MOUNTAINEERING ON THE 

 PACIFIC COAST 



BY JOSEPH N. LE CONTE 



Professor of Engineering Mechanics, 

 University of California 



TRUE Alpine climbing may be found in America 

 only among the great Cordilleran Ranges of 

 the West. Of these ranges none surpass the 

 Cascades of Washington and Oregon and the Sierra 

 Nevada of California. These magnificent mount- 

 ains have been little frequented as compared with 

 the Swiss Alps. Hence the difficulties of pene- 

 trating their wilder portions are still great, though 

 the facilities for travel are increasing yearly. 



The Cascades consist of an extensive though 

 rather low series of complex mountains roughly 

 paralleling the coast of Washington and Oregon. 

 Rising far above the general level are a number of 

 high extinct volcanic cones of great interest to the 

 mountaineer. 



The most northerly group of peaks is that dom- 

 inated by Mounts Baker and Shuksan. The former, 

 a typical volcanic cone, 10,827 feet in height, has 

 been ascended frequently of late by the Mazama and 

 Mountaineer clubs. The usual route, by way of 

 Bellingham, Washington, gives the easiest approach 

 to the base, though the ascent from this side is 

 rather difficult. If approached from Baker Station 

 on the Great Northern, the ascent is easier. The 

 mountain is a true snow peak, covered with glaciers 

 to its very foot. About sixteen miles northeast of 

 Baker rises Mount Shuksan (10,000 feet). Very 

 difficult of approach, it has been ascended but once. 



Next southward is the magnificent Mount Rain- 

 ier, easily first among the mountains of the United 

 States when height, bulk, and Alpine character are 

 all considered. A perfect volcanic cone, 14,408 feet 

 in height, it towers a clear 10,000 feet above all the 

 surrounding country. It has the largest and most 

 perfect glacier system of any of our mountains, 

 the twelve or more great ice tongues radiating frQm 

 the summit neve field being barely included within 

 a circle twelve miles in diameter. Some 320 square 

 miles about Mount Rainier constitute a National 

 Park. The mountain is usually reached by the 

 Tacoma and Eastern railway from Tacoma to Ash- 

 ford, whence a good road leads easterly to Long- 

 mires' Springs hotel, within the park. The new 

 Government road runs thence to Paradise Park 



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