Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-08-27
EXPLORERS ESCAPE
CRASHING GLACIER
President Pack of Nature So
ciety Describes Thrill
in Arctic.

The story Of how Arthur Newton
Pack. president Of the American Nature
Associations and party OF explorer.
friends narrowly escaped death in the
Arctic when the face Of Muir Glacier,
900 feet thick and Is miles long, broke
on and fell into the sea, was disclosed
today in report to the association.
Pack, accompanied by his wife; DR..
and Mrs. @. H. Brown Of Waterbury,
Conn; 7. H. Wilson, Oracle. Ariz.; Mrs.
George Beggs and son Of Princeton,
y. z. and William I. FINLEY. field
photographer for the Nature Associa-
ton, had approached to within half q
mile Of the glacier when its face dis
integrated. They were taking motion
"Secti0n after section of that wall.
two or three hundred feet high, toppIed
slowly forward and then down in one
breath-taking crash" Pack reported.
Spray and huge blocks of ice were
flung hundred feet into the air.
AT the foot Of the glacier rose q
great crested tidal wave, coming toward
US. The westward tthe expeditions
yachtl turned and sped away. Our
protection, such as 1t was, lay in the
myriad Of small bergs which lay be-
tween US and the glaciers face. Against
them ard over them tire successive tidal
waves broke their force and reached
our ship only as long gwells. We gath
cred up our cameras. We had enough
excitement not only for . day but for
. whole trip
Muir Glacier Is ona q the most IA
NOUS In the Glacier Bay country,
changed to Glacier Bay National Monu-
ment by proclamation Of President
Coolidge. IL was discovered by John
Muir IN 1879 and is 1900 feet wide,
stands 2l0 feet above the water line
and 700 feet below.
Packs report follows in part:
We cfept On into Muir Inlet at half
speed, nosing cautious way through
the drift Ice and between larger berRs.
As smaller chunks Of ice caromed on
the bow, the boat trembled with the
impact. Thicker and thicker grew the
drift. Capt. Dykenan could not see
open water ahead and ordered the en-
CINE stopped while he was hauled aloft
on the foremost IN h boatswains chair.
There was open water to the right.
The Westward ground slowly out of her
blind alley. We felt like true Arctic
explorers Slowly the great ice wall
drew nearer.
Muir Glacier has receded about I'VE
miles since was there In 1910. A
low bare island Of glacier-planed rock
has since appeared about q mile from
the present face Of the glacier.
Once out from behind the island,
Capt. Dykeman found a lead fairly
free Of ice and ran ON to within half
mile Of that stupendous wall OF ice
which Is the face Of Muir Glacier.
Closer we dared not 60, for no one knew
how far out from the visible ice wall
the underwater shelf Of Ice might
project.
Even where we lay It seemed as
IM that pi1nacled barrier Of dazzling
white and blue might easily sweep
down TO engulf US. Every few mo-
ments some great block Of ice hum
dreds Of tors ia weight. would break
away and plunge headiong into the sea,
followed by cascade Of smaller parti-
cles.
Immediately seyser sprang up from
below. and then to cur ears would come
the sharp crack, followed by that hol-
low echoing boom which we had been
hearing for an hour. The Westward
rocked on the long swell Cameras
eranked and buzzed. He thought we
had done well In being able to secure
pictures Of so many breaking blocks.
Then, one after another, the falling
blocks grew larger, each explosion set
ting OF several more. GFeat cracks
yawned in the glaciers face. One small
iceberg rose near the stern Of the West
ward, and Finley dashed for the ropes
where our dinghy hung in the davits,
Just in time TO keep 1t from being
crushed They hauled our little boat
higher 70 safety.
"Once more we turned our eyes 10
the glacier. There was a shrek from
| all hands as one tremendous iceberg
broke loose, fell forward, sank in the
seething waves and then rose again In
awful might and majesty. Up and up
It shot. the roar almost drowning our
excited shouts Then another, another,
| another Section after section Of that
| wall. two or three hundred feet high
/ toppled slowly forward, then down"