98 The Mountaineer 



Gregor, Nettleton, Belt and Mills. L. A. Nelson led 

 the party, while a small party known as the General 

 Staff, composed of Curtis, Humes, Epler, Krows and 

 Morrill, went ahead to choose the route and break trail 

 where necessary. This plan worked so well that the 

 main party did not have to pause on the steepest slopes 

 for steps to be cut. For the first few hours of the 

 climb the party advanced steadily, gaining a thousand 

 feet each hour. The total rise in the day's climb was 

 only 6,250 feet, but of course the rare atmosphere at the 

 higher levels would make progress slower. This rise is, 

 however, about the maximum that should be attempted 

 in a single day, by any but the most experienced climbers. 



The party was well upon the mountain slopes 

 when the sun rose just back of the steep spire of Mount 

 Shuksan. For some time the snows had been stained 

 red by the reflected light ; but the full glory of the morn- 

 ing sun was dazzling here in such a waste of snow and 

 ice. The great valleys that lay all below were in deep 

 shadow and seen from above were dark voids. As the 

 sun rose the lesser hills caught the light, but the haze 

 that lay in the valleys prevented a clear view. In the 

 distance the rosy summit of Rainier rose above the 

 clouds, faint and cloud-like, through one hundred and 

 thirty-five miles of space that intervened. 



From timber-line to the arete, the climb was devoid 

 of any incident except the steady ascent over snow 

 fields that gradually grew steeper. Above the rocks, 

 the party crossed over to the slope between the two 

 peaks. Here the snow fields increased in steepness, 

 making fairly difficult climbing, until the snow cornice 

 was encountered, directly below the snow fields of the 

 summit. The snow had broken away from the summit 

 cap and started to slide down the mountain, and the 

 only remaining connection was a snow bridge, two feet 

 wide, but so thin that it was not safe to stand on. Above 

 this the snow stood twenty feet high, and this had to be 



