64 The Mountaineer 
took several photographs of the condensed vapors, for which 
see accompanying illustration. 
Some of the members of Major Ingraham’s party called 
our attention to this phenomenon as we passed through Spray 
Park. When we reached this side of the mountain the next 
day, we witnessed a fine exhibition of steam curling up and 
down, to and fro, over the face of Willis Wall. Its center of 
activity seemed to be about half way up the slope and well over 
toward the Avalanche Camp side. There were several other 
places below where the vapors appeared to be pouring forth. 
We resolved at once to go up and investigate as near as the 
avalanches would permit. As the sun rose and hghted up this 
dark cavity toward noon, the steam began to vanish. We 
reached the steep slope of the mountain about noon. At that 
time there was no apparent steam. We rested for an hour 
with cameras ready for the avalanche that did not fall. We 
then coneluded that the vapor was caused by the currents of 
cold air from this dark cavity coming in contact with the warm 
air from the outside. The more we think of it the more we are 
convinced that our conclusion was rather hastily formed. The 
steam appeared so real from our camp at an altitude of about 
5,900 feet that a more thorough investigation is really necessary 
to get at the truth. No one would dare to attempt to reach the 
apparent source of activity. From Avalanche Camp or from 
the glacier below, valuable observations could be made to de- 
termine whether this is steam or the warm and cold currents 
coming together. 
The shape of the cavity and the enermous amount of rock 
material on the glacier would seem to indicate that something 
unusual had taken place. The hollow eavity could hardly be 
formed by the avalanche. The writer has crossed this glacier 
many times, but has never before seen anything like the amount 
of moraine material that there is at the present time. The 
glacier is simply loaded with débris from iwenty to fifty feet 
high for its entire width. 
The hottest part of the summit is on the north slope of the 
erater down toward North Peak. This fact, too, points to a 
possible slight eruption on Willis Wall or issuing of steam 
therefrom. Tourists to the north side of the mountain should 
make a careful study of this region to ascertain the truth. 
