East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1905-07-20

As this is the season of snow noun
tain climbing. "a few incidents con-
cerning the early ascents Of the snow
capped senunels Of the Cascade range
may not be amiss at this time
Through the kindness Of Mrs. c. J.
Crandall The Dalles Chronicle OBJ
tained the following facts:
The first ascent Of any snow noun
tains of the Cascades made bv white
men. was by a party from The Dalles
in 1S45, H. B. Brewer. one Of the
missionaries at the Methodist mission
at The Dalles. accompanied by a
young Indian guide, made the ascent
Of Mt. Adams, on the 18th day Of
September Of that year.
Mr. Brewers journal of the ascent.
is preserved in a little book for a Sun
day school story of mission work in
Oregon, and so far as known is the
only record of this early ascent. From
The Dalles Mr.. Brewer was accom-
panied by two Indian boys. They
swan their horses across the Colum-
bia river, they themselves being fer
ried across in a canoe by Indians
They followed the Indian trails along
the side of mountains. across streams
and through almost impossible tim
Der. TO the Indian berry ground"
near Mt. Adams. when they made a
camp. On the 18th, at early day. Mr..
Brewer, with two Indian guides, one
young man. the other an old Klicki-
tat Indian, started for the mountain,
which loomed Just before them but
seemed only q short distance away.
They were until II o'clock travelling
IL miles. and were then only at the
foot of the mountain. from which TO
the snow-line was heavy growth of
timber-fir and spruce. At the snow
line they left their horses and climbed
afoot. the old Klickitat leading.
When well up the mountain the old
man gave out. and giving some direc-
tions. he returned to the horses, leav-
ing Mr.. Brewer and the young Indian
to pick their way long the rocky
ridges alone. The moss-flower was
in fun bloom, and tracks of deer and
elk frequently crossed their path.
When within a thousand feet of the
summit Mr.. Brewer could go no fur
ther as he was exhausted. and the sun
going down.
The hills Of the Willamette $50
miles away. and the Columbia river
at Fl. Vancouver. 100 miles away,
were visible to the naked eye. The
lateness of the hour and the chilliness
of evening warned them that they
commence the descent without fur
ther delay. They arrived at the snow
line where they left their horses at
10 o'clock p. m, too late to proceed
further, and there they spent the
night with no protection from the ele-
ments and hard ground. than the
clothing they had on. The next day
they returned to the berry ground,
having tasted, with the exception of n
few berries. for 80 hours. The old
Klickitat Indian told Mr. Brewer that
he was the first white man TO climb
| Mt Adams.
Mr.. Brewer also speaks of an erup-
/ tion of Mt ST. Helens during Novem-
| ber of 1913. A dark cloud shrouded
the sky, and something like sand de-
scended gently to the earth covering
! everything in color like ashes. its odor
/ like sulphur. To investigate the
source Of this strange phenomena
| they crossed the Klickitat river and
| ascended one OF the Klickitat hills
where they could see Mt. st. Helens
| throwing out a dark cloud OF smoke
| from what seemed to be smothered
I fires.
The Oregonian sent the first party
/ up Mt. Hood in August. 1854. when
I Nr DRYER. founder Of that paper. with
| Major Haller Of the Fourth United
| tates infantry. then stationed at Fort
! Dalles. and Nathan Olnev, a promi-
/ nent citizen Of old wasco, made the
! ascent. probably from this side of the
/ mountain. Mr.. Dryer had ascended
Mt. st. Helens the summer previous
! and ascertained the fact that Mt.
| Hoo and Mt. St. Helens were expiring
| volcanoes and still emitted smoke and
ashes from rents near the SUBMITS.
| Evidently one of the gentlemen who
| climbed Mt. Hood this season, found
| one Of these rents. as he was almost
/ asphyxiated bv the poisonous gases
| emitted.
The first ascent of Mt. Jefferson
/ was made by prospectors in July,
! 1854. Gen. Hazard Stevens, son OF
| Washington territorv's first governor
I. I. Stevens. who climbs Mt Rainier
| this week. claims the honor Of making
the first ascent in August. 1870. In
company with p. B. Van Trump, he
| climbed the mountain and was COM
PEELED to remain all night on the peak
with no other protection from the in
tense cold of the night than the Jets Of
steam emitting from one of the era
/ ters.
| The Indian name Of Mt. Hood IS
"wiyeast;" that Of Mt st. Helens
100 wit-let-kla;" of Mt Adams
"Klicktat:" Of Mt Rainier. ''Takho-
ma"
With 5000 Pink Lights.
Pnnf dc