660 
this “Damenspitze,” or “ladies’ moun- 
tain,” was cold, if easy. It was only 
four hours over snow to the top and most 
of the way at an easy grade, with few 
crevasses (see picture, page 655), yet 
three of the 20 caravanes that day turned 
back, because of women’s feet too thinly 
— A 
THE NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC MAGAZINE 
protected from freezing. 
By 6 a. m. one has usually 
attained the final exposed 
ridge of any mountain, 
and the chilling sunrise 
breeze is apt to make the 
time from 6 to 8, until at 
last the sun begins to give 
some heat, an anxious 
time for feet or hands. 
THE WEISSHORN, 14,804 
FEET, 15 HOURS 
S 
Dora Keen 
4 
4 
yy 
FACI 
Not until a week later, 
after having been twice 
repulsed iby) nto mens wad 
weather, once when half 
way up, did conditions 
permit me to reach the 
top of the \Veisshorn. At 
its base, above the valley, 
stands the unoccupied hut, 
on a site whence the views, 
whether after a storm, by 
Alpine glow, or by full 
moonlight, are among the 
Photo by 
THE TWO 
RHORN : 
4 
4 
y side was the less steep and also less cold, because in the sun, and, 
* protected from the north wind. 
OF THE MATT 
picture, page 646). The 
first half of the ascent 
was not especially difh- 
cult ; but after three hours 
and a half of a compara- 
tively easy glacier, snow, 
and steep rock slopes, we 
came to a rock ridge 
whose steep and jagged 
points so effectually chal- 
lenge progress that they 
are termed = them esc. 
darmes” (CS) pichune 
page 656). 
The Weisshorn is a few 
feet higher than the Mat- 
terhorn, and a steep ridge 
most of the way, although 
not as steep as the latter. 
It has few snow slopes of 
safe enough grade for a “glissade,” or 
sliding descent, and consequently the de- 
scent, as well as the ascent, takes a long 
time. It is considered a very difficult 
climb, and with the great quantity of 
fresh powdery snow way down to its 
base, it was certainly twice as hard as 
a 
m 
\ 
r) 
The snow 
as far as the “shoulder,’ 
THE. RIDGI 
ON 
It seemed just as steep as it looked. 
finest I have ever had (see 
ee ee 
