550 
THE NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC MAGAZINE 
tain that has been destroyed was equal 
in size to Mount Washington, in New 
Hampshire, and had a volume of 17 
cubic miles. 
From the crest of the rim surrounding 
the lake the traveler beholds 20 miles of 
unbroken cliffs, which range from 500 to 
nearly 2,000 feet in height. The clear 
Avaters of the lake reflect the vivid colors 
of the surrounding walls, and whether 
in the soft glow of early morning, in the 
glare of the noonday sun, or in the rosy 
hues of the dying day, the view is one 
of awe-inspiring grandeur and beauty. 
Near the western edge of the lake is 
Wizard Island, in the top of which is an 
extinct crater 100 feet deep and 500 feet 
in diameter. 
Near the southern shore is a jagged 
rock 200 feet high, known as Phantom 
Ship. Viewed from a distance it resem- 
bles a great vessel, but it apparently dis- 
appears when the shadow strikes it — 
hence its name. 
This lake is not the only attraction of 
the national park in which it is situated. 
T^he surrounding peaks afford opportuni- 
ties for climbing, and the extended views 
from their summits offer an adequate 
recompense for the effort necessary to 
reach them. 
THi; MOUNT RAINIER NATIONAL PARK 
The largest glacial system in North 
America radiating from a single peak is 
situated on Mount Rainier, in western 
Washington. The Mount Rainier Na- 
tional Park, which was' established by 
the act of March 2, 1899, and has an 
area of 207,360 acres, includes the mass 
of this great mountain and all the ap- 
proaches to it. 
Of Mount Rainier that sage of the 
forest and the mountains, John Muir, 
says : "If in the making of the West 
Nature had what we call parks in mind — 
places for rest, inspiration, and prayers — 
this Rainier region must surely be one 
of them. In the center of it there is a 
lonely mountain capped with ice ; from 
the ice-cap glaciers radiate in every di- 
rection, and young rivers from the gla- 
ciers ; while its flanks, sweeping down in 
beautiful curves, are clad with forests 
and gardens and filled with birds and 
animals. Specimens of the best of Na- 
ture's treasures have been lovingly gath- 
ered here and arranged in simple sym- 
metrical beauty within regular bounds." 
From Puget Sound, 60 miles away, 
one gets superb views of this great moun- 
tain rising over 14,000 feet above the 
level of the sea. Now its snowy summit 
looms up sharp and severe against the 
eastern sky ; now it is veiled in mist, like 
some giant priestess keeping vigil over 
the valley and plain ; now it is garbed in 
the softest of violet-pink as it is illu- 
mined by the after-glow of the setting 
sun. 
The traveler approaching Mount Rai- 
nier passes through areas in which the 
climate and the vegetation range from 
temperate to arctic. The lower valley is 
thickly mantled with fir, hemlock, and 
cedar, the undergrowth is dense, and the 
forest floor is covered with moss and a 
litter of fallen branches and decayed 
wood. 
As the mountain is ascended the vege- 
tation changes ; at an altitude of 4,000 
feet the forest cover consists of moun- 
tain hemlock, Alpine fir, and Alaska 
cedar. 
Here in the very shadow of the snow- 
capped mass the valleys are literally 
carpeted with avalanche lilies, asters, 
anemones, rhododendrons, and other 
bright flowers (see pages 591 to 613). 
As one goes higher the trees become 
smaller. They are gnarled and twisted, 
as if they had endeavored to escape the 
fury of the fierce blasts that sweep over 
the upper slopes. The trees dwindle to 
straggling bushes, and then the climber 
is on the bare rocks, polished and scarred 
by the masses of snow and ice that hj: 2 
swept over them. The last four miles 
to the summit is along the ridges between 
the glaciers or over the ice. The way is 
rough and steep, and is a dangerous one 
unless accompanied by a guide. 
THE YOSEMITE 
California boasts of three national 
parks — the Yosemite, the Sequoia, and 
the General Grant. As long ago as 1864 
an act of Congress granted the Yosemite 
Valley and the Mariposa grove of big 
trees to the State of California for public 
