Whitney as Site for Meteorological Observatory. 89 



On the eastern side of the mountain there are at least 

 four lakes within three miles. There is a splendid supply 

 of good water at Langley's Camp. Mt. Whitney is in the 

 Mt. Whitney Military Reservation, and I am under the 

 impression that one of the reasons urged in establishing 

 the reservation was the desire to retain it for use as a sta- 

 tion for scientific research. 



The peculiar character of Mt. Whitney renders it a 

 good site for meteorological work, inasmuch as com- 

 parisons can be made of the conditions in the free air 

 over a confined and heated valley and the conditions ex- 

 isting on the westward slope of the Sierra, or plateau 

 conditions. While we were on the summit a lady's veil 

 was thrown over the eastern edge, and, although the tem- 

 perature was but 53°, it was plain that there were high 

 temperatures and strong ascensional currents on the east- 

 em side of the mountain. The course of the veil was such 

 as to suggest that with regard to the general flow of the 

 air from west to east the mountain acts as a dam, or weir. 



It is probable that for the greater portion of the year 

 the peak is accessible. The average precipitation in this 

 section is not very large. Snow remains in the crevasses 

 until August or September. At the time of our ascent, 

 July 8, 1903, we passed across one crevasse, which, how- 

 ever, could have been avoided by making a detour south 

 of the gully. I do not know that the peak has ever been 

 ascended in winter, but I believe there might be periods 

 when this would be possible. No one of the other high 

 mountains on the Pacific Slope, such as Shasta or Rainier, 

 is so easy to climb as Mt. Whitney. Owing to the fact 

 that the two peaks mentioned lie farther north and in the 

 track of atmospheric disturbances, climbing is almost out 



