MOUNT RAINIER 



The reconnaissance during which the notes for this 

 essay were obtained began [1896] at Carbonado, a 

 small coal-mining town about 20 miles southeast of 

 Tacoma, with which it is connected by a branch of the 

 Union [Northern] Pacific Railroad. Carbonado is 

 situated on the border of the unbroken forest. East- 

 ward to beyond the crest of the Cascade Mountains is 

 a primeval forest, the density and magnificence of 

 which it is impossible adequately to describe to one 

 who is not somewhat familiar with the Puget Sound 

 region. From Carbonado a trail, cut through the 

 forest under the direction of Willis in 1881, leads to 

 Carbon River, a stream flowing from Mount Rainier, 

 which it formerly crossed by a bridge that is now 

 destroyed, and thence continues to the west of the 

 mountain to Busywild. A branch of this trail leads 

 eastward to the north side of the mountain, making 

 accessible a beautiful region near the timber line, 

 known as Spray Park. 



Our party consisted of Bailey Willis, geologist in 

 charge, George Otis Smith and myself, assistants, and 

 F. H. Ainsworth, Fred Koch, William B. Williams, 

 and Michael Autier, camp hands. 



From Carbonado we proceeded with pack animals 

 along the Willis trail, already mentioned, to the cross- 

 ing of Carbon River. We then left the main trail and 

 went up the right bank of the river by a trail recently 

 cut as far as the mouth of Chenuis Creek. At that 

 locality our party was divided ; Willis and myself, 

 taking blankets, rations, etc., and crossing the river, 

 proceeded up its bowlder-strewn left bank to the foot 

 of Carbon Glacier. The remainder of the party cut a 

 trail along the right bank, and in the course of a few 

 days succeeded in making a depot of supplies near 

 where the river emerges from beneath the extremity 

 of the glacier. The pack train was then taken back to 

 near Carbonado for pasture. 



The tramp from Carbonado to the foot of the Carbon 



160 



