Waterbury evening Democrat., 1908-06-03
CLIMB FULL OF PERIL
Daring Attempt to Be Made to
 Scale Mount Pinnacle.
VERY HARD PEAK TO ASCEND.
Two Expert Climbers Must Wrigsle Through Narrow Crack High Up on Mountain Siae to Reach the Top, Fighting Death For 500 Feet.

Through Narrow Crack High UP on
 Mountain Siae to Reach the Top,
 Fighting Death For 500 Feet.
 Two men with iron nerves and mus cles are planning an attempt this sum- mer to scale the most difficult noun tain peak in the western hemisphere. It is Mount Pinnacle of the Canadian Rockies, tower of granite 11,0o0 feet high, to reach the top of which one must wriggle and worm his way up through narrow crevice 300 feet high. The relaxation of a muscle, the loss of nerve for an instant, means plunge to the granite powders a thousand feet below.
 No white man on this continent evey before attempted such a perilous mountain ascent, but the daring spirits who contemplate spending their vaca- tion thus are confident they will sue ceed; that they will reach the topmost point and there sweep the horizon with their vision as the sole reward for the risk of being dashed to pulp on the mountain crags, says the St. Louis Post Dispatch. Those who are to at tempt Mount Pinnacle are Arthur O.. Wheeler, president of the Canadian AL pine club and head of the Canadian typographical survey, and Benjamin 5. Comstock, an American who climbs mountains because he loves to. MT. Comstock is former St. Louisian.
 Persons who have spent their lives on the prairies of the middle west and southwest have little conception of what mountain climbing means. There is no sport that requires so steady a nerve, such powerful muscles, such in- difference to danger. An automobile racer is sustained by the intense ex- citement of contest and the wild cheering of the spectators. The moun- tain climbers alone, unobserved, cool ly, deliberately, without any excite ment, brave death every moment. Mount Pinnacle was attempted three times last summer by expert climbers. , but they were unable to go higher than the lower opening of the crack by which the summit must be reached. It is believed, however, that in August, when the snow and ice in that crack have melted, it may be penetrated by men who know how to overcome such difficulties in climbing.
 This crack, the only path to the mountain peak, is so narrow that one may stand in 1t by bracing his feet and hands against the sides. It is al- most perpendicular. and the sides are smooth save for slight roughnesses at the lines of various strata composing ihe peak. These small projections form a precarious foothold for the climber, who must wriggle, struggle, fight with death, in the narrow place for 300 feet The nerve, the power to endure, the courage, the skill. required to make that terrifying ascent are awe inspir' ing Messrs. Comstock and Wheeler be lieve they can reach the top. They love mountain climbing for its own sake and are willing to stake their lives on their ability to work their way UT through that forbidding crack in the great, desolate point which towers up ward to the sky.
 Before they essay Mount Pinnacle they will climb Mount Sanford, which is called "the Mount Blanc of tht Canadian Rockies" and Mount Good shire, a peak very difficult of ascent Mount Sanford not only never hal been climbed by a white man. but SC far as there are any records has nevel been approached nearer than twenty five miles. The trip to the mountain will require canoe voyage down th' Columbia river for twenty-five miles then up tSy- Gold river and then afoo without membranes across and alont rugged glaciers to the foot of thu mountain. After the journey to thu mountain base has been completed 1 there will still remain the task o reaching the peak. but that will pre- sent no such difficulties as confront thu climber of Mount Pinnacle.
 Mount Sanford, however, is about [ thousand feet higher than Mount Pin nacle, being 12.000 feet above sea leve at it's highest point. Mount Goodshire the other of the three mountains thu two climbers will attempt. is about thu same height as Mount Sanford.
 Mount Goodshire will prove more diff ficult of ascent than Mount Sanford for it really Is a mere tower of prime val granite, which projects itself int, the sky from a glacier. It will be at tempted following the ascent of Noun Sanford. and after these two grea peaks have been surmounted Noun Pinnacle. with it's awful crack. will b' attacked by the two men. If they car ry out their plans and escape witt their lives Messrs. Comstock ant Wheeler will have done that which t' this day remains undone by hunai beings 90 far as any living persoI knows.
 Many sportsmen believe that the pos sibie spectacular accomplishments o these two adventurous men will arous a widespread interest in Americsi mountain climbing and that if the1 succeed others Will follow them ans that in the mountains of Canada then uiIl grow up an adventurous sport sim liar to that 70 long famous and popu lar in the Alps.
 MeeSser Masen.
 | The lrr~pxr warnn fu tha world ha