The Sunday Oregonian., July 13, 1902, PART FOUR, Page 26, Image 26

26
f. 7YDAMS AS
i " tt -' ' ? " v "jij- ip1ffh" v- v. , i
NT ADAMS FROM
JV2U1U.J3X
LIKE a mighty hermit, removed from
all lines of travel. Mount Adams
stands In his regal splendor, al
most unknown to the world. The sides
from which tourists usually approach this
great mountain are the least lntereslng
and, so. seeing little of his sterner fea
tures, they return to civilization, not
dreaming of tho glories they ha e missed.
It Is only on the south and southwest
sides that thg snow line can be reached
with anj thing like case, and these sides
have" little to present compared with
what may be seen on the north and the
east It Is the purpose of this article
to deal with the remote and unknown
parts of the old volcano.
To make the circuit of Mount Adams,
one must follow an Indian trail which
goes entirely around the mountain. In
by-gone dajs, this was the great highway
for hundreds of roving red men, on their
way to and from the big huckleberry
patches on the north. Here the braves
hunted, gambled and raced horses, whllo
the squaii s picked and dried the luscious
hirrlcs Now, however, the Indians are
few, their old trails are gradually be
coming dimmer, and It is -with difllcultv
that they can be followed in many places.
The disappearance of these ancient paths
Is one of the saddest reminders of the
passing of the race.
Prior to 1901, no systematic effort had
been made to explore the glaciers ol
Mount Adams The writer saw all of
those upon its slopes In the Autumn of
1CS0. but not until Professor Reld's expe
dition last Summer were they mapped and
photographed It was then determined
that there were nine principal glaciers;
besides a few' fragments. All are now
named "but two. There are many Indica
tions that they were formerly larger and
mere numerous than at present. On the
couth, far belov snow line, the rocka show
e dence of glacial action, and on the
northwest there are Jarge ridges and ta
bles of glaciated rock.
Trom the north side of Adair-3 the view
Is magnificent. On the northwest corner
tho big Adams glacier comes down from
the summit snow fields, and spreads out
like an enormous fan Its terminal mo
raine is 200 feet thick. ov erlooklng a beau
tiful alpine vallej where the camping o
ideal. Indeed, there are man of these
delightful spots on this part of the moun
tain. Turning his back to the nearer glories
of snow flolds and glacier, the traveler
sees, spread before him, a v aat panorama
of forest, can on and craggy peak, with
St. Helens on the left, Ralncr In the cen
ter and Goat -Mountain on the right. Im
mediately north of Mount Adams is a
considerable plain containing a chain of
picturesque lakes. Here, formerly, wao a
dense forest; but In August, 1897 a terrible
fire devastated It and left a great part
of it a treeless waste. So fierce was thfa
conflagration that the smoke from It rolled
completelj over the summit of the big
peak. In this region is one of the huckle
berry patches above mentioned. At the
old Indian camping ground, there existed, J
a lew years age ana it ib pro&abiy there
yet a strange phenomenon. This was a
glacial stream that was dry the fore part
of the daj. About 2 o'clock In the after
noon, however, there would be a sudden
rush of milky water and an ample flow
would continue until long after night.
During the hours of darkness the flood
would subside, leaving a dry, rocky bed
exposed in the morning.
On nearly all sides of the mountain are
Java flows." These are especially notice
able on the southwest, northwest and
northeast parts. It lc tho opinion of Pro
fessor Reld that some of these flows may
have occurred within the last 100 vears.
The trail leads over all of them. There
are, also, a number of parasitic buttes,
ct comes; generally below snow line, hav
ing elevations of from 7000 to fe0 feet
Of those, the principal ones are Rainbow,
Eouth, Red end Parasite Buttes. The
two latter still have xwell-formed craters.
Rainbow Butte (7500 feet) is tho most pic
turesque, although Its crater has long
since disappeared. On Its squth slope Is
a massive yellow cliff, 200 feet high, which
has been fitly named the Castle. Red
Butte Is situated on the Ridge of "Won
ders, .between Hell-Roaring Cans an and
the Grind Canjon of the Muddy. From
Its top. an unsurpassed view of Mount
Adams may be had. On Parasite Butte,
fulgurite Is found.
