Mount Rainier Part 36

BAILEY WILLIS.

For the Sierra Club:

JOHN MUIR.

For the Appalachian Mountain Club:

JOHN RITCHIE, JR.

WASHINGTON, D.C., _June 27, 1894_.

XVIII. MOUNT RAINIER IS 14,408 FEET HIGH

BY THE UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY

The United States Geological Survey issued a bulletin for newspaper publication on January 22, 1914, giving the height of the mountain as determined by the most accurate and definitive methods known. That bulletin is here given as it was then issued. At the same time F. E. Matthes, topographer with the Survey, sent additional comment to the Sierra Club of California, by whom it was published in the Sierra Bulletin for January, 1914. This comment is now reproduced by permission of the Sierra Club.

The height of the summit of Mount 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 Mount Rainier the distinction of being the second highest mountain peak in the United States, Mount Whitney, California, being the highest. The correct height of Rainier was determined by a party of topographic engineers of the Survey in connection with the mapping of the Mount 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 blizzard was encountered; in fact, two ascents of the upper portion of the mountain were necessary. The first ascent of the upper 5,450 feet was begun at 5 o'clock A.M., August 16 [1913], and dawn broke with every indication of developing into a beautiful day. On reaching the summit the men encountered a terrific gale, clouds enveloped the mountain, preventing observations, and by noon snow began to fall. A descent was attempted, but the party became hopelessly lost in a labyrinth of creva.s.ses, the storm developing into a blizzard. To descend further was impossible; to remain was suicide. Consequently a return to the crater was ordered, and the men reached it after a two hours' climb, utterly exhausted 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 accomplished on August 20, the start being made at 1 o'clock in the morning. Good weather was encountered and the mapping of the entire summit was finished by 1 o'clock.

"If anyone thinks that American glaciers are play glaciers, or that the weather which may be encountered at the summit of Mount Rainier in August is uniformly balmy and springlike," said Mr. Birdseye, whose fingers and ears were badly frosted, "let him climb Mount Rainier during 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 alive today to tell the tale."

COMMENT BY F. E. MATTHES

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 alt.i.tude of Mount Rainier. It places that peak close to the top of the list of high mountains in the United States.

Mount Rainier's closest rival on the Pacific coast, Mount Shasta, it so happens, has just recently been beheaded by the United States Coast and Geodetic Survey, and now can claim no more than 14,162 feet, that is, 218 feet less than it once boasted. The great volcano of Puget Sound is thus left well in the lead.

A review of the different figures that have been announced in the past for each of the higher peaks of the United States would almost justify one to infer that these summits have a peculiar habit of fluctuating in height from time to time. Both Rainier and Shasta have been notorious for their inconstancy; so much so indeed that it is to be feared that the public will lose faith somewhat in the trustworthiness of alt.i.tude determinations in general. There is good reason to believe, however, that the last announcements for these two peaks are not likely to be changed again. About Mount Shasta, perhaps the Coast Survey is the only party able to speak positively; but as regards Mount Rainier, the Geological Survey feels satisfied that the new figure is the best that can be obtained with modern methods and instruments.

The elevation of Mount Whitney (14,501 ft.), it may be remembered, was determined by actual leveling, but such procedure would have been impossible on Mount Rainier, as the most practicable route to its summit leads over many miles of snow and ice, and up a precipitous chute several hundred feet in height. On thawing snow accurate leveling is out of the question, for the instrument can not be set up so firmly that it will not settle slightly between back and fore sights. To execute this pottering kind of work in freezing weather would entail both hardship and great expense. But the obstacle that would have proved entirely insuperable to levels on Mount Rainier and led to the abandoning of that method is the dreaded Gibraltar Rock, well known to many who read this magazine [Sierra Club Bulletin]. To carry levels up its precipitous side is for practical considerations all but impossible.

It was necessary, in the case of Mount Rainier, to resort to long-distance methods of angulation. That is to say, sights were taken to its summit from neighboring peaks, six to eight miles distant, the alt.i.tudes of which had been carefully determined, and the positions of which with respect to the mountain's summit had been computed from a scheme of triangulation.

