3i6 



Sierra Club Bulletin. 



Our camp was made at dark on the Merced River. Early 

 the next morning we skirted the north shore of Lake Merced 

 to its outlet, and followed the river into Lost Valley and to where 

 the Merced goes into the gorge of Little Yosemite. Further 

 progress by the river seemed impossible, and we worked back 

 and up over to the top of the north wall and had magnificent 

 views of the domes and glaciated walls of Little Yosemite and 

 back over the region whence we had come. 



Then followed a climb of a hundred feet or more, and, keep- 

 ing along the same elevation, through the forest to Sunrise Trail, 

 and thence into Yosemite Valley. 



All of this is easily possible for animals, except between 

 the outlet of Lake Merced and Lost Valley. Along this stretch 

 much care must be used. The route gives a glimpse of the 

 wonderful region to the east. Before taking the trip, however, 

 read the articles cited above, and then you will not content your- 

 self with less than two weeks instead of two days. 



Elliott McAllister. 



Reno, Nev., March i8, 1905. 

 Professor Alexander McAdie, San Francisco. 



Dear Sir — Mr. Marsh and I spent eight days on Mt. Whitney, 

 and climbed to the altitude of 13,250 feet, where we could look 

 dov/n on Langley's Lake. At this point the ledge was piled full 

 of drifting snow with a treacherous crust beneath. I now be- 

 lieve that we could have succeeded in crossing this, although the 

 risk would have been great. 



The ascent to 13,500 feet could be made at any season of the 

 year, I believe, especially if two or three cabins were constructed 

 along the trail for refuge in case of storm. Access could be had 

 to the summit also during most of the year, Mr. Marsh believes, 

 if a narrow trail for man were cut higher up the pinnacles, where 

 the drift-snow could not lodge in sufficient quantity to prevent 

 the observer from keeping the trail open. The expense would 

 not exceed one hundred and fifty dollars. 



The weather was mild, though snow clouds hung over the 

 mountains. The temperature did not fall below 10° F. The 

 wind blew almost constantly from the east, from the subtropical 

 Owen's Valley, and seemed to have an appreciable effect upon 

 the temperature of the mountain, for Lone Pine Lake (9,800 

 ft.) and Mirror Lake at timber-line (10,450 ft.) were only par- 

 tially frozen over, while the lakes west of Mt. Whitney at ap- 

 parently similar altitudes were frozen completely over and 