The eastern side of Mount Adams sur
passes all others in magnificence. It must
be remembered that this mountain is
longer north and south than It Is east
ard west, consequently giving a very
broad face on the oast There is a great
snow field extending nearly .around the
summit dome. At an elevation of a little
over 11,000 feet the snow breaks on the
edge of a tromendous precipice. Here It
hangs, abov e the dizzy height, in a clear,
white wall, 200 feet high, charged with
the latent power of 1000 avalanches.
The precipice has a probable length of
NEAR TROUT EAJCE
.Jr'.JL-.tSJZOGJgEAT.
two miles, and towero from. 2000 to 3000
feet above the glacloro at Its base. So
nearly perpendicular Is It, in most places,
that the snow can find no lodgment. Tho
cliffs ar richly colored In red and yellow
and black ad gray, producing a Mrlking
effect when taken in connection 171111 the
wild solitude of the scene. About midway
of its length, the preclplco la divided by
Battlement Rock and jEtldge. Like a
mighty bulwark. Battlement Rock stands
bravely pressing aside the" evcr-downw ard
crowding mass of snow, turning- It to the
right and to the left to be finally hurled
over the headlong steep onto the glaciers
beneath. "With level top and jagged sides,
the sturdy old rock stands there, 'year
after 3 ear, alone and unconquered, for no
man has ever climbed It.
From the foot of Battlement Sock,
Battlement Ridge, leads down to Ava
lanche Valley. At about 8000 feet this ridge
divides, forming a depression, which Is
evidently an old crater, called .Crater
Basin. On the southern rim, overlooking
Klickitat glacier, is a small crater of
later origin, with a fresh-looking lava
liow from below It. On the north side
of. the basin ls a rugged, yellow pinnacle
which undoubtedly once formed one wall
of the larger crater. Above Crater Basin
the ridge Is rough, narrow and broken by
many rocky spires, around which It la
hard to find a way. On either side tho
slope Is almost perpendicular, and Ioobjp t
stones go bounding down at every step. (
August 29, 1S01, our party climbed up the j
ridge and reached the foot of Battlement
Rock: but, brfng unprepared for such dan
gerous work, we did not deem it wise to
go higher. In one place it was necessary
to crawl beneath an overhanglns cliff.
Immediately below was a sleep nlopo of
20 or 30 feet, covered with loose roeka,
leading to the brink of a IGOO-foot cliff, ,
plunging down to Klickitat glacier. At the
Highest point reached the top of the ridge
was not ov cr two Xeet wide, and ptrewed
with loose stones, which would bound
away at the slightest, touch. Often the
oust caused by their falllnc would rla$
for flv 6 or ten minutes after they had dlo- 1
appeared. J
It is impocalblo to give even a faint ,
Idea of the grandeur of tho view from tho
top of the rldgo near the Joot of Battle- (
ment Rock. Tho rock itseir towers a
thousand feet immediately abovo, while
slightly farther away, hut atlll seemingly
within a stone's throw, tho great wall of
the mountain, overtopped by Its burden
of snow, presents a sublime, unyielding
front. On either hand; hundreds of feet
below, a big glacier starts on its Jour
ney to thcMower altitudes. Tcis la in
very fact the honift of tho avalanches.
From time to time, as the pressure above
becomes too great to bear, thousands of
tons of show break from the mass and
fall over the -precipice with a sound that
makes the blood run' cold. Two thousand
feet It falls onto one of the neves, there
to Join with the remains of many another
kvalanche in the forming of a great ice
riper. As it plungca down, tho powdered
snow rises llko the spray of a mighty
waterfall. Long after tho roar of the
main rush has died away into echoes, tho
rolling of big rocks may bo heard, grow
ing fainter and fainter till all is still
again. "When heard in the calmness of
night, nothing can exceed the awe-inspiring
effect of one of these great avalanches.
During the Summer months csarcely an
hour passes without one or mora occur
ring. At tho foot of Battlement Rock and on
the north side of the ridge iles tho neve
of one of the big glaciers. Tho avalanch
es bring immense quantities of snow from
the summit region, and in ragged, broken
heaps it presses down the steeper inclines
until the slope becomes more gradual.
Here the 6now forms into a sort of pla
teau, firm and smooth. Right across this
level tract stretch enormous crevasses.
