The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-10-03
FAILED TO SCALE
MOUNT Mckinley
Highest Peak in North America Still
Remains Terra Incognito
to Climbers.
The Cook Expedition Which Sought
to Reach It's Summit Reports
= = Failure.

New York, Oct. 9.-An attempt made
by Dr.. Frederick A. Cook Of Brooklyn, 70
scale Mount Mckinley in Alaska has
failed DR.. Cook, accompanied by two or
three other men, among them a Columbian
university student, left this city several
months ago and no news of the expedition
had been received until to-day when the
following cablegram, signed by the leader
OF the party, was received by the Asso-
dated Press:
valdez. Alaska, Oct. 1.-THE assault
upon Mount Mckinley resulted in our
making altitude Of 1000 feet on the
southwestern side. At this point we were
stopped by an impossible granite slope
which extended 5000 feet above US. We
searched the entire western side of the
mountain for a route to the summit which
might offer d prospect Of success, but no
opportunity was found and the ascent Of
the mountain from the western slope
seems practically impossible. On Sept.
signs Of winter already were far advanced
and altho we should have liked to search
the northwestern ridge as we'll as Muldrow
glacier. the rapidly advancing season
forced us on to point where we could
get out OF the country without our horses.
Therefore, it was decided to cross the Nc
K1nley range at the first northerly break
IN the mountain.
Our previous travels had been over the
trial made by the geological survey expo
dltion under Brooks last year. but now we
Travelled over unknown territory, march
ing about forty five miles northward and
swinging eastward in the mountains at
every available opportunity. We crossed
the divide Sept 9 over a new. pass at an
elevation Of 5000 feet and camped In the
valley Of Chulitna. Our aim was to reach
the eastern slope Of Mount Mckinley and,
on our way out If the season permitted,
to make another attack from that side.
A forced march was made down the Chul-
atna. 1t betn necessary to ford and swim
the river many times; but we were COM
PEELED to abandon our horses and build
rats twenty miles north of great glacier.
Inc latter afforded the first easterly route
to the great mountain peak
I'VE explored it and made a rapid ex-
animation Of the eastern slope but the
rapidly approaching winter would not per-
nit or another attempt to climb the noun
tain and with much regret we were forced
to take to our RATS Sept Fl and to seek
the headwaters OF Cook inlet which lay
l1SO miles to the south. Before us was a
journey OF sixty miles down the Chulitna
river OF which nothing was known as to
the possibility Of navigation on a raft
considerable apprehension was felt on this
SCORE but the river proved navigable and
the expedition reached Tyonek in six DAYS
The net result Of the expedition was a
march of 800 miles with horses, nearly 400
miles voyage in boats and RATS, the ex-
ploration Of a good deal Of new territory
the discovery OF several mountains, ala-
ciers and rivers. The summit of Mount
Mckinley was not possible for us but the
members Of the expedition feel that we
did all possible in the short working sea-
son OF an Alaskan summer. Every mem
Der OF the party has enjoyed good health
and will return directly to the United
States
DIR. Cook was accompanied on his trim
by Ralph shinwald, Of Columbia univer-
sity ana Robert Dunn.