River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1910-04-07


b. IN will start from Seattle on
May 1, when party of ex-
perienced mountain climbers
and scientists, headed by Prof. Her.
schel G.. Parker of Columbia univer-
sity. will set out for the Alaskan will
derness, where they will attempt to
reach the summit of Mt. Mckinley
that defiant, ice-clad monster that has
baffied the efforts of scientists and ex-
plorers for the past decade.
The expedition will be conducted
by the American Geographical society
and the elaborate and novel arrange
ments that have been made should
insure it's success. All the experience
gained in the many previous attempts
to scale this rugged peak has been
utilized In planning the forthcoming
assault, and the men who Will lead
the expedition have had years OF ex-
perience in the Alps and the Rockies.
Prof. Parker, who will lead the par
ty, has already scaled four OF the most
difficult peaks in the Canadian ROCK
les. besides having clambered up and
down the peaks of the Alps for years.
In 1906 he accompanied DR.. COOK on
the latter's now famous expedition TO
Mt. Mckinley and the experience
gained on that expedition has proved
invaluable in outlining the details OF
the Forthcoming trip. Grave doubts
have always existed in Prof. Parker,s
mind as to the truth of Cooks claim
to having reached the summit, and ne
intends to satisfy himself in regard to
the matter on this trip.
One of Prof. Parkers chief lieuten-
ants will be Bellmore Browne, the
artist. who was a member of the Par
ker-Cook expedition, and who is also
an expert mountain climber. J. II.
Kunz of Stevens institute, H. l..
Tucker of the Appalachian club OF
Boston, and Waldemar Grass1 OF CO.
lumbia, are others prominent OF the
party.
One of the principal features of the
forthcoming trip will be the use OF the
motor boat as a means OF tranSporta-
ton. Pack horses will be tabooed as
past experience has taught that they
are a hindrance and the party will
make their way through the 100 miles
of wilderness to within striking dis
lance of the base of the mountain, by
means Of a specially constructed mo-
tor boat. In the Cook expedition OF
1906. a motor boat was used, but the
party reached the headwaters OF the
river too late in the season to attempt
to climb the mountain. After they had
returned to their camp, however, COOK
set out in company with two guides,
and returned with tale that he had
reached the top. In outlining MS
plans for the forthcoming expedition
to a representative of the Interna-
tional News Service, Prof. Parker
said:
"The main party will leave Seattle
about May 1, and proceed direct to
Cooks inlet. The easiest way to reach
the base of the mountain is from the
south, and as soon as we reach the
head of Cooks inlet, we shall embark
in a motor boat and sail up the Su-
shitna river to the Chulitna, and then
I'D the latter stream as far as it is
nayigable. Several large glaciers
flow from Mt. Mckinley toward the
Chulitna, and the members of the par
ty will load the supplies on their
backs and make their way across the
glaciers to a favorable spot where
base camp can be established.
From the base camp we intend to
devote ourselves to a complete and
exhaustive study of the mountain sys-
tenn, that forms the southern base OF
Mt. Mckinley, and settle once for all
the question as to whether the sum-
nit can be reached via the southern
slope.
'Tn our expedition of 1906, this route
held out the greatest promise OF sue
cess, but we first attempted to reach
the base of the mountain from the
west and failed. Then by the time we
had reached the base from the south
1t was too late in the season to pro-
coed. From that point, however, the
approach to the mountain looked i'm
penetrable, but the east and north
west slopes held out more hope.
eff. on our forthcoming trip. we fail