The larger ones are from CO to 100 feet
wide and 200 feet deep. Their grandeur
Is Indescribable. Not far below theso tha
solid Ice begins to appear. For a short
distance it is uneven and crevaased, but
it soon becomes smoother, with a less ab
rupt slope, and it is gradually merged
into the terminal moraines? There are
scvoral peculiarities connected with this
glacier. From its lower end two branches
of the Big Mudy omerge. At a distance
th Ice in this region has a queer, leaden
appearance. At different points the small
of eulphur Is almost overpowering, tho
water running on the surface has a strong
sulphuric taste, and "numerous specimens
of brimstone may be foundJ There can be
little doubt that a huge crater once ex
isted where this Ice field now lies. Small
"birds can be frcquentl seen flying back
out of sight Into the crevasses Just below
the neve line.
Tho gnat Klickitat Glaclar has been
ably described by Professor Lyman, and it
Is oiJy necessary here to mention one or
two features. It receives Its snow from
the summit and vicinity by way of the
precipice. It is confined principally bc-
THE SUNDAY OBEGONIAtf,- PORTLAND, JULY 13, . 1902.
SEEN FROM THE
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tween Battlement Ridge, on the north,
and the Ridge of Wonders, on the south.
On the side toward this gfadcr the former
rldgo Is moro precipitous than on its other
slope. Near tho lbwer end of Klickitat
Glacier, the south fork of the Bly Muddy
breaks from the ice and runs for half a
mile then' is lost once more beneath Its
icy roof, and docs not again appear until
it has reached a point a quarter of a mile
farther down.
The two glaciers above described end In
Avalanche Valley, which narrows down
until It becomes the Grand Canyon of the
Jiluddy. This valley ftirnlshcs some beau,
tiful camping-places, although it is much
cut up by the streams that corns 4own
from the ice fields an.d the snow banks.
On its north Rainbow Butte shoots a
thousand feet Into the air, while the
mountain with all Jts majesty fills the
western ski. JHaro v& xnar see tho sun
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TEE EAST SHOWING TWO
'jaJXSE JN CENTER. AVAuANCaJS VJUjLX photo,
rise in lis glory as we can see It no place
else on Mount Adams. Hero we can lie in
the solitude of nlghtand hear tho awe-Inspiring
thunders of the avalanche. Here
we may forget the cares of life and rev el
In the wildest scenes that Nature can pro
duce The various glacial streams uniting in
Avalanche Valley form the Big Muddy,
a white, turbulent river, whose head and
whose mouth you may see in half a daj's
ridd. This stream, rising at an elevation
of C00O or 000 feet. In Its short course of
S or 10 miles falls 4000 feet. Many an un
fortunate vpackhorse has gone down Vo
death In its angry waters.
The confluence of the Muddy and the
Klickitat Rivers Is a sight In Itself worth
traveling" raany miles to see. The two
canyons run parallel for some distance
before Joining. Between Is a narrow ridge
or wall, -which terminates In a EOO-foot
NORTH
GREAT GLACIERS. BATTLEMENT ROCK AND
point resembling the prow of a monster
battle-ship. At the foot of this is a small
flat containing about 50 majestic evergreen
trees. Here tho two streams come to
gether, and there is a contest for the su
premacy. AH through the long Summer
days tho muddy water and the clear surge
back and forth, stubbornly disputing every
inch. But the muddy water, born of the
mountain and the avalanche. Anally con
quers, for ere the blended rivers have
flowed 200 yards all Is as white as though
right from beneath the glecicrs.
The Klickitat River Is an Interesting
stream. . Although Its source Is not In
Klickitat Glacier, as many suppose, It
receives much of Its water from Mount
Adams. Its true head is In the Goat
Mountains, or Goat Rocks, a range of
sharp, snow-CGvered peaks about midway
between Adams and Rainier. Upon its
banks its
entire length many mineral
NATURES WONDERS THAT
ARE NOT GENERALLY KNOWN TO
MOUNTAIN CUMBERS
- ft",
by flanaky.
springs abound, their sparkling, health
giving waters adding much to the attrac
tions of thereglon. The Klickitat, too. is
pre-eminently the home of big trout, many
being- caught that weigh 10 or 11 pounds,
and that measure from 30 to 33 Inches.
