately for us il had not occurred to him to trot away tc comfortable stall at home. Once more his lead rope was gathered in ant we started again upon our journey along the Placerville road, the route across the Sierras so much travelet and so we'll known in ante-railroat times. This road was departed iron at a place known as the Sierra House famous resort for teamsters anG travellers in the early days of Califor mia. The premises are now occupied ir the summer time for the purposes of { dairy, and the bleating of calves ant the music of cowbells now greet tht ear where once were mingled the sount of heavy wheels, the crack of whips the voices of teamsters and the almos incessant tinkle of the bells on thu
 great freighting teams. The house show decay and impending ruin iron long neglect, but there still remains ; group of giant pines to guard the mem ories of the past and indicate the gran deur of the forest which once extended far away in all directions before de struction came with the greed and neet of man. Turning from this Carson ant Placerville highway our route led t. the left up a slight rise of ground owe road made and used for hauling ou the logs and wood, and as considerabl wood has been cut in that locality thi season, the road has been kept in fairl, good condition. On and upward WI went several miles through a canyoi and at one point crossing a great flum
 which had been used for floating dowl cordwood to a station on the Loggin. railroad, there to be loaded and carried to the lake shore for shipment to tn
 Nevada side. This canyon gradual, Tyidapa6 and finally Jua dacnooda6 int