Wrangell Mountains, Alaska 



403 



the glacier. The lobe of the' glacier, 

 which lies to the west of this nunatak, 

 is smooth and easily crossed. Pack 

 animals could be taken over it nearly, 

 if not quite, to the nunatak. From a 

 camp near the upper end of the nunatak, 

 to which fuel would have to be taken, 

 the ice cap is easily accessible at an ele- 

 vation of about 6,500 feet and only 6 

 miles, air-line distance, from the sum- 

 mit. This route, however, lies across 

 the crevassed basin forming the western 

 face of the peak, and although most in- 

 teresting, since it passes the ' ' Field of 

 the Jets," a region of steaming rock 

 points, is likely to offer some difficulties 

 and dangers. 



The other suggested route from the 

 head of the Chetasliua follows the east- 

 ern edge of the glacier and by a steep 

 rock climb gains the ice, at 7,000 feet 

 or over, not more than 5 miles in an 

 air line from the summit. By traveling 

 almost due east over the ice for about 4 

 miles, this route would avoid the Field 

 of the Jets and would converge with 

 that next to be described, near a long, 

 low ridge of steaming rocks which lies 

 a couple of miles south of the summit 

 at an elevation of 11,000 feet. 



What appeared after an inspection of 

 the peak from all sides in 1902 to be 

 the surest and safest route, although 

 not the shortest, is from the northern 

 end of the broad mesa which separates 

 the Cheshnina from the Chetaslina 

 drainage. Pack horses can be taken 

 up on this mesa from the east fork of 

 the Chetaslina and a base camp pitched 

 at about 6,000 feet. From the edge of 

 the ice cap, a mile above this camp, to 

 the summit, is 7 miles, and the route 

 lies over the long, low, smooth spur of 

 which the mesa is the continuation. 

 The intervening snow-field appears to 

 be perfectly smooth and safe and the 

 approach by it is the one recommended. 

 Last summer (iyo2) members of the 

 Survey party climbed this thin spur 

 through rain and fog to between 7,500 

 and 8,000 feet and experienced no diffi- 



culty except that caused by the soft 

 snow. In the course of geologic work 

 the ice cap was reached and traversed 

 for perhaps a -mile from the nunatak at 

 the head of the Chetaslina also, so that 

 the lower portions of both these lines of 

 advance have been tested. 



In an attempt of any of the high 

 peaks of interior Alaska, it is essential 

 to be on the ground ready to make the 

 climb early in the season. After July 1 

 the weather becomes warm and the 

 snow-clad higher summits become storm 

 centers, which condense the vapor from 

 the heated lowlands, and as a conse- 

 quence are hidden for much the greater 

 part of the time in clouds. It is need- 

 less to say that one cannot climb un- 

 known peaks successfully through a fog 

 which conceals all their features. In 

 an average season, a perfectly clear day 

 after July 1 cannot be reckoned upon 

 until late in the fall, when the nights 

 have lengthened and the summits are 

 covered with new snow. The proper 

 time to climb is about June 20. In ad- 

 dition to the good weather, which is 

 much more probable then than later, 

 the days are the longest of the year, and 

 although the sun is below the horizon 

 for two or more hours, there is no real 

 darkness. With clear weather the air 

 chills quickly at the greater altitudes as 

 the sun sinks, and a crust forms over 

 the snow, so that rapid progress can be 

 made. This is particularly important 

 in climbing Wrangell, because the slopes 

 of the peak are so gentle that just above 

 the line of melting there is a wide zone 

 of snow, which is soft and greatly im- 

 pedes climbing unless a crust is formed 

 over it. 



Ordinary precautions will have to be 

 taken, of course, in crossing these un- 

 explored snow-fields, even where no 

 crevasses are visible. During 1902 two 

 employes of the Survey were crossing a 

 glacier on the north flank of Mount 

 Wrangell to reach a high point which 

 it was intended to occupy for topo- 

 graphic work. The snow seemed per- 



