164 



THE NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC MAGAZINE 



Photograph by Dr. Iceland Griggs 



ALL OFF TOGETHER 



A ski threesome takes the air for the downward drop at the Dartmouth '"Mardi Gras of 



the North." 



On several occasions members of the 

 Club have succeeded in climbing- on skis 

 to the summit of Mount Washington, a 

 feat which, until accomplished by these 

 Dartmouth students, was deemed impos- 

 sible. 



The difficulty of the ascent is not to be 

 discounted by its accomplishment, how- 

 ever ; arid the descent, especially down 

 the icy, wind-driven slopes above the tree 

 line, is an even more hazardous test of 

 skill. 



Usually the ski men rope themselves 

 together like the scalers of Alpine crags ; 

 but, once over the dangerous part of the 

 course, the stalwart mountaineers find 

 rare delight in the long glide down the 

 carriage road from Half-way House. 



The start for this last fascinating stage 

 of the trip is usually made in the late 

 afternoon, when the light is fading and 

 the snow particles come hissing down 

 from the heights, bringing with them a 

 penetrating cold. 



Now there is no inclination on the part 

 of the travelers to tarry. With a vigor- 

 ous push of the ski poles, the rush 

 begins. 



On the steep slope the speed is quickly 

 accelerated to forty miles an hour, as the 

 skis sing and whistle over the snow. On 

 through the woods, at ever-quickening 

 pace, the hikers go, sometimes forced 

 from the path by the rapidity with which 

 they take the curves in the road. Not 

 infrequently there is a spill in the snow, 

 as the moon casts deceptive shadows 

 along the way. 



Now and again the incline flattens out 

 almost to a plane and the pace slackens 

 instantly, but in another hundred yards 

 the traveler is again speeding before his 

 shadow. 



It is a wonderful course, 21,120 feet 

 in length, with a drop of 2,000 feet, and 

 a member of the Dartmouth Outing 

 Club has set a record of twelve and a 

 half minutes for the journey! 



