The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1917-08-03
MONSTER OF MOUNTAINS
Mt. Mckinley, Our Newest National
Park, an Amazing Spectacle

W.T. mSNtntclt OOT NSWCot N~%'S@'
Park, an Amazing Spectacle
The national park in Alaska, which
congress created last spring, is one OF
the monster speetacles of the world.
To say that it rises 20,30o feet above
sea level and that il is the loftiest
peak in America is to convey no idea
whatever of its grandeur. There are
several mountains in the Himalayas
which materially exceed its height,
one which rises more than 25,OOO feet
above sea level; and yet Mt. Mchin-
ley, to the observer, is loftier than
any OF these.
The reason is that the greatest
Himalayas are seen from valleys T.
900 to 10000 feet in altitude, while
Mt. Mckinley rises abruptly from
valleys 5000 feet and even less In al
titude The visitor to the Mt. Nc
Kinely National park will look up
more than 1900 feet to the double
peak, the upper $4,000 feet Of which
are covered with perpetual snow.
This enormous mass is the climax of
of great Alaskan range, which eX-
tends roughly east and west across
Southeast Central Alaska, separating
the vast northern inland from the
more populated country whose shores
are the Gulf of Alaska. The range
parallels the mighty Yukon many
miles to its south.
The reservation contains 1920
square miles. Its northern slopes,
which overlook the Tanana watershed
with its gold mining industry, are
bread valleys inhabited by enormous
herds of caribou. Its southern plateau
is perpetual winter wilderness
through which glaciers of great length
and enormous bulk flow into the val
eys of the south In this national
park, which the railroad is now build
ing by the government into the Alas
kan interior viii open presently to the
public, America possesses Alpine
scenery upon titanic scale.
From the stormy south Mt. Kinley
is wholly inaccessible. But from the
plains of the north. valleys of easy
grade lead one from another to its
foo;. 81 ~ a4A@
1t is an inspiring region OF
massive mountains and ice.capped
peaks" Belmore Browne of the Camp
Fire club testified before the senate
committee on territories. "The Pied
mont plateau that follows the range
affords a beautiful roadway direct
to Mt Mckinley and when you reach
the plateau all difficulties vanish and
you see view that is unique on this
earth. You see the huge mountain
line of perpetual snow rising like a
great wall on the southeast. You
can ride pony to where Mt McKin-
ley rises 1900 feet above you in a
glittering wall of snow and ice. II
is fanked by stupendous mountains
which make wonderful setting for
the monster"
North Of the vast mountain, how
ever, is a rolling country dotted with
beautiful lakes and forests and inhab-
tied by enormous herds OF carbon.
In fact. the special reason why con
gress set apart the region at this time
was to conserve the wild animal life
in advance Of the invasion of hunters
which the new government railroad
will bring into Alaska. the road as
projected running within 90 miles of
this greatest of natures spectacles.
Charles Sheldon of the Boone and
Crockette club told the senate com
mittee that several times he has
counted as many as 500 mountiaD
sheep in a single day of ordinary
travel, and that herds OF caribou
numbering from twelve to fifteen hun
dred are frequently seen.
AS game refuge and breeding
ground, the new national park con
serves Alaskan game. which else
where is rapidly disappearing. As in
the case of the Yellowstone National
park, the reservation serves as a per
petual center of game supply for large
neighboring areas.
These animals do not greatly fear
man, because they have never been
hunted One can approach the great
herds of caribou, There are also
many Alaskan bear of great size.