The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-05-24
MISS PECK TO CLIMB SORATA.
AT LEAST, SIZE rs GOING TO HAVE
A TRY AT 1T THIS SUMNER.
1t il In Bolivia and a. 900 Feet High-Sir
Martin Conway, EnElish Climber,
Failed to Reach ITS T0p-She Wears
knickerb0ck ers. q Sweater and Leggins

knickerbockers. Sweater and Leggins
Miss Annie 8. Peck, whose feats as a
mountain climber have won her considera-
BILE fame, Ia In this city at present preparing
for an attempt she Is TO make this SUMMER
to reach the summit Of Mount Sorata, In
Bolivia, q journey that has been attempted
once or twice by mountain climbers, but
has never been successfully accomplished.
Miss Peck, who is an American woman.
distinguished herself in 1895 by climbing the
Matterhorn, and later succee ded in climb
ing to the top Of Mount Orizab a, In Me xico J..
She has performed various other feats
Of mountain climbing, meeting SUCCESS
where the hardie st OF male climbers have
failed, but she admits that Mount Sorata
Is the bgges at she ever tackled and that
SUCCESS will put her at the very head Of
tho mountain climbers Of the world.
Miss Peck is stopping at the Hotel Albert,
making her preparations for the journey
to South America. When seen there yes
terclay she gave the following account Of
her plans
Il have been planning this try at Mount
Sorata for five years, because 1t is my
ambition to reach the top of the highest
mountain on this hemisphere, and there 10
reason to believe that Sorata is It, Mount
Aconcagua, In Chilli, which 10 said to be
% 900 feet high, was for long time sup
posed to be the highest mountain on this
hemisphere, but / am informed by the
highest authorities that Sorata is at least
rs 600 feet high.
-Aconcagua has been climbed however,
and Sorata has not although valiant
attempt was made at it. l mean to get to
the top Of Sora,a if 1t is a possible thing,
and believe from the study have made
Of the situation that it Is.
The most successful climb OF Sorata
was made in 1908 by Sir Martin Conway,
the celebrated English climber. Conway,
like other English climbers. had never
given much attention to South America;
in fact. they knew little about these giants
Of the Andes until Fitzgerald made his
celebrated climb Of Aconcagua.
Conway found out, like myself, that
there was an even higher peak in South
America than Aconcagua, and 1t was
great disappointment to me when heard
that he was going to try Sorata. How
ever, he didn't succeed in reaching the
top, although he thinks that he got within
a few hundred feet OF 1t, so if succeed
i
Conway was stopped by wide Gre
vase, beyond which the condition OF the
snow was such that it seemed likely to him
that an avalanche would follow any at
tempt to Climb 1t.
Il have Of course, the advantage Of his
experience. He made his attempt in Octo-
Der. which was rather late in the season.
BY going earlier hope TO find the moun-
tain in better condition and to avoid some
of the difficulties that beset him.
Il am to have three companions on the
trip. DR.. W. q. Light Of the University OF
to arrive here from Switzerland. go with
me One of these guides was with Con-
way on his trip, which will, Of course. make
him especially valuable to me. We are
ali experienced climbers and make up
continuation that ought to reach the top
"Of course the exact height OF Sorata Is
problemalical, but when ! say that 1t is
*, 900 feet, say so on the authority OF
Prof. William H Pickering OF Anrv Sn
servatory, who regard this as conserva-
.To reach the top Of monst er like this
means that we will have to overcome a
great many difficulties. The rarity of tho
air is among the CHIEF OF these 10 ,n n,sa', he
strong and sound, Any weakness OF the
heart or lungs will entirely incapacit ate
a person for such trip have no fear
from these things. because l have made
some very high climbs and have managed
to survive them all.
There will also be great danger OF freez-
ing ones feet on Sorata, as much because
Of the scarcity OF oxygen as OF the extreme
cold. Added to these things are the COM
mon dangers of snow, crevasses, glaciers.
avalanchea and countless other things
.The length of time II will take us to reach
the top, or to demonstrate that we cannot
get there, il uncertain. We shall start
out with supplies for two weeks. and If this
is rot enough, Why we will have to come
back for more. I do not think that we
can carry r.ore supplies. than this with us
at once Crevarses such as tie one Con-
way found in his rath we. expect TO find,
no matter what route we take up the noun
tain. The only thing to do Is TO get over
in 1900 got over a ffty-foot crevasse
on the Jungfrau by a snow bridge, the usual
way Of crossing when there Is no ladder
in party. On Sorata / do not think 1t
will be possible to take ladder along,
and we will have to take our chances OF
Il shall leave New York on June 10 for
Colon, Panama, go down the west coast
to Mcllerdo, Peru. and thence by rail to
Aie1uipa, which is 1000 feet above the
used to the air at that altitude, and then
proceed to Lake Iilicaca. which is 10000
feet above the sea. A week will be- spent
in the rare air there. Ivy which time we will
b., ready 10 tackle SOrata.
Il nc pc, and so does DR.. Light, to max
this Journey an extremely useful one to the
cause of science. DR.. Light is a botanist,
n geolo gist an entomologist and about
everything else that a man taking trip OF
this kind ought to he. and | have enough
scientific knowledge 10 make my observa-
tons and discoveries valuable. We will take
numerous photo graphs and will have the
co fd,e ration Of the United StatesWeather Bu-
reatl in our meteorological observations.
.Whcthor am succt esful or not on So
rata ! will afterward make the ascent Of
Mount Chachani In Pen which is 2OOOO
feet high and has never been climbed by
white man or woman. ] want to make
some archaeological Investigations there
There are said to be some intero sting re-
ma ina there, and there mey be a hmble or
a pigmy city. After has I will visit the
r, mf ils of pigmy city hear Lima. Peru,
which has alrc ady been visited by Mr., f.
c, White of this city
In me king the climb Of Sorata Miss Peck
and her compa Mons will use horses az far
up the mountain as possible, leaving them
with Indians whe n they can 60 no further.
Miss p, cks equipment will be no different
from that she has used In her other famous
climbs, the outer clothing consisting OF
loose knicke rl,ockers. a sweater and leggins.