But It would take volumes to tall of the
numberless things of Interest to be found
on Mount Adams and arourd Its bas. We
hav e simply gone ov er a f few of the feat
ures that have not often benn mentioned
in print. To- the tourist seeking grandeur,
or the Invalid after health, no other re
gion can offer better Inducements.
C. E. RUSK.
Goldcrdale, "Wash.
Vnstefnlness In Ment.
Of the. many arguments put forth In
favor of a vegetarian diet, especially in
warm weather and In seasons when the
beef trust is In the ascendant, none i
J moro eff ectlv e than that of economy. Nor
is the economy understood at first glinc.
If it is true that, weight for .weighJ.
cereals and vegetables, eggs andchcesj
are more nutritious than meat. It is till
to be considered how little meat one has
for his money, the person who bu-.s a
pound of mutton chops at 24 cents a
pound, or a pound of beef for roasting
at SO cents, does not buv pure rourisr
ment by any means. Unless he can eat
fat, which not many peoole relish, ho will
not extract from his pound of chops more
than a third of a pound of moat. This
brings his chop up to a rate of 72 cents a
pound. The beef Is perhaps more gener
ous, yet when the tendon, the fat and the
bone, for which he has paid full price,
have been extracted, the edible portion
of his purchase has probably lost a half;
hence, he has paid for beef at the rate of
60 cents a pound.
Vegetables are almost wholly food. Tha
skin of the potato Is nothing to its sub
stance; there is no waste to tho turnip,
beet, radish, parsnip, carrot, dandelion,
lettuce, spinach, cabbage, egg plant, cu
cumber, tomato, onion, cauliflower, at
least, none that amounts to anything.
Utilise the Dos.
Down in Georgia, according to my friend.
Captain Lyerly, who ought to know. Uvea
a man who Is noted for his love of ease,
but whose wife Is sufficiently a hustler
almost to make up for his chronic disin
clination to activity.
One cold night he went to bed, leaving
some bags of glaln out of 'doors which
should have been placed In tha barn for
protection against xhe weather, to say
nothlng'of thieves. But then they don't
have many thieves In Georgia.
During the night the hero of this story
awoke and thought that lie heard some
thing which sounded llko rain. Ho was
an-clous to know whether it was raining
or not. for If it were he wanted an op
portunity to worry about that grain, or
perhaps hint to his wife and then go to
sleep whllo she slipped out and attended
to It.
He thought the matter over for sumo
time and then hunched the good woman.
"Nancy!"
"What is it, John?"
"Is it ralnln'?"
"I don't know, John."
"I wfeht I knew."
"Why don't you get up and see, then?"'
"I hate to; I'm Just awful sleepy."
"Well, then, go to sleep and never
mind."
"W-all. I'd llko to know. Hit's right Im
portant." "Then go and see."
"You go, won't you, Nancy?"
"No, I won't so now, you lazy thing,
you!"
John lay and reflected for somo mln
utte. then awoke hla wife again and
said: "I'll tell ye what je might do,
Nancy. Ye might git up an' let the dorg
cKit. He'll bark fer a mlnlt er two an
then whine ter git back In. Ye cn let
lm In an then, feel o hltr, an If hit's
a-ralnin he'll be wet, an' If hit ain't he
won't be, an' then hlt'll be all right."
Henry M. Wlltsc, In the July Uppln-cott's.
Why He Smiled.
The piano drummer from Wllkesbarre
came Into the smoking-car smiling broadl j .
"What Is It, old man?" asked the white
goods "man fromFall River. "Hpd an ad
dition to your family or got jour salary
ralsed?
"Nope," said the piano drummer, affect
ing Indifference, "nothing special. Only
Plymouth has been quarantlred on account
of smallpox."
"Anj thing humorous In that?" Inquired
the white-goods man.
"My mother-in-law lives there." replied
the piano drummer as he took a flask
out of hla grip and "treated."
Palestine I a small country, not mors than
150 mile In length from Dan to Beersheba,
and an. average breadth of not more than 50
mile The area oi all Svrla, including Pales
tine, is officially calculated at 108.000 square
miles, and the population Is between 3,000,000
and 3,500.000.