It is not possible to execute vertical-angle measurements of this sort with the precision obtainable by leveling; at the same time by providing a sufficient number of checks and repeating each measurement many times a result can be attained that can be relied on within a foot or two. And closer than that the determination of a snowcapped peak, such as Mount Rainier, need scarcely be; for its actual height is bound to fluctuate by several feet from year to year and even from month to month.

It is gratifying to note how closely the new trigonometric determination of Mount Rainier accords with the barometric one of Prof. Alexander McAdie (14,394 ft.). It is hoped that this agreement between the results of two fundamentally different methods will strengthen public faith in their reliability, and lead to the discarding of other figures (some of them much exaggerated) that have appeared in print from time to time.

In closing, it may be said, that the Geological Survey's bulletin little more than hints at the fort.i.tude and pluck of Mr. Birdseye and his party in their almost disastrous experiences on the peak. Survey men are so frequently confronted by peril in their daily work, that they are not apt to write or talk about it, and as a consequence the public seldom learns the intimate details. It is to be hoped that the history of this undertaking will some day appear in full.

[Ill.u.s.tration: PETER RAINIER.

Admiral of the Blue, Royal Navy. ]

XIX. PLACE NAMES AND ELEVATIONS IN MOUNT RAINIER NATIONAL PARK

Place names within a region like the Mount Rainier National Park are produced by three causes: The first and most important is the actual need of such names by those who work within the Park and by those who report upon or write about it. The second is the natural desire to honor those individuals whose achievements are worthy of commemoration.

The third cause is found in the vanity of visitors. This is sometimes manifested in the harmless and often helpful desire just to be the one to name something, but usually it takes the form of a desire of visitors to write the names of themselves or their friends upon the map.

The ranger who discovers from a look-out peak a distant fire near some unnamed lake or cliff hastens to a telephone, but finds his work of sending fire fighters to the place of danger much more difficult than if he could use some definite place name. Trail builders and patrols continually find a similar need for names. For their own use they proceed to invent names which often stick. The Mountaineers in 1915 found that a trail builder had supplied such a need by giving a beautiful waterfall near his trail the name of his favorite brand of canned peaches. More care of such matters is now being exercised by those interested working through the United States Geographic Board.

The elevations given are taken from the official map and other Government publications. In time all important heights will be definitely determined and marked.

It is hoped that this compilation of the names may be improved from year to year. Further facts about any of the names would be welcomed by the editor of this work.

=Ada Creek.= A tributary of Huckleberry Creek near the northern boundary of the Park. Origin of name not ascertained.

=Adelaide Lake.= Near the north-central boundary of the Park. Origin of name not ascertained.

=Affi Falls.= In Lodi Creek, in the north-central portion of the Park.

Origin of name not ascertained.

=Alice Falls.= In Spukwush Creek, in the northwestern portion of the Park. Origin of name not ascertained.

=Alki Crest.= In the northwestern corner of the Park. The name is from the Chinook jargon meaning "by and by."

=Allen Lake.= See Lake Allen.

=Alta Vista.= A point near the snow line on the south-central slope.

It was named by John P. Hartman, who visited the place with a Tacoma party in 1889. The name is Spanish and means "high view."

=Anvil Rock.= On the southern slope, near the upper Cowlitz Glacier.

The name is descriptive, but who suggested it has not been ascertained. Elevation, 9,584 feet above sea level.

=Arthur Peak.= In the northwestern corner of the Park. Origin of name not ascertained.

=August Peak.= Near the northwestern boundary of the Park. Origin of name not ascertained.

=Avalanche Camp.= On the north slope. Named by a member of The Mountaineers, during that club's first ascent in 1909. Elevation, 10,900 feet above sea level.

=Baker Point.= Outjutting portion of Goat Island Mountain, overlooking Emmons Glacier. Origin of name not ascertained.

=Bald Rock.= On the southeastern slope, near the Cowlitz Divide. The name is descriptive.

=Barnes Pa.s.s.= On western edge of the Park. Named in honor of the photographer, C. A. Barnes, who discovered it while with J. H. Weer and J. B. Flett.

=Barrier Peak.= A prolongation of Governors Ridge near the east-central boundary of the Park.

=Basaltic Falls.= On the southeastern slope of the mountain. One of the features of Cowlitz Park. Named by Prof. J. B. Flett and H. H.

Garretson.