Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-11-30
OUR GREAT. VOLCANO
LATEST Discoveries ABOUT MT.
WRANGELL IN ALASKA.
Vast Array of lsnowcclad SUBMITS Cow
10
ering Thousands of Square
81 Miles.
From the New York Sun.

From the New York Sun.
Only a few years ago the necessarily &C
tive volcano, Mount Wrangell, in Alaska,
was represented on all our maps as an iso-
lated mountain situated in the midst OF
great snow-covered plateau. Almost moth
ing was known Of that inland region, but
Mount Wrangell had attracted attention be-
cause smoke was always pouring from its
eummit
Exploring parties Of the United States ge-
illogical survey have been particularly ac-
tive In this region for the past three years
and are at last able to give much definite
information about 1t. 1t has been found
that Mount Wrangell Is not solitary
mountain, but is in the midst of vast ar
ray of submits covered with snow and gla-
ciers and spreading over an area OF no less
than $500 square miles.
Sky High Peaks.
Within this area are at least ten snow
clad peaks 1900 feet or more in height
Several of these are still unnamed and two,
Mount Sanford, 1920 feet, and Mount
Blackburn, 49, 14O feet, are higher than
Mont Blanc or any Of the peaks within the
United States south Of Canada. Mount
Wrangell, which has attracted more atten-
uon than the others, because 1t is an active
volcano, is third in altitude, 1900 feet
The entire mountain region. in the basin
OF the Copper river, is now known as the
Wrangel group of mountains. w. c. Men,
denhall of the survey has an article on the
ground in the latest number of the National
geographic Magazine. Among his tuustra-
lions he gives a fine panoramic view, about
three feet long, of the part Of the group
which contains some Of the highest sum-
mits.
1t Is wonderful scene of the grimmest
desolatioh, peak after peak rising from
nigh valleys, their black steep sides streaked
with snow and the higher elevations COM
the picture Is Mount Wrangell with its
column Of smoke.
Sanford and Blackburn.
But Wrangell itself is grand mountain,
though dwarfed by the higher cones Of
Sanford and Blackburn. It Is a wide
spreading cone nearly three miles high
and eight times as broad Its gently arched
surface is glistening snowheld, smudged
here and there by volcanic ash from the
crater, which sends up rolling columns of
smoke and vapor to height of three miles.
From Its eastern slope descends the Ma
besna glacier frozen river, fifty miles in
length. On Its western face a dozen jets of
steam may be seen on still morning issu-
Ing from as many vents. The glaciers pro-
ceeding from the shallow valley where these
vents occur are black with the breath of
the mountain The summit has never been
reached, though prospector named John
Bremner declares that he got within a mile
OF the top.
But Mount Wrangen may be assembled.
Mr.. Mendenhall thinks that some time may
elapse before the summit of Mount McKin-
ley Is reached, but he says 1t will not be q
oimcuit feat to get to the top of Wrangell.
Inc line OF perpetual snow is about $500
rect and the summit rises 1900 feet above
this. He describes four feasible routes of
approach and thinks that the ascent of the
only known active volcano in the interior of
the continent north of Mexico may we'll ap-
peal to any mountaineer. All the other ac-
tive Alaskan volcanoes are on or near the
seacoast.
Inc Wrangell mountains are, for the most
PaIt, masses OF lava and volcanic mud
which had been piled up on an earlier SIR
race ourylng the old land forms and SUBJ
sututing for them the present splendid
group Of mountains