Notes and Correspondence 



189 



Mt. Rainier 14,408 Feet High 



The height of the summit of Mt. Rainier, Washington, has been 

 determined by the United States Geological Survey to be 14,408 feet 

 above mean sea level. This elevation now officially displaces the 

 former supposed height of the mountain of 14,363 feet and accords to 

 Mt. Rainier the distinction of being the second highest mountain 

 peak in the United States, Mt. Whitney, California, being the highest. 

 The correct height of Rainier was determined by a party of topo- 

 graphic engineers of the Survey in connection with the mapping of the 

 Mt. Rainier National Park, which was completed last summer. The 

 topographic survey of the park was begun in 1910 by F. E. Matthes, 

 continued in 1911 by Mr. Matthes and George R. Davis,, and finished in 

 1913 by C. H. Birdseye, W. O. Tufts, O. G. Taylor,, and S. E. Taylor. 



In the mapping of the summit of the mountain a terrific bHzzard was 

 encountered; in fact, two ascents of the upper portion of the mountain 

 were necessary. The first ascent of the upper 4,550 feet was begun at 

 5 o'clock A. M., August i6th, and dawn broke with every indication of 

 developing into a beautiful day. On reaching the summit the men en- 

 countered a terrific gale, clouds enveloped the mountain, preventing 

 observations, and by noon snow began to fall. A descent was at- 

 tempted, but the party became hopelessly lost in a labyrinth of crevasses, 

 the storm developing into a blizzard. To descend farther was impos- 

 sible ; to remain was suicide. Consequently a return to the crater was 

 ordered, and the men reached it after a two hours' climb, utterly ex- 

 hausted and nearly frozen. Here they sought shelter in one of the 

 steam caves, where, during the long night they were thoroughly steamed 

 and half frozen in turn. Strenuous measures were employed by the 

 men to keep from falling asleep and freezing to death. As it was, their 

 fingers and ears were badly frozen. Finally, with a rising barometer, 

 they succeeded in descending 9,000 feet to a temporary camp, making the 

 descent in three hours. Here they recuperated and prepared for another 

 ascent, which was accompHshed on August 20th, the start being made at 

 I o^clock in the morning. Good weather was encountered and the 

 mapping of the entire summit was finished by i o'clock. 



"If anyone thinks that American glaciers are play glaciers, or that the 

 weather which may be encountered at the summit of Mt. Rainier in 

 August is uniformly balmy and springHke," said Mr. Birdseye, whose 

 fingers and ears were badly frosted, "let him climb Mt. Rainier dur- 

 ing one of its summer blizzards. The steam caves in the crater are not 

 the pleasantest places imaginable to spend the night in, but had they not 

 been there, not one of us would be ahve to-day to tell the tale." — U. S. 

 Geological Survey Bulletin. 



]\Tote: — The mountaineers of the Pacific Northwest will no doubt 

 jubilate at the above announcement by the United States Geological 

 Survey of the new figure for the altitude of Mt. Rainier. It places 

 that peak close to the top of the list of high mountains in the United 

 States. Mt. Rainier's closest rival on the Pacific Coast, Mt. Shasta, 



