Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 1886-1927, 1904-08-11

which to climb mountain like Shasta.
Tbs longer headed members of the
! party took occasion to stow away
what pieces of bread, bacon or cheese
they could get their hands ON in an.
ticipation of the hard work that lay
ahead of them. Each one put up his
own lunch, whatever he could get his
hands on that suited his fancy.
AT O'Clock Presidsnt Sholes of the
Mazamas lined up his people. They
were led out-into the snow in the
ehostly moonlight and marshalled
in single file. Then the command to
march was given and the company be
gan the ascent up the gentle slope of
long snow field. Scarcely hundred
yards were traversed before some of
the weaker members of the party be-
gan to complain that the pace was too
fast. Others were shivering with
the cold and wishing that they could
push on long enough to get warm at
least. One of the ladies, feeling in
disposed, had very sensibly remained
i'll camp. The whole number of those
who went up against Shasta on that
morning was 23, of whom three were
ladies' Marching in Indian file, each
one brandishing a long alpenstock, the
expedition presened a wierdly impress
sive appearance in the dim moonlight.
From tho summit of Shasta long,
rugged rock ridge stretches down to
the southwest. A little less than half
way down 1t throws off a spur to the
west. This spur was the route se-
lected by the leaders for the ascent
and the initial climb was in the long
snow valley between the spur and the
main ridge. While in the snow the
party was commanded to keep in place
in single file and to march and halt at
the word. Thus the whole party was
beld to the pace of the weakest mem
bers and as one of the ladies was clear
ly out Of condition for such climb
and one of the gentlemen was i'll and
tagging, with his face the color of
ashes, the progress over this snow field
was very slow. Feet became numbed
with the cold and nearly the whole
party was impatient for the coming of
the sun, the rays of which began to
illumine some of the visible higher
points of the mountain. The high
rock ridge ON the east kept the party
in the shadow until quite late in the
morning. Far away to the south ap-
peared Lassen Peak, its morning gilt
shining dimly through the hazy at
mosphere. Far down the Sacramento
canyon appeared another high mount
ain, unrecognized by any of the party.
Rock islands at times broke the mo-
notony of the snow climb and these
were gladly welcomed by the climbers
who found an opportunity to kick SEN
saticn back into their benumbed toes
While ON the rocks the formation Of
the march was broken and a "go as
you please" fiat went forth from the
commander of the squad.
When the party began to feel the in-
fluenoe of the intersection Of the
tridges the real climb began. Presi.
dent Sholes at this point encouraged
the weaker members Ly intimating
that the worst Of the climb was over.
There was a stiff little snow climb
just ahead and there would be quite a
steep little rock climb going up to
Thumb rock. Otherwise II was all
clear sailing" Thus he cheered the
tagging spirits Of the tired ones.
In the long hard pull up the steep
snow slope to gain tie summit Of the
spur, the rope was brought into re-
QUESTION for the use of the ladies and
the weaker climbers Of the other sex.
An alpenstock was driven into the
snow as an anchor for the rope to
which the wabbly ones we're able to
} cling and draw themselves up Hhe
stronger ones, except those who as
sisted with the rope, began to push on
in twos and threes. The line of
march, broken at this point was never
resumed. The whole party gained the
summit of the spur but from this point
the weaker ones began to drop out one
: by one. The lady who was distressed
: by the pace at the start was now bare
ly able TO place one foot before the
; other hut she would not have turned
back for millions. The other two
} ladies were climbing with yigor and
J seemed stronger than some Of the men.
The livier men of the party, except
those who remained to assist the
! ladies, began to push on up the spur
at an accelerated pace. This was
quite comfortable climbing over brok-
en- rock, the steegness not being too
: wearisome. As they climbed, they
, munched bread crusts, chocolate,
E cheese, rsisins, jerked yenison, grape
3 nuts, to rest their failing strength,
J the influence Of the oyster soup having
long since vanished.
Two Of the advance guard. Lutte
: Paese, the oregonian artist. and f. l..
: Farnsworth of Wilbur, Wash, took
TO the snow fields on the west side OF
9 the ridge. The rest Of the party fol.
: lowed the rock crest which led upward
! to the intersection Of the ridges and
thence to the higher regions of tho
. mountain.
9 At 1imberline camp the party had
. been joined by young naturalist. A.
s. Bunnell of Berkeley, who had beer
b camped on the mountain for seyera
4 weeks, collecting specimens Of th'
( Shasta faana Mr. Bunnell is al
acffva and daring cffrnher and at oncf