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Sierra Club Bulletin 



Continuing his studies, he was called back to Rochester Uni- 

 versity two years later to receive the degree of master of arts. 

 He intended to study law, but family circumstances called for 

 immediate financial assistance, and a few months after gradua- 

 tion he gained a place in a business house which he held with 

 increasing usefulness and honor until his last illness. 



With Chicago as his headquarters, he now began to make 

 long business journeys into the western country, through 

 Dakota, Utah, Arizona, New Mexico, California, Hawaii, 

 Washington and Oregon, spending the summer vacations in 

 mountaineering. 



He first became interested in mountaineering clubs in Oregon, 

 where, in 1896, he joined the Mazama Club of Portland in one 

 of their early outings to Crater Lake and Mt. Pitt. Thence- 

 forward every summer vacation, when he was free from busi- 

 ness cares, he spent on the outings of mountaineering clubs. 

 With the Mazamas in 1897 he climbed Mt. Rainier; in 1899 

 visited the Lake Chelan region, and with a small private party 

 of Mazamas made his first ascent of Mt. Shasta, and in 1900 

 was a member of their outing to Mt. Jefferson. Later, with 

 the Sierra Club, he climbed Mt. Hood, and made second ascents 

 of both Rainier and Shasta. With the Sierra Club, too, he 

 climbed Mts. Dana, Lyell, Ritter, Brewer, Williamson, Whit- 

 ney, and many others, besides three times making the difficult 

 descent of Tuolumne Cafion. On his last outing, in 1913, he 

 climbed Mts. Seattle and Olympus with the Mountaineer Club 

 of Washington. 



During a visit to Yosemite Valley in May, 1900, he first 

 heard of the Sierra Club, and on his return to San Francisco 

 he was elected a member. The directors of the club were at 

 this time trying to plan regular annual outings against con- 

 siderable opposition. The practical knowledge which Mr. Par- 

 sons had gained on the Mazama outings opened a clear way 

 through all opposition, and from that year the club has held 

 successful summer outings with ever-increasing numbers and 

 influence. 



Mr. Parsons' active interest in the work of the club began 

 from his earliest connection with it. For thirteen years he 

 was a member of the outing committee, for nine years a 



