The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-04-12
Fairbanks Expedition Reaches
Summit of Mt. Mckinley.
Finds No Evidence That Cook
Had Been There.
HIS MAPS AND BOOK
Are of No Service in Mak:ns
the Journey.
Stars and Stripes Planted on
Monument of Stones.

Fairban nks, Alaska, April 12.-The
Fairbanks expedition to Mount McKin-
ley, the tallest peak in North America,
reached the summit April 3, after a
climb of one month from the base. No
traces Of DR.. Frederick A Cooks al
legged ascent were found.
Thomas Lloyd, leader of the expedi-
ton, arrived here last night. His COM
panions were Daniel Patterson, w. R.
Taylor and Charles McGonigle and all
reached the top of the great mountain.
The expedition which left Fairbanks
December Is, while the controversy
over DR.. Cooks disputed ascent was
still raging, was financed by August
Peterson and William McPhee of this
city. The plan was to go into camp on
the mountain as high as possible and
probably about the middle of May,
make dash for the summit.
The obstacles encountered were not
so great as had been predicted. Four
camps were established during the
ascent and a trail was blaZed all the
way to the crest. Up to $4,000 feet the
climbing did not present unusual diff
ficulties. For the next 1900 feet the
way led over a steep ice field, which at
first seemed to forbid further progress,
but through which upon explora-
tion it was found possible to locate a
path.
The final dash to the top was made
from the 10000 foot camp. Mount Nc
Kinley terminates in twin peaks of
equal height, one somewhat rounded
and covered with snow, the other COM
posed of bare and wind swept rocks.
On the rock peak the Fairbanks climb
ers placed an American flag in a monu-
ment of stones. The expedition, which
was provided with DR.. Cooks maps
and book, endeavored to follow his al
legged route, but utterly failed to verify
any part of his story of an ascent.
The Mt. Mckinley expedition, news Of
which has been received from Fair
banks, is made up of Thomas Lloyd,
Robert Horn, Harry Karsten and
Charles McGonigle, all experienced
mountaineers. Word received from the
party at Seattle, on April 4, said the
climbers had reached an elevation of
1900 feet without great difficulty. At
that point they were confronted by an
almost perpendicular wall of ice, that
stretched more than 1900 feet to the
summit. The men stated, however,
that they had found gap in the ice
wall and believed they would be able
to reach the top. The expedition was
equipped with dog team and supplies
and with the latter they established a
base at the foot of the mountain. They
planned to make the dash for the sum-
nit at the break of winter in May. Tho
members of the party agreed to forfeit
S., 900 If none of them reached the sum-
init. one OF their OBJECTS was TO verify
or disprove to their own satisfaction
the claim of DIR. Frederick A. Cook,
that he reached the summit in the fall
of 1906
DR.. Cook claimed to have assembled
Mt Mckinley and to have reached the
summit on September 16. He said he
left at the top of the mountain proofs
that he had been there.
Prof KerscheI G. Parker of Columbia
university was q member Of the expedi-
ton that Dr. Cook led to the mountain
and he later disputed DR.. Cooks asser-
tion that he reached the summit after
the professor and other companions
had turned back. Recently Prof. Park
er organized an expedition to attempt
the ascent of the mountain and it was
planned that this party should leave
New York about April 25, next. They
intended to go to Seattle and thence
by steamship to Cook Inlet. From that
point the party planned to travel by
motor boat to the Chulnita glacier,
where a permanent base would be
established. Mt. Mckinley is the as
sumed eliminating point of the North
American continent and is in the
Alaskan range, latitude SO degrees 4
minutes north, longitude 151 west. Its
height is given as 20,464 feet. 1t is ex-
tensively glaciated and has always
been regarded as most difficult of as
cent.