The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1902-01-28
CLIMBED MOUNT HooD ALONE
Psriious Feat Accomplished By r. NJ
Wells Of Portland.

F. M. Wells, Of Portland Ore >,bo
made a stop with friends in F.rrtv-sec.
ond street, remarked that his efforts
70 save his own life while climbing
mount Hood without a guide several
years ago gave him the local sobriouet
OF Tue Pathfinder says the New
lork Tribune. "A party Of Portland
efs' including myself" said Mr.. Wells
Degah the ascent, but the guide.
smelling a snovstorm, declined In
taAe us up. ! had climbed dozen
mountains, and was a Jealous expo
hent OF the sport Receiving instruc-
tions from the guide as to the most
practical route, l set out on my long
Journey He warned me that | should
probably never see my friends again.
reached the snow line without ac-
cldent, the storm not Undertaking.. 1t
was ten hours tramp to the summit
from that point. was equipped with
SAFETY shoes which were spiked with
SIX rows Of iron cleats, an inch long,
and also carried a well-seasoned alp
enstock.
All went merrily for several hours"
ne continued, when encountered a
wall OF ice and packed snow that in
clined at what I thought to be an angle
OF 45 degrees. had assembled this
dangerous bit to a position where 1
found my advance completely blocked.
When happened to look back over my
tracks ! saw to my establishment that
the incline was much greater; so much
SO that it appeared to be almost per-
pendicular. 1t was so steep that
could not possibly return in that direc-
ton. To add to the difficulty Of re-
treat, the sun was at work cutting up
the surface, and shining so power
fully that I did not dare face the bril-
liancy. l looAed overhead / could
not stir in that direction Great over
hanging cliffs threatened me from
either side. Then it was that I thor
oughly realized that l had lost my way
and was standing upon virgin spot
OF extreme danger. l was absolutely
at loss to know what to do. There
stood, breathing heavily and perspir-
Ing, though the fangs of the wind bit
like vices Above me was fiat topped
ledge Of rock, which l believed would
crumble at the touch, and above that
was the comfortless sky line.
Realizing that my life depended
upon my acting at once, l tested this
ledge to ascertain if it would hold me.
/ fully believed, as | pulled at the
stone, that l should start a landslide
which would engulf me. However, it
held l dropped my alpenstock, raised
my arms to their full length, and
hung in mid air A thousand feet di-
rectIy below was a gorge waiting
hungrily for my bones. Firs and tall
silver green pines, 200 feet in height
and 10000 feet below, seemed like toy
Christmas trees with which children
play. And just beyond my dangling
legs ran the mighty Columbia river
a silver of blue. I lifted myself stead
| fly. and. much to my joy, gained the
surface of the ledge. To my surprise
/ had not gained the mountain top.
found. instead another black wal
flung across my path. With the ut
most care l tracked my way to the bas
of this barricade, made a detour t.
the right and gained the summit in
very few moments. It is needless t
add that the guide believed my ghost
and not myself, appeared at his doc
the following morning. My finger
were worn to the bone from clingin
to cliffs. but otherwise I suffered n
injury. l told my friends to stick t
the conventional track when they es
saved the climb. I hope no one Wi
ever repeat my foolhardiness."