86 PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY. 



demand precaution and judgment in summer visits to their summits. 

 Previous to the expedition of 1870, few had been found so hardy as to 

 attempt the ascent in winter. In the month of November, 1855, a month 

 after Dr. Ball's experience, another party succeeded in reaching the top 

 in safety, and in enjoying a good view. One of the most hardy men, in 

 the party that rescued Dr. Ball, said that with a friend he attempted to 

 make the ascent in February ; but when they arrived within a mile of the 

 summit, they were obliged to turn back almost frozen. Before 1870, only 

 two instances are recorded of visits to the summit during the winter 

 months. The first was made December 7th, 1858, by Mr. Osgood, of 

 Lancaster, who went up, accompanied by one or two friends, to serve a 

 legal process upon property there. They found frost formed upon the 

 windows a foot and a half in thickness. It also covered the furniture 

 and the walls, giving them the appearance of a "snow cavern." On their 

 return, they were overtaken by one of the frost clouds peculiar to the 

 mountains in winter. "When first seen it was small in magnitude, but it 

 increased in size with alarming velocity, soon spreading over the entire 

 south. They had just entered the woods at the base of the ledge, when 

 it came upon them. So icy and penetrating was its breath, that to have 

 encountered its blinding, freezing power on the unprotected height, would 

 have been to have perished with it as a pall to cover them. The party 

 reached the Glen in safety, and were heartily welcomed by their friends, 

 who, well knowing the danger attending this never before accomplished 

 feat, awaited them with much anxiety." 



The other ascent was made by a party of three, J. H. Spalding,- F. 

 White, and C. C. Brooks, all from Lancaster, on February n, 1862. A 

 stereograph, obtained at this visit, exhibited the interior of the Summit 

 house, with snow-drifts which had been sifted in through cracks in the 

 building. This party remained on the top two days and nights, experi- 

 encing a driving snow-storm of thirty-six hours' duration, and were repaid 

 by "one of the most magnificent sunrise scenes that imagination can 

 picture." The most extreme cold during their stay was five degrees 

 below zero. One of the objects of this visit was evidently to obtain some 

 acquaintance with the storms of the mountain. Their account concludes : 

 "We were remarkably well satisfied with the weather, and were very 

 lucky about climbing over the ice-clad rocks. Should others attempt to 



