Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1910-04-16

The Climbers Occupied a Month in
Making the Climb From the Base
Four Thousand Feet Over a Steep
the 16,ooo-foot Camp - Thomas
Ice Field-FinaI Dash Made From
Lloyd the Leader of the Expedition.
Fairbanks, Alaska, April 13.-The
Fairbanks expedition to Mount Nc
Kinley, the highest peak in North
America, reached the summit April 3,
After a climb OF one month from the
base, it was announced yesterday. No
traces Of DR.. Frederick A. Cooks al
legged ascent were found. Thomas
Lloyd, leader of the expedition, ar
rived here. His companions were
Daniel Patterson, w. R. Taylor and
Charles McGonigle. All reached the
top of the mountain.
The expedition, which left Fair
banks December Is, while the contro-
versy over DR.. Cooks disputed ascent
was still raging. was financed by Au-
gust Peterson and William McPhee,
of this city. The plan was to go into
camp on the maintain as high as pos
sible and probably about the middle
of May, make a dash for the summit.
The obstacles encountered were not
so great as had been predicted. Four
camps We're established during the
ascent and a trail was blazed all the
way to the crest. Up to 1000 feet
the climbing did not present unusual
difficulties. For the next 1000 feet
the way led owe a steep ice field
which, upon exploration, it was found
possible to locate a path. The final
dash to the top was made from the
16. 000-foot camp.
Mt. Mckinley terminates in twin
peaks of equal height, one somewhat
rounded and covered with snow, the
other composed of bare and wind
swept rocks. On the rock peak the
Fairbanks climbers planted an Amer
lean flag in a monument of stones.
The expedition, which was provided
with DR.. Cooks maps and data, en-
deavored to follow his supposed route
but utterly failed to verify any part
of his story of an ascent.
Cooks Claim Disproved.
The Mount Mckinley expedition,
news of which has been received from
Fairbanks, Alaska, was made up of
Thomas Lloyd, Daniel Patterson, w.
r. Taylor and Charles McGonnigle, all
experienced mountaineers. The eXpe-
dition was equipped with a dog team
and supplies, and with the latter they
mountain. They planned to make the
dash for the summit at the break of
winter. in March. The members of
the party agreed to forfeit $4,000 if
none of them reached the summit.
One of their objects was to verify
or disprove to their own satisfaction
the claim of DR.. Cook that he reached
the summit in the fall of 1906.
DR.. Cook claimed to have assembled
Mount Mckinley and to have reached
the summit on September 16. He said
that he had left at the top OF the
mountain proofs that he had been
there.
Professor Herschel C. Parker, of
Columbia University, was a member
of the expedition that DR.. Cook led
to the mountain and he later disputed
Cooks assertion that he reached the
summit after the professor and other
companions had turned back. Recent
ly Professor Parker organized an ex-
petition to attempt the ascent, and it
was planned that this party should
leave New York next month. They in
tended to go to Seattle and thence by
steamship to Cook Inlet, on the Alas
kan coast. From that point they plan
ned to travel by motor boat to the
Chulnita glacier, where a permanent
base would be established.
Mount Mckinley is the assumed
eliminating point of the North Amer
lean continent, and is in the Alaskan
range. latitude So degrees, A MIMI
ties north, longitude ISL degrees west.
It's height is given at 20,464 feet. I. is
extensively glaciated and has always
been regarded as most difficult of as
cent.