The Indianapolis journal., 1904-04-28
DIFFICULT CLIMBING IN
MOUNTAINS OF ENGLAND
Experience of Party of Winter
Tourists Among the Peaks of
the Cumberlands.
DANGERS OF THE TRIP

LONDON, April ia number of climbers
who have hitherto confined themselves to
the Swiss Alps were attracted to the Vast
water district of Cumberland during East
err and they have returned much impressed
by the difficulties which these rocks pre-
sent. even to experienced Alpinists.
There was next to no rock-climbing,
said Mr. s. Tunre the well-known Alpinist,
who was one of the party of three, but
there was plenty of snow work, and l was
astonshed at the quantity of ice and snow
and at the mists and storms We encoun-
tered. Our first expedition was across the
Screes 10 the Great Chimney, which is a
moderate climb in summer.
But we found all the hand-holes and
foot-holes ice glazed and covered with snow,
and the wind tried its best TO blow US off
the Great Gable. we found the rocks OF
the Areate altogether hopeless, so We
tackled the famous Napes Needle-an in
teresting bit of climbing in gale of snow
and hail.
THE next morning saw us at the Pillar
Rock 20 see IL ii would go in mountaineer-
ing phraseology. The scene was Alpine in
a remarkable degree. Half an hour OF snow
slopes brought us TO the north face OF the
rock. and then we roped. 1t only required
fifteen minutes of climbing 10 convince me
that the English climbers, too, have to be
made of the genuine stuff. ! found the ice
glazed, snow-covered rocks very cold with
out gloves, and many of the chimneys and
cracks were glazed. We crawled. wriggled
wormed and twisted up the cracks, CHM
neys and assures until We came to the
Stomach Traverse, which We found TO be
the easiest bit Of the whole climb.
"A zigzag course brought US TO the fa-
nous Nose-a rock sticking out over space.
On a fine summers day this climb would
be easily beaten but the drifting snow and
the blizzard made it formidable Once on
the top Of the Nose, We were greeted with
such a binding hailstorm and the mist was
so dense that could nothing.
This mist made us lose Our way, and we
wandered down a sloppy, marshy valley
towards Ennerdale. and finally found farm
house, where We got warmth and refresh
ment. We felt somewhat humiIiated, as no
one had ever heard of experienced climbers
being lost on the Pillar mountain.
"As a matter of fact. our not returning TO
the Wastdale Head Hotel had convinced
the people there that something had oc-
CURED, and a search party OF fourteen set
out with lanterns and stretchers for the
Pillar mountain. We met them on the way,
and hailed them with mixed feelings of
| vexation at oar misadventure and their dis
| comfort. They made our leader carry a
stTetcher back a punishment for losing
| the way. One of the 'rescuers remarked Ii
| was a bad placed to have an accident, as
| the carrying down would be very difficult.
| remembered the graves in Wastdale
churchyard of the three plucky young
| year. and shuddered
That Cumberland climbs are dangerous
we proved again next day, when we treated
/ the Mlckeldofe pass with care, because OF
| the Ice under the snow. Half way down we
| found a tourist who was stuck. We hitched
| him on our rope. He had no nails on his
boots, and informed us that he was afraid
| 10 go down, as a friend had preceded him
/ at an enormous speed. 1t would have been
| the easiest thing ina aginable for him to have
| glissaded quickly. overturned, and broken
| his neck, which happened to a young man
| in September last.
"A good climber takes no unnecessary
risks. and when we tried Central Gully,
| Great End, and IL took me over an hour
! getting ten yards across an ice wall. my
| friends decided that they, could not hold me
| If L slipped. Therefore We have the coura ge
| 10 turn back | am certain that the Cum
berland climbs will increasingly attract the
! sound in mind, body and limb