Notes and Correspondence 



205 



on the 2 1 St Professor Joseph N. Le Conte led a party of twelve safely over the 

 difficult route. The members were: Robert M. Price, W. Leon Dawson, J. 

 Floyd Place, John S. Burd, F. G. Chamberlain, Frank M. Bumstead, Mary E. 

 Haskell, T. V. Bichowsky, Raymond Bontz, Harry M. Snell, George Merritt, 

 and Robert L. Lipman. The following year, on August I, 1914, O. Sargent 

 Norton and W. Sherwood Norton registered at the summit. The next ascent 

 was on August i, 19 19, by James E. Rother and W. S. Solari. Last summer 

 four members of the Sierra Club outing — Robert M. Price, Walter L. Huber, 

 Norman Clyde, and Francis P. Farquhar — reached the summit on July I, 1920. 



An account of the first ascent with a description of the route was published 

 by Professor Le Conte in the Sierra Club Bulletin for January, 1904 (vol- 

 ume V, number I ) ; but as this is now out of print, an outline of the route 

 has been traced on the accompanying photograph of the mountain, taken by 

 George D. Whittle from Palisade Basin last summer. The base is best reached 

 from Palisade Creek, where camp can be made at Deer Meadow. A stream 

 descending from Palisade Basin enters the creek at this point, and up this 

 stream lies the best approach. Keeping to the northwest, head directly for the 

 mountain. As it comes in view, select the largest cleft in its face and ascend 

 the talus-pile that leads to it. Once fairly in this largest cleft, the way can 

 hardly be mistaken, as only one possible route to the summit has yet been dis- 

 covered. As the way becomes steeper and the talus is left behind, look for a 

 ledge on the face of the wall to the left (north). Cairns of rock have been 

 built along it by former parties. It can be reached from the upper (right-hand) 

 end. This is the first place on the climb that requires particular caution. From 

 the lower end of the ledge look back, and directly above will be seen a narrow 

 cleft parallel to the larger one that you have just left. From here on it is a stiff 

 climb to the top of the cleft, and even within a few feet of the summit there 

 are some difficult spots. The difficulty will vary with the quantity and hard- 

 ness of the snow that chokes one section of the narrow cleft. About twelve or 

 thirteen hours should be allowed for the round trip from Deer Meadow. The 

 descent from Palisade Basin may be made by way of Glacier Creek. 



The Palisades received their name in 1864 during the explorations of the 

 State Geological Survey under James Dwight Whitney. They were reported 

 as being at the head of the North Fork of Kings River, as it was not then 

 known that the Middle Fork intervened and that the North Fork did not reach 

 the crest of the Sierra. They were supposed to be of volcanic origin, but have 

 since been discovered to be of granite. The great glacier at the eastern foot of 

 the North Palisade was not known until a few years ago. The North Palisade 

 has been locally and temporarily known as Dusy Peak and as Mount Jordan. 



n. SEVEN GABLES (l3,o66 FEET) 



Seven Gables is a picturesque mountain dominating the headwaters of Bear 

 Creek, one of the tributaries to the South Fork of San Joaquin River. Theo- 

 dore S. Solomons, who made the first ascent and gave the name to the moun- 

 tain, describes the superb view in the Sierra Club Bulletin for May, 1895 

 (volume I, number 6, page 230). Solomons was in doubt about the identity of 

 the neighboring peaks, as the region was then unmapped. The panorama, as 



