EXPLORING THE MOUNTAIN AND ITS GLACIERS, 1896 



Mount Rainier each winter melts first on the rugged 

 plateau surrounding the base of the mountain, and, 

 as the summer's heat increases, gradually withdraws 

 up the mountain sides, but never so as to uncover the 

 more elevated region. The snow line that is, the 

 position to which the lower border of the mantle of 

 perennial snow withdraws late in summer has an 

 elevation of about 9,000 feet. The lower margin of the 

 wintry covering is always irregular, however, extending 

 farthest down on the glaciers and retreating highest 

 on the rocks. At the time of our visit the snow had 

 melted off of nearly all the region below our camp, 

 leaving only dirt-stained snow banks in the more com- 

 pletely sheltered recesses and in deeply shaded dells 

 in the adjacent forests. On the glaciers all the region 

 at a greater elevation than our camp was white and 

 free from dirt and stones, while the hard glacial ice 

 was abundantly exposed at lower altitudes and ended 

 in a completely moraine-covered terminus. Above 

 us all was barren, white, and wintry ; below lay the 

 flowery vales and grass parks, warm and inviting, 

 leading to the welcome shade of noble forests. Our 

 course led upward into the frozen region. 



On leaving the camp on the border of Winthrop 

 Glacier we began our alpine work. There were five 

 in the party selected for the difficult task of scaling 

 Mount Rainier; namely: Willis, Smith, Ainsworth, 

 Williams, and myself. Taking our blankets, a small 

 supply of rations, an alcohol lamp, alpenstocks, a rope 

 100 feet long to serve as a life line, and a few other 

 articles necessary for traveling above timber line, we 

 began the ascent of Winthrop Glacier early on the 

 morning of July 23. Our route was comparatively 

 easy at the start, but became steeper and steeper as 

 we advanced. The snow was firm and, except for the 

 numerous crevasses, presented no great difficulties to 

 be overcome. In several places the neve rises in domes 

 as if forced up from beneath, but caused in reality 



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