Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1924-08-21

feet to Chasm Lake in gorge that marks the
path of glacier. This East Face has never Deeh
climbed but TWEEN 1922 and Baurock ed the
second party. The regular trail zigzags from East
Face to West Face and thus gives the climber
views in all directions. 1t is at once easy and
hard None but the abe-boded can make the
ascent, yet thousand visitors year get TO the
top including women and even twelve-year-old
boys and girls. The view shows Longs Peak from
the back-the Yves. Face.
night ascent of Longs Peak has become
Rocky Mountain National park classic. 1t was
made in August of 1915 by the late Edna Louise
Smith of Aurora, ILL.,, whose life of philanthropic
accomplishment was prematurely cut short In an
automobile accident She was MEMBER OF the
Colorado Mountain club and an ardent noun
taineer she and three women companions, with
Shep Hustled as guide, started from Tahosa var
ley $4,000 feet) at the foot of Longs Peak at II
D. M in a heavy fog and haf-rain. The ascent
was so unusual that the National Park Service re-
ouested Miss Smith to write the story for use In
its booklets The story of this unique experience
in mountain climbing follows, in part:
"After short climb we were III another world.
The fog was a sea of silvery clouds below US ana
from it the mountains rose like Islands. Inc
moon and stars were bright in the heavens. There
was the sparkle in the air that suggests enchanted
lands and fairies Half way to Timber-Line we
came rpon ground white with snow, which made
If seem all the more likely that Christmas pixies
inst within the shadows of the pines might dance
forth on a moOnbeam
"Aboye Timber-Line there was no snow, but the
moonlight was so brilliant that the clouds far pc
low were shining like misty lakes ana even the
bare mountanside about US looheu ainoSl ao WIZ"
as If snowcOvered.
"At the western edge of Boulder Field there was
q new marvel AS we approached Keyhole right
in the center of that curious nick in the rim OF
Rouder Field shone the great golden moon Inc
vast shadow of the peak, made LOUDLY Ozark ps
the contrast, made us very SILENT Wheh We
emerged from Keyhole and looked down into the
Glacier Gorge beyond it was hard to breathe be
cause of the wonder of 1t ALL The moon was
shining down into the great gorge thousand feet
below and it was filed with a silyery glow Inc
lakes glmmered in the moonlight.
aCrimbing along the narrow ledge, high above
this tremendous gorge, was like dream NOT
breath Of air stirred, and the only sound was the
crunch of hobnails on rock There was supreme
hush in the air, as if something tremendous were
about to happen.
suddenly the sky which had been the far-of
hlue Of a moonlit night, flushed with the softest
amethyst and rose, and the stars doomed large
and Intimately near burning like lamps with
lavender. emerald sapphire and topaz lights The
moon had set and the stars were supreme
GAS we made our way along The Narrows the
drama Of that days dawn proceeded with kalei-
dOScOp1c speed. ONeI lnC pans, oPpoA 1919 49,"
ont end was sea of billowy clouds, shimrner1ng
with golden and pearly lights. One mountain
range after another was revealed and Droughl
close by the rosy glow that now hled al the SKY.
Every peak far and near bore fresh crown of
new snow and each stood out distinct and indi-
vidual Arapahoe Peak held the eye long. Tor
reys Peak and Grays Peak were especially beau
tiful And far away. hundred miles to the south.
doomed I'D the summit of Pixies Peak.
"Such scene could last but short time. And
# was well for u.s. for the moments were too
crowded with sensations to be long borne. Soon
the sun burst up from the ocean Of clouds below.
On The Summit all bright and warm. And
in the bright sunlight Of the new day we wondered
whether we had seen reality or vision.