Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1910-04-14
Absolute Proof Of Fa|sity
Of One Of His Yarns.
Summit Of Mt Mckinley Found
To Be inaccessible.
And Utterly Unlike That Pictured
In Dr.. Cooks Book.

Fairbanks, Alaska, April l3-The
Fairbanks Mount Mckinley expedition
that reached the summit of the peak
started to follow the route DR.. Cook
said he took. but was obliged to ADAM
don it as it is impossible. Thomas
Lloyd. the leader, declared today no
traces of Cooks camps were found.
Lloyd placed his crude notes of the
journey in the hands of a committee
of the Order of Pioneers of Alaska,
who will arrange for publication. The
party took photographs of the summit
and of points along the trail. They al
50 established the trail so well that 1t
can be followed by other parties next
summer.
Anoroid measurements taken by the
men places the height of the mountain
at 2o,500 feet.
Tie men were in the party that left
Fairbanks with dog teams in Decem-
Der. 1t was the theory of the leaders
that the ascent would be less danger
ons in the early spring than later when
the snow began to melt. This theory
was confirmed by the experience of the
expedition.
The expedition, on reaching the base
ed for better weather and planned the
ascent All We're familiar with the
great mountain. None of the men has
scientific education and they took no
special apparatus except a camera and
q barometer. They were equipped for
prosnecting and travelled as light as
possible and with the food supply OF
an Alask miner.
When the ascent was begun the first
camp was made at the line of the will
lows. the second at $500 feet, the third
at 10000: the fourth at $4,000 feet. From
this camp the dash to the top was
made. Four dogs went to the third
camp and one to the fourth. Snow
shoes We're used most of the way and
much time was consumed in carrying
supplies to the fourth camp, travel over
the steep ice compelling light loads
and several trips. In several places
crevasses were crossed on bridges Of
poles brought from the timbered slopes
below.
The party did not set out to disprove
DR.. Cooks story, but to climb the NOUN
tain II found the summit utterly un-
like that pictured in Cooks books. On
the rock peak it left an American flag.
6Xl2 feet, attached to the 14-foot stan
buttressed in rock. The flag was WISH
BILE for a long distance on the north side
of the mountain. The view from the
summit was obscured by clouds at lower
levels. The building of the monument
about the Flagstaff was difficult, because
of the raritied atmosphere.
rhe snow was generally firm and the
crevas5es that were filled with snow
We're easy to cross. except in a few in
stances. later in the season avail
anches and treacherous crevasses would
have impeded progress.
The explorers discovered magni.
foent unnamed peak $4,000 feet high ana
new pass through the mountain range
which shortens the distance to the coast
IS mics. The pass Is fianked by ma
jestic, perpendicular walls.
Daniel Patterson, w. r. Taylor ana
Chas. McGonnigle remained at Kalishra
and only Lloyd came to Fairbanks. The
Pioneers committee took steps to verify
Lloyd's story before stamping It as gen.
uine. Even now the committee is disln-
clined to surrender Lloyd's notes, al
though satisfied that they amply prove
the story. The return of Lloyd from the
mountain in nine days was due 10 the
excellence of the trail made by the par
~ while ascending the mountain. ~