The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-09-03
Mountain Climbing by Men and Wome n.

Four tourists and three guides persisted,
in the last week Of August, on the snow
mountains Of the Swiss and Austrian Alps
broken rope, as n party was clinging to
the side OF the Dent Blanche, dropped the
guides aud one tourist thousands OF feet
down the mountain. Another visitor fell
over q precipice near Chamounix, and two
others met a similar fate in Austria.
In some years. fogs, high winds and snow
storms in the higher attitudes mako the
conditions very unfavorable for climbers
but the season now closing has been good
average year. and the guides have been
busy with hundreds OF more or less ex-
perienced mountaineers who think snow
climbing is an essential part OF their vaca-
ton. Most Of them refrain from mourning
the fatigue and discomforts Of the highest
ascents, cOntenting thems elves with the
lower parts OF the glaciers and snow-fields
But, in spite Of the facilities now provided
and the regulations for the safe
guarding OF tourists and guides, it is
impossible to eliminate all elements of
danger Every year shows more or
less extended list Of fatalities. AS rule
guides will not now conduct climbers to
the highest points unless they have had
considerable experience in mountaineering
The fact that the average number OF Alpine
accidents has been reduced very little, II at
all, in recent years Is due not to the inef-
ficacy OF such supervision of mountaineer-
ing as Is maintained, but to the far larger
number OF persons who now attempt
climbing since railroads have increased the
foni f,r 81
tive Alpine centres
The wonder Is that accidents are 80 few
Ten years ago the number of persons who
had reached the summit OF Mont Blanc
since DIR. SAUssURE and the guide BALMAT
first made the ascent in 1886, was about
1000. including some twenty women; and
those who had faied to complete the ascent
owing to fatigue or bad weather numbered
at least as many more. The casualties in
that century OF climbing on Mont Blanc
had not been numerous, though some Of
them are prominent In the annals OF noun
taineering, such as the terrible accident in
1870 whereby eleven persons lost their
lives; but for nineteen years after 1872
there was no accident on the Chamounix or
most frequented side OF the mountain, and
ieciihB vi soCuIlUy gre" winch, un1Ortu-
nately, has been disturbed by some sad
occurrences OF later years.
The art OF mountaineering has advanced,
and the formidable feats OF forty years ago
would not now be called exceptional
achievements. EVANS scaled Mont Blanc in
twelve hours and perhaps some one has
lowered his record. At any rate, Miss
FLossIE MORSE, aged thirteen, clambered
up the great mountain from Chamounix to
the summit by the light of one day, though
many climbers prefer to rest for night on
the way. Tho great mountaineers like
CONWAY and SELLA think nothing OF going
to the top OF the Matterhorn and other for
midable SUBMITS in the dead OF winter, and
Mrs. f. P. JACKSON, the English lady whose
climbing feats have made her we'll known,
and who has preference for winter noun
taineering, says the real glories Of Alpine
views are seen only in fine winter weather
when the atmosphere is extremely clear in
stead OF more or less hazy as it always is In
the summer days.
1t is not so easy now as II was ten years
ago for inexperienced tourists to expose