Ceredo advance. [volume] (Ceredo, W. Va.) 1885-1939, 1909-05-26

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| Snow Is very rapid refrigerator. as
you may easily test by placing I'm il n
| pottle or wine Stand or sit aywavs
Oh WOOD or rocks, and choose your
iuhchlnS places, If possible. where
some seats can be found. If not. sit
on your ruck sacks, or even the
handles of your ice axes. Never on
| snow.
Another peril inevitable TO such
great quantities OF snow on tho noun
Jams Is that OF avalanches. directly
the temperature rises, the surface
snow loosens and the avalanche be.
gins to fall. This danger is especially
present when soft new snow is living
on surface of old, frozen Snow be-
meath. No condition, therefore. is so
perllous as that of a thaw after a
snowfall. We had that condition in
the valley or kandersteg recently. and
'he result was that scarcely a single
pain along the mountainside was
safe. All those little shady walks
where the elderly couples stroll
In the summer were swept by
who went for a walk across the val.
ley were nearly swept into eternity.
up above the roar of the snowfalls
went on continually. In the night
time we could hear the crash and
thunder from the high peaks, reused
to fury by the untimely thaw. And we
thought OF the two young English
climbers who were lost on the noun.
tains, and of the 20 guides who were
searching for them.
The adventures of those two climb
ers illustrate all the perils of the new
sport. They were ski-runners from
Adelboden, and were accompanied by
TWO OF the best ski-running guides in
the Oberland. They started-so they
told me-with high glass and a clear
ski. The skies enabled them to cover
a great distance rapidly; but there
new danger came in. They were al
ready high on the mountains when tho
great storm broke on them. They
could not continue on the snow. They
were forced to take off their skis
which instantly became useless incum.
brances, and to climb difficult rocks
with those great burdens at their
backs. Being ski-runners they had no
nailed boots, but only the flexible
leather shoes worn by cyclists. They
had to climb ice, and it was only their
pluck and youth, combined with the
resourcefulness of their young guides
that enabled them to reach the Wild.
strubel hut in safety There thew re.
manned for three whole days, unable
to set foot in the raging blizzard out.
side, almost starved to death, owing to
the disgraceful lack of food in this
Swiss mountain hut, and only escap
ing finally to Kandersteg in a tempo.
rary break of the storm.
This story is worth recording, II
only as showing the limits of the new
power which ski-running gives to the
mountaineer. The amazing traverse
OF the Oberland and ascent of the Fin.
steraarhorn performed in clear wealth.
er conditions to a few weeks ago nv
two ski-running climbers certainly
places beyond doubt the power of the
SKI under immaculate conditions
SKIS are invaluable on easy slopes OF
snow in the best possible state. They
become less and less valuable az the
snow worsens and the slopes steepen.
They are almost useless in soft. moist
snow and quite useless I'm the very
steep snow slopes that you find high
up on the great snow-mountains ON
rocks or moraines they must. of course
be carried on the shoulders-and they
are pretty heavy.
II these qualifications are borne in
mind skis will certainly prove most
useful in Swiss winter climbing-tbev
would not be worth carriage I'm tho
summer-but If they are neglected
then foresee very unfortunate no
Rod Of disrepute for this very wonder
ful. If rather cumbrous, form ot
footgear.
Winter climbing. TO sum up. mus,
always be for the few. IL must he an
preached with the greatest caution
Nothing must be neglected. above ALI
not food. which is one Of the best enc
mics OF cold. You must remem
Der. too, that the streams gre frozen
and all drinks must be carried with
you. Your clothing must be of tbc
Warmest-especially for feet and
hands. Weather must be of the hest
II Is only so that the sport can no
saved from making new and caIam.
itous additions TO the death roll If
the Alps
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