Plan for Climbing Mt McKinley 



from the western margin and between 

 forty and fifty miles from the eastern 

 margin of the mountains. It is evi- 

 dent, therefore, that an expedition to 

 climb the mountain should approach it 

 from, the northwest. This is especially 

 true as the gravel-floored plateau on the 

 northwest side of the range is, for the 

 most part, above timber and, as it affords 

 good traveling, gives ready access to 

 the base of the mountains, where good 

 grass is plentiful. 



The mountain itself is dome-shaped 

 and has two summits two miles apart, 

 differing about 1,000 feet in altitude, 

 the southernmost being the highest. 

 Its northwestern slope is drained by a 

 large glacier, which discharges into a 

 river tributary to the Toklat. The 

 most 'feasible route to the top of the 

 mountain is probably across this glacier 

 or by a ridge which separates it from a 

 glacier flowing to the west and draining 

 into the Tatlathna River. The topo- 

 graphic map now being prepared will 

 aid the climbers, but some preliminary 

 exploratory work to pick out the best 

 route would have to be done. The 

 ascent of the mountain itself would not 

 seem to present serious difficulties to 

 experienced mountain climbers. The 

 fact that the snow line is about 7,000 

 feet, instead of being nearly at sea-level, 

 as at St Elias, gives the Mt McKinley 

 ascent a decided advantage. The upper 

 limit of spruce timber is about 2,500 

 feet, but willow sufficient for fuel is 

 found up to 4,000 feet. Pack-horses 

 could find ample grass up to 3,500 feet, 

 and by a careful choice of route could 

 probably be taken up to snow line, on 

 the slope of the mountain. 



While the writers must disclaim any 

 personal knowledge of high mountain 

 climbing, yet their study of the ques- 

 tion would lead them to believe that 

 Mt McKinley could be ascended by 

 making one camp at the base and three 

 on the slopes. The base camp would 

 be within the zone of grass and fuel, 



the next at snow line, and the other 

 two at convenient points between the 

 snow line and the summit. 



The actual ascent of the mountain 

 will present the difficulties, toils, and 

 dangers with which the experienced 

 mountaineer is familiar and against 

 which he will prepare himself as far as 

 possible. A very serious difficult}' for 

 which the average mountaineer might 

 be less prepared is the long and difficult 

 journey to the base of the mountain. 

 Though Mt McKinley in an air line is 

 only about 150 miles distant from tide 

 water, yet to reach its northwest base 

 from Cook Inlet necessitates a journey 

 of at least 400 miles. This distance 

 was traversed by the writers in about 

 two months, but the progress was less 

 rapid than it would have been except- 

 ing for the necessity of carrying on sur- 

 veys and of exploring for a route. The 

 party, consisting of seven men, made 

 the journey on foot, while twenty pack- 

 horses, most of which were loaded with 

 provisions, carried the outfit. The time 

 required for the journey and the energy 

 spent in overcoming obstacles, such as 

 chopping trails, traversing swamps, and 

 crossing rivers, makes the reaching of 

 the base of Mt McKinley a serious un- 

 dertaking. 



Our experience and knowledge of 

 the region would lead us to propose 

 three general plans for reaching the 

 northwest foot of the mountain from 

 which, as had been shown, the ascent 

 should best be made. The first two 

 plans involve a summer journey only, 

 while the third would take a year for 

 its execution. An examination of the 

 map (page 32) will show that Mt 

 McKinley lies about half way between 

 the navigable waters on Cook Inlet 

 and the Yukon River, which is navi- 

 gated by river steamers. Either of 

 these could be used as a point of de- 

 parture for the long inland journey. 

 If the project to climb the mountain 

 were to be accomplished in one season, 



