MOUNT RAINIER 



[A quotation from Bailey Willis is omitted, as the 

 whole article is published in this work Chapter IX.] 



The mighty forest through which we traveled from 

 Carbonado to the crossing of Carbon River extends 

 over the country all about Mount Rainier and clothes 

 the sides of the mountain to a height of about 6,000 

 feet. From distant points of view it appears as an 

 unbroken emerald setting for the gleaming, jewel-like 

 summit of the snow-covered peak. 



In spite of the many attractions of the forest, it 

 was with a sense of relief that we entered the canyon 

 of Carbon River and had space to see about us. The 

 river presents features of geographical interest, espe- 

 cially in the fact that it is filling in its valley. The 

 load of stone contributed by the glaciers, from which 

 the stream comes as a roaring turbid flood, is greater 

 than it can sweep along, and much of its freight is 

 dropped by the way. The bottom of the canyon is a 

 desolate, flood-swept area of rounded bowlders, from 

 100 to 200 yards broad. The stream channel is 

 continually shifting, and is frequently divided by 

 islands of bowlders, heaped high during some period 

 of flood. Many of the stream channels leading away 

 from Mount Rainier are known to have the charac- 

 teristics of the one we ascended, and show that the 

 canyons were carved under different conditions from 

 those now prevailing. The principal amount of can- 

 yon cutting must have been done before the streams 

 were overloaded with debris contributed by glaciers 

 that is, the deep dissection of the lower slope of 

 Mount Rainier and of the platform on which it stands 

 must have preceded the Glacial epoch. 



After a night's rest in the shelter of the forest, lulled 

 to sleep by the roar of Carbon River in its tumultuous 

 course after its escape from the ice caverns, we climbed 

 the heavily moraine-covered extremity of Carbon 

 Glacier. At night, weary with carrying heavy packs 



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