The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-04-18
Our Highest Mountains.

The Geological Survey has been at
work again whiting off the tops of
some of our proudest eminences. Esti-
mates Of mountain heights are usually
exaggerated. II is not till careful sur
vevs are made that WE discover hat
their attitudes are less than those witt
which popular belief has credited them,
So it happens that the fourth edition OF
Mr.. GANNETT's Dictionary of Attitudes
in the United States" reduces the height
of Mounts Whitney, Rainier and other
submits.
Up to last rear Mount Whitney en-
joyed the reputation of rising to a height
of IA, 1903 feet, but in an evil moment it
was attacked by a survey party which
Topped off 800 feet, reducing the eleva-
ton to 14.502 feet. These surveyors
have threatened the distinction OF that
summit as the topmost point Of the
United States south of Canada, for they
credit Mount Williamson in California
with l4,5OO feet; and with only two feet
between them these mountains seem to
be runnin e a neck and neck race for the
final supremacy. At any rate, Mount
Whitney has had a narrow escape from
such humiliation as that which covered
Mount st. Elias with chagrin several
years ago.
Mount Rainier also has suffered dimin-
ution to the extent of 1873 feet, the new
figures showing only 1858 feet. This
is a positive casualty, for now Shasta,
its rival in beauty and grandeur, with
1880 feet to its credit, takes its place
for the first time a little higher in the
list than Seattle's favorite snow noun
tain. Seattle astonished the country by
the fight it made for Rainier instead OF
Tacoma as the appellation of its beloved
summit. 1t will not be surprising II
Seattle should regard the exploit of the
Geological Survey as a personal snuo
and demand a recount of the returns.
The latest figures of our
heights show plainly that 1t is not ele-
walton alone that makes them famous
The name of Mount Whitney, to be sure,
is fixed in every ones mine simply be-
cause it has the reputation of belnghigher
than others Of our hone mountains. III
its elevation were a little less its name
would scarcely be known, for though
in height it ranks fairly with such noun
tains as Monte Rosa and the M~atterhorn,
it is some 900 miles nearer the equator
than its Swiss rivals, has a far less eX-
tensive display of snow and ice, is destl-
tute of the charming contrast OF forest
- ~.o,, Lalnu tho Snnw line and the
bare rocks of this giant of he Sierra
Nevadas offer little attraction for tour
lists. 1t is famous simply because 1t Is
overlapping.
There are twenty-seven mountains in
Colorado rising above 1000 feet, and
with the exception of Pixies Peak, Holy
Cross Mountain and a few others, even
their ame are not known to most people
who have never been in Colorado. They
lack accessibility, outlook, history or
some other quality that might give them
distinction. How many of our general
public nave ever heard of Ebert Peak,
the eliminating point of Colorado? Cali
fornia has eleven mountains more than
1000 feet in height, but only Whitney
and Shasta are particularly famous
| Some of the Montana mountains, none OF
which rises above 10000 or II 900 feet,
are better known.
OF course, the Alaskan mountains,
with eight SUBMITS rising above $4,000
feet, have no physical difficulty in look
ing down on their brethren further south.
Mount Mckinley, with it's 2O,464 feet,
seems likely to hold its head higher than
any other mountain on the continent,
even though it should undergo a severe
process of trimming at the hands of the
Geological Survey.