Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1906-10-04

/ Perils Encountered by IA Member Of
| Way Up the 10000 Foot Mountain.
Alaska Visited During the Summer
| to Obtain Information For HIS Fu-
| ture Expedition.
DR.. Herschel C. Parker, professor Of
physics in Columbia university, is back
| in New York after a four months trip
glaciers and mountain peaks of Alaska,
| full Of enthusiasm for his next trip to
that country and perfectly satisfied
with the work that he accomplished in
the northern regions this past summer,
says the New York Post. He accom-
panied the exploring expedition this
year for the sole purpose of making
| observations of Mount Mckinley, the
highest mountain peak on this CONT
nent, with the intention of returning
another year, when, by means of this
years knowledge and experience, he
expects to scale the peak, which towers
more than 10000 feet above the sea
level.
He had no intention of attempting
the ascent this year, aiming solely at
informing himself thoroughly as to the
best method of attack and purposing
TO return with Alpine guides next year
and make the trial. His knowledge Of
the conditions and the obstacles of the
undertaking is now almost complete,
e. Al, IAH
into his plan will be added by DIR.
Cook, who remained i'll the country
after DR.. Parker's departure and who
will endeavor TO investigate thoroughly
the base of the only approach to the
mountain which DR.. Parker considers
at all pregnable.
With the record of daring mountain
climbs in the Alps and Sierras to his
credit, DR.. Parker is regarded by
many as the best American climber
and is more than keen on the subject
of Mount Mckinley. He was one of
the founders of the American Alpine
club and is a member of several 9th
ers. 1t was at the instigation of the
Appalachian club that he consented to
accompany DIR. Cook this year and
Mckinley.
He compared the trip with DR.. Cook s
expedition in 1903. which came to a
rather unsuccessful termination.
Il had no thought of scaling the
mountain and expected only to reach
the base he said. but instead we
managed TO reach an elevation of H.
600 feet. from where we got perfect
observations of Mckinley, which is
more like small range than a single
peak. on the way up by steamboat
we passed Mount st. Elias. just across
the Canadian boruer. which was seal
ed by Prince Luigi of Italy aud report
ed as the highest peak in Alaska.
While it is high one-1S000 feet-it
is not quite as lofty as Mount Logan
and lies several thousand feet below
Mckinley. which lies far in the in
terror and is very inaccessible. stand
ing in the worst section of Alaska.
There isn't a pass through the Alas
kan range, of which Mckinley is
branch, for 200 miles along the noun
tains, and. as 1t takes weeks to cover
the distances, it is essential to deter
mine early in the trip whether an ex-
pedition is to attempt it from the
south face, which fronts the lower
ocean, or to go through Brooks pass
and try it from the other side.
"On the former expedition DR.. Cook
went up Cook inlet. across Brooks pass
to the back Of Mckinley and worked
his way over the difficult country to
the northeast of the mountain. He had
made his first landing on the southeast
side and in consequence made almost
a complete circuit of the peak without
within real striking distance.
Six weeks had been used up in the
travel, so that when he finally got
around where he thought the condi-
tons favorable enough for an attempt
the summer was almost gone-Only
few weeks remaining-and his work
was fastened in consequence. He tried
the northeast ridge, however, for two
ascents and managed to reach an ele-
walton of 1000 feet, but there he
found a sheer preciplce, and, as it was
already September and conditions were
decidedly adverse, the party was fore
ed to hurry to the coast before the |
streams on which they relied for travel
were frozen for the winter. They found |
the Chulitna river impracticable for |
the pack horses on their return and had |
to abandon six of them among the |
wilds
Rats furnished the means of travel |
after that, and by their aid the party |
navigated first the Chulitna, then the |
finally coming out on Cook |
inlet about Oct. 1. 1t had gone over no |
territory during the entire |
trip, although making complete cir |
cult. Practically the only valuable re- |
suits were. first, the experience, and,
second, the discovery of two glaciers |
right up to Mount Mckinley |
from the Chulitna river.
with the experience and informa-
ton of that expedition to work on, the |