The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-07-19
Ing some friends in this fashion:

AL y0ss 1ney use the rope to pre- vent them from losing each other, and when they come to the Rlacier thev take hold of 1t and climb it." Others have an idea that the guides attempt to rival the Indian fakirs, who. accord- ing to report, take coil of rope. throw 1t into midair, climb it and then pull the loose end up after them Tn real. ny, or course, 1t is used, not so much as an adjunct to climbing as a means Of safety for the whole party, which. attached by the rope, spreads out fts base over the dangerous ground.
 Tnere are many kinds of knots used Tor Joining the members of the party together. The necessity for doing this stoutly and surely is illustrated by an incident told by Mir. Comstock. Mir. Comstock was a member of a party of four last summer which was efldeavor- Ing to climb Mount Aberdeen, in the eelktrks They were using a short rope. The last man on the line (Mr. AitchelD was in the middle of A con ioir' or steep gorge. The snow slid rom beneath him, leaving him clipping n the pare ice without footing. The couloir terminated in a precipice. and body falling would have descended at least thousand feet. As Mir. Mitch eus weight came upon the rope if ,,n leo. Forrunately as that moment he nad chanced to grasp the rope with his left hand. his Ice axe being in his right ne succeeded in holding fast until in some way he managed to retie himself ana was helped across the couloir to the rocks to which the remainder of the party were clinging.
 Ane amateur often has to be initiated into such a detail as the proper part of the body about which to tie the rope. It was fortunate for party of four lnnocents being conveyed across nucn crevassed snow covered glacier Tn tne Alps that they met a party of experienced climbers. They were being ied by Swiss who was ignorant of the business Of guide, having under Laken the task fin the absence of hia iather, who was experienced. He had directed the members of his party. to tfa tne rope about their neclrS. The expert climbers set the innocents right before mischief had heen done.
 The expert climber is as finicly over the choice of his ice axe as a cricketer over his bat or a bowler over his ball It IS used for cutting steps in the snow and ice. and. when reversed, to assist In climbing by means of the spiked handle. It is also used for testing the depth Of the snow and the safety of ice bridges. It is the ice axe that the novice doctors up" to give the impress sion that he is a mountaineer of long experience. All of the smearinR with muddy soil or other mixture to destroy the glaring brightness of the metal will not avail to conceal his inexperience IT ne does not know how to carry the implement.
 There is in mountain elimbInb such a person as an axe fiend. He carries his axe with a degree of carelessness mat may destroy the eyesight of a per- son coming up behind him.
 bag, folding lantern. for use in making early starts, goggles, a drink ing cup good compass, pocket knives, cooking outfit. field glasses. spirit Tasks and warm clothing which will not constrict the movements of the climber, but will keep him warm. are among the requtrtments for extensive mountain climbing.
 Mountaineering has its rules of good form For instance, it is bad form to return without ones ice axe. having started with it. It is also bad form to have luncheon on the overhanging ta- ble of snow at the summit of a noun tain. The party doing this may not return at all, or else so rapidly as to make the telegraph wires hot with the news of their descent. It is wise not to display the various bruises received ~in the course of a climb. They are not an evidence of skill, however they may appeal to the sympathetic listener. It is not good form to be benighted. The expert returns the same day. He is not caught at the top.
 Why is it, "Once a mountain climber. always a mountain climber?" What is the attraction which makes the man or woman willing to put forth the effort, face the dangers and to spend time and money in order to conquer fresh peak? This is the answer given by Mir. Comstock:
 If we desire to account for the rap- turous pleasure the mountain climber finds, we may, perhaps, attribute 1t largely to the pleasure arising from healthy condition of the body and keen appetite, the satisfaction of phy- sIcaI mastery the joy of self-control. the sense of mans supremacy over matter. The passion of mountain climbing has rational grounds in the healthy human constitution One can easily find psychic as we'll as physical reasons therefore of range that runs the whole gamut of personality. Not in the least enjoyable feature of climb ing in the Northwest, even at this late date. is the possibility of obtaining the unique experience of filling the role of a discoverer--of feasting ones eyes, first of all humanity, upon some giori- ous view :" -.