The Llano colonist. [volume] (Llano, Calif.) 191?-1937, 1922-06-17

prepared by the National Geographic
Society, Washington, D. O.
The completion Of the governments
Alaskan railway makes reasonably
accessible for the first time the Mount
Mckinley National park which con
tains the highest point on the North
American continent. The total area
of this great playground which hith-
erto has been seen by so few people,
is about 2,400 square miles.
In scenic grandeur the stupendous
mass of which Mount Mckinley is the
eliminating peak has no rival. The
snow-line here lies at about 1000 feet,
and above that elevation only a few
sharp crags and seemingly perpendic-
ular cliffs are free from the glistening
white mantle. From the valley Of Nc
Kinley Fork, which IS at the north base
of the mountain and lies at an eleya-
tion Of only 1900 feet, the bare rocks
of the lower mountains extend upward
for about 1850 feet, and above them
Mount Mckinley rises in majestic
whiteness to a height of 10000 feet
the loftiest peak on the continent.
The upper 1900 feet of the noun
tain is clad in glaciers and perpetual
SHOWS thus offering to the noun
taineer the highest climb above snow
line in the world The rise Of $4,000
feet from the lower end of Peters
Glacier, north of the mountain, to the
highest peak is made in distance of
only 13 miles. In no other mountain
mass do we find so great vertical
ascent in so short a distance, The
peaks of the Colorado Rockies, though
wonderful rise from a high plateau,
so that at most points from which
they can be seen they stand only 1900
or, at most 5000 feet above the OBJ
server. Mount st. Elias, an 18000-foot
mountain, may be seen from sea level,
but the peak stands So miles from the
coast, and so loses in height to the
eye by the distance from which 1t
must be viewed.
Similarly the high volcanic peaks Of
Mexico and South America and the
worlds loftiest mountains in the
Himalayas rise from high pIateaus,
which diminish by their own elevation
the visible magnitude and towering
height of their eliminating peaks.
Southwest of Mount Mckinley, 10
miles away from it, stands Mount
Foraker, only $500 feet lower and al
most equally imposing. If it stood
alone, Mount Foraker would be IA
nous in it's own right as mighty
peak. having few equals; but in the
presence of its giant neighbor 1t is re-
duced to secondary rank.
These two dominating peaks, stand
ing side by side and known to the in
| terror natives as Denali and Denalis
| Wife. far outrank the fanking noun
| tains to the northeast and southwest,
| among which, however, there are a
score of other peaks that rise to
heights between 1000 and $4,000 feet,
well above snow-line and that are the
| gathering ground for many glaciers.
In 1902 the first surveying party
J that actually reached the vicinity Of
Mount Mckinley was conducted by
| Alfred FL. Brooks and .. L. Raeburn
OF the geological survey. This party
entered the park at it's southwest Dor
der and traversed 1t from end to end
bringing out the first authentic infor-
nation in regard to an unexplored
area of many thousand square miles
and determining the position, height
and best route Of approach to the
base of Mount Mckinley.
Swarm With White Bighorn Sheep
The mountains at the head OF
Toklat and Teklanika rivers literally
swarm with the magnificent white
bighorn sheep, which are elsewhere
extremely wary and difficult to ap
proaeh, but which in summer are here
so little disturbed that they move of
only when one comes to close range
A days travel along one of these val
legs will usually afford the casua
traveller a view of many bands Of
sheep. The sheep range on the low
er slopes of the mountains, especial!
in the upper reaches of the streams
near the glaciers at the valley heads
or even in the valley bottoms.
The bighorn sheep prefers thu
slopes of high, rough mountains 70
its range, and may be found only Il
the mountains, within easy reach O
rugged crags, to which it may retrea
for safety from its enemies. 1T
range, therefore. lies between timber
line and the level Of perpetual snow
It is difficult to make an accurate es
Innate of the number Of sheep within