EXPLORATIONS AMONG THE WHITE MOUNTAINS. 87 



go up among the clouds, for their own sake they should go prepared for 

 the worst. An iron-pointed staff, with an axe, and plenty of food and 

 clothing, are indispensable.&quot; 



In the winter of 1870-71, the possibility of climbing the mountain in 

 the winter was thoroughly established. Thirty-eight persons went up 

 and down, some of them several times, the total number of ascents 

 being seventy. A register of the trips was given in the report for 1870. 

 The expedition was undertaken in opposition to the judgment, experience, 

 and advice of those most familiar with the mountain. 



Mrs. O. E. Freeman, of Lancaster, made the ascent of Mt. Washington, Tuesday, 

 January 24, 1874. on foot. She is a daughter of &quot;Old Ethan Crawford,&quot; of White 

 Mountain fame, and is doubtless the first woman who ever attempted to accomplish 

 his feat in winter. She was accompanied by her sister Mrs. Durgin, her brother 

 William H. Crawford, and nephew Ethan Crawford, Jr. They did not anticipate going 

 to the top at the starting, but thought they would walk up a short distance to see the 

 railroad, etc. They finally concluded to go to the top if possible, and made the 

 distance in three hours, walking upon the railroad sleepers most of the way, which 

 required not a little self-possession and endurance, as they are in many places ten and 

 fifteen feet above the rocks below, and covered with ice and snow, so that a single 

 misstep might prove fatal to one walking upon them. Having been born under the 

 very shadow r s of these grand old hills, these ladies have become inured to cold, frost, 

 and snow, and enjoy rather than shrink from a little exposure. Mrs. Freeman describes 

 the trip as &quot;glorious fun,&quot; and expresses the hope that all her lady friends may have 

 the pleasure of making it in winter. 



ESTABLISHMENT OF AN OBSERVATORY. 



The increasing interest during the past few years in the subject of 

 meteorology, the remarkable character of the phenomena which would be 

 observed during a winter residence on any of these mountain summits, 

 and, within the last few years, the obvious bearing which these must have 

 upon the great problem of meteorology, the prediction of the weather, 

 together with the expensive outfit which it was seen must be necessary to 

 render such an enterprise possible, seem to have given rise to many 

 stories of large rewards which had been offered to any one who should 

 accomplish this object. As long ago as 1858 a report was current, among 

 guides and others, that the Smithsonian Institution had offered a thousand 

 dollars to any one who would spend a winter on the highest summit, for 



