ON TOP OF MOUNT SHASTA. 



ii 



tinued upward, the slope became rapidly 

 steeper until at 11,000 feet it was slow and 

 tedious work, and we were climbing rather 

 than walking. At some places one could 

 stand erect, turn a shoulder toward the 

 mountain and touch the sloping snow 

 with outstretched hand. The value of the 

 spikes in our shoes, under such conditions, 

 can be appreciated. Two hours of this 

 work took us to the foot of the Mitten, an 

 island of loose black rock, surrounded by 

 snow, and having a shape which gave it 

 its name. It is about one-half mile long, 

 and is at the head of the gulch we as- 

 cended. The Mitten and Thumb Rock, at 

 its upper end, are well known landmarks, 

 and are visible from Sisson and many miles 

 farther to the Southward. 



It was just noon when we arrived at the 

 foot of the Mitten, 11,800 feet. The heat 

 of the sun was thawing the snow and 

 loosening boulders, which occasionally went 

 smashing down the canyon, raising clouds 

 of snow and dust as they touched the sur- 

 face. Emmons explained that was why it 

 was necessary to start early and reach as 

 high an altitude as possible before the sun 

 got warm. The reflection of the sun on the 

 snow produced a glare so intense that with- 

 out goggles our eyes could have been kept 

 open but a small fraction of the time, and 

 would then probably have been seriously 

 injured. 



After exposing a few photographic plates 

 and taking a short rest we continued our 

 ascent. The altitude began to be noticeable 

 and my breathing became labored. Emmons 

 chose the narrow strip of snow to the right 

 of the Mitten, but it was so steep and the 

 climbing so difficult that I thought I would 

 try the rocky slope farther to the right. 

 This proved to be small, loose rock just at 

 the angle of repose. My weight caused my 

 feet to sink into this material above my 

 ankles, and I slid down hill with the rock 

 about as fast as I could move upward. 

 Sometimes several square yards of the sur- 

 face would start and carry me down 5 to 

 10 feet before it would stop. The harness 

 I used to carry the camera impeded the ac- 

 tion of my lungs, and the camera seemed 

 to weigh 100 pounds. I was obliged to 

 rest frequently. The sun's rays on the 

 rocks were much hotter than on the snow. 

 My progress was extremely slow, and final- 

 ly, convinced that I had made a mistake in 

 leaving the snow strip, I returned to it. 

 Emmons had by that time climbed to a 

 point several hundred feet above me, and 

 when I reached him he generously offered 

 to help carry the camera, but I would not 

 consent. It was 2 o'clock when we reached 

 Thumb Rock, on the crest of the mountain 

 and at an elevation of 13,000 feet. The 

 summit, i J / 2 miles West, was plainly visible 

 from that point, and the scenery in all di- 



^jyiC 







RED ROCK NORTHWEST OF THE MITTEN. 



