The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-11-01
HIGHEST MOUNTAIN PEAK


Boston Transcript.
The recent failure OF the Cook party to
reach the summit OF Mt Mckinley, the
highest peak on this continent, leaves that
achievement still open to adventurous
spirits. year ago one of the Geological
Survey parties. under the lead OF Mr.. A. NJ
Brooks. went as far as the snow line, which,
on that mountain is 1000 feet above sea
level or about 1860 feet below the sum-
nit, leaving mountain in snow of no small
dimensions The airline distance from
where the survey party stopped to the top
was computed at nine miles.
1.-THE Cook party had demonstrated" said
Mr.. Brooks to the Transcript correspondent
to-day, that the mountain range can be
crossed, n conclusion almost as important
as the scaling of the peak itself. The CooH
expedition started on the south side. fol-
lowing the pass which we discovered and
taxing our route to the north side OF the
range until they reached the base of the
mountain at the point from WHICH they
spatcheS says that they were stopped by
granite cliff, but my Interpretation Is that
they did not have time enough TO explore
routes They started too late. In climbing
new mountain the important thing is to
pick out the route, and after that comes the
ascent. You cannot jump right in and go
reported granite cliff, 1 believe that route
to the top can be found, and from the north
side When they turned back they were
5000 feet higher than our party went, or
within five miles, airline. of the top.
understand that another New York party
Is making plans for accomplishing the
ascent"
The pre-eminence OF Mt Mckinley among
North American peaks was not discovered
until $685. although the mountain had been
known for at least 12O years. Mr.. Brooks
believes, however, that primacy has now
reached the point where it will remain, and
that no higher elevation will ever be dis
covered on this continent. Why It's pre-
eminence was not sooner realized will long
remain a mystery. The mountain can be
readily seen from Cook Inlet, which was
visited by the whites in 17S0. and can be
seen from the Yukon country, which has
been widely visited for the last twenty
years. 1t is, TO be sure, lbs miles inland
from tidewater, while Mt. st. Elias rises
directly out Of the ocean. Nevertheless,
Mr.. Brooks says that the first time he ever
saw Mt. Mckinley. and it was from an
interior point 120 miles away, II looked
enormous to him. He viewed 1t standing on
an elevation of 1900 feet, and still 1t rose
peaks. When he afterwards saw II. from
the coast, this impression of its size was
strengthened. He cannot understand why
it did not from the start convince all be-
holders of its pre- eminence.
Mt. Mckinley not officially ascer-
tanned TO be the highest peak until 1898,
the Geological Survey. Three years before
n man named Dicky wrote to one of the
New York newspapers calling attention TO
the enormous height of the mountain which
he seemed to think he had discovered. He
made a wonderful good guess on its eleva-
ton, or else was saved by the natural
tendency To express estimates in round
numbers. He said 1t was 20,0o0 feet high,
whereas the Geological Survey found 1t 90
200. Mt. st. Elias, which is 1904 feet high,
has dropped to the fourth place among
afofy Of aft
tons of school biographies have saluted it
as king.
Mt. Logan on the Canadian side of the
boundary is 1880 feet high and Orizaba.
in Mexico, is 1925 feet high. Then comes
Mt. St Elias. The two peaks next in rank
below it are the volcano Popocatapetl i'm
Mexico, which has an elevation of 1873
feet, and Mt. Foraker almost a twin peak
to Mt Mckinley, which stands 1900 feet
above the sea level. Mt. Logan has never
been assembled, and probably will not be for
many years to come. so inaccessible is it's
base, fifty miles from the coast and over
a country full of natural obstacles. Mt.
st. Elias has been once climbed and that
by the Duke of the Abruzzi, a cousin of the
King of Italy. The Russell party of the
Geological Survey, however developed the
route which made his final climb successful
1900 feet of the top. Many people have
climbed Orizaba. To reach its top is merely
a matter of endurance.
Mr.. Brooks thinks the value to science of
the conquest of these high peaks is con-
siderably exaggerated in the popular mind.
IF parties on reaching such summit,
said Mr.. Brooks, could take plenty of good
photographs something might be accom-
plished. But the chances are that they
will leave their cameras behind, in their
efforts TO reduce the climbing load. They
might not be able to use them after they
reached the top since bowling snowstorms
prevail most of the time on the high noun
| tain peaks. / think the scientific value OF
| these ascents comes more in the effects on
climbers themselves. due to the rarefied at
mosphere. The party now forming to climb
Mount Everest in the HimalayaS, the high
est peak the globe. plan TO spend some
years in preparation. Its leader would not
attempt to rush directly to the top, IL he
| could, but will live at different attitudes
| the way until his physical system gets ac-
| customed to them.
Mountain climbing always brings some
| thing to light for geology as well as geog-
reached. After that there is very little of
1 geological value except in the sheer cliffs
! Observations might be made on the rare
| faction of the air, which would be impor-
| tant. The chief objection to this is the
| weight of the instruments. When the Rus
| sell party made its expedition to Mount st.
Elias they obtained a view back into the
range which has given the world a good
| idea of its geography, and the dukes party
| which had still better opportunities to see,
has since added to 1t. In the study of
| glaciers the results of these two expedi-
! tions have been very valuable. although
| this inquiry depends not so much on reach
| sides.
Mount Mckinley is not a volcanic peak,
| but seems to be made up of hard rocks
among adjacent areas of softer rock ma
terials, which have been worn away. There
may have been an uplft at this point of
more recent date. Its position Is rather
suggestive. 1t stands almost in the spot
where the trend of the North American
continent changes TO that of the Asiatic. A
glance at the map shows that the general
direction of ranges on the western coast of
| the United States is northwesterly. This
| direction continues through Canada and
| into Alaska, but there and near the latitude
| OF Mount Mckinley, that trend makes an
! abrupt turn and extends more westerly.
| as If to meet the mountains of Asia. Mount
| Mckinley looks almost as ii it were the
| hinge on which the two systems turn.
lit is difficult for persons who have
| climbed the lower mountains TO realize that
the ascent of some of these famous peaks
! can be attended with so much difficulty.
Troubles to increase in geometrical
proportion with the elevation. The trans
| portaton of supplies is difficult problem
after the snow line has been reached. De-
| pots must be provided at suitable camps.
| and these in turn require supplies for their
| maintenance Everywhere the dazzling
| light of the snow and the power and fury
l.. :. lst-