Part 21
The ascent of the mountain should be attempted only by those who have the necessary endurance and who are able to climb in the rare air of such an altitude. Unless the tourist is hardened from recent outdoor life, he should train himself on the peaks of the Tatoosh Range, just to the south, or on the other summits that are bare of ice. Above all, no person should ever attempt the ascent unless accompanied by an experienced guide. There is no record of any person having perished when accompanied by a guide, but the mountain has taken its deadly toll from those who dared to make the trip alone.
"The guide is there not merely to show the way, but to tell the tourist how to climb, how fast to go, when to rest and to take nourishment, and to take care of him in case he is overcome with exhaustion or is taken with mountain sickness.
"Finally, account must be taken of the exceeding fickleness of the weather conditions on the mountain. Only guides familiar with Rainier's many moods can presume to foretell whether the day will turn out favorable for a climb or not. What may look to the uninitiated like harmless, fleecy vapors on the summit may be the forerunners of a sudden snowstorm which no one could hope to live through. A majority of those who have perished on the mountain have been overcome by blizzard-like storms. Such storms may occur even in midsummer, and on the summit are always attended by fierce gales against which it is impossible to hold one's footing."
The ascent is generally made from Paradise Park over the rocky ridge known as Gibraltar. Paradise Park lies near timber-line at an altitude of 5500 feet; as the altitude of the summit is 14,408 feet, the total climb is a little over 8900 feet in a distance of about 7 miles. The start is generally made about 1 o'clock in the morning in order that the return may be made before dark; it is also advisable to climb beyond the snow-fields before the surface becomes softened by the sun. By sunrise one may expect to reach the base of the Cowlitz Cleaver at an altitude of 10,000 feet.
"The ascent of the Cowlitz Cleaver is quite taxing, being mostly over rough, angular lava blocks. By 8 o'clock, as a rule, the base of Gibraltar Rock is reached. A narrow ledge is followed along the face of the cliff, part of the way overhung by rock masses and huge icicles, and this ledge leads to the base of a narrow chute between the ice of the upper Nisqually Glacier and the body of Gibraltar. This chute offers the most serious difficulties in the ascent. Ropes are usually suspended from the cliffs, whereby one may assist himself upward. It is wise to move one at a time, as there is ever danger of the persons above starting rock débris and ice fragments that may injure those below. The ascent and descent of the chute are therefore inevitably time-consuming. Ordinarily the saddle above Gibraltar (12,679 feet) is not reached until 10 o'clock.
"From Gibraltar on there remains only a long snow-slope to climb, but this snow-slope is often exceedingly fatiguing. Huge, gaping crevasses develop in it which must be skillfully avoided by détours. Freshly fallen snow may be so deep that one plunges into it to the waist, or else the snow may have melted out into tapering spines and so-called honeycombs many feet high, among which one cannot travel without considerable exertion.
"The rim of the south crater is usually reached about 11 o'clock. It is always bare of snow, and shelter from the high gales may be found behind the great rock blocks on the crest. Metal cases are left here in which the tourist may inscribe the record of his ascent.
"The crater is always filled with snow and may be traversed without risk; only one should be careful near the edges, as the snow there is melted out in caverns by the steam jets which rise from beneath it in many places. Those having the strength may go on to Columbia Crest, the snow dome that constitutes the highest summit of the mountain. The return to the camp is easily made in from five to six hours."
The climber should wear woolen underwear, flannel shirt, riding-breeches, leggings or puttees, woolen army socks, stout shoes well calked, a felt hat, sweater, and short warm coat. Women should by all means wear riding-breeches, as skirts or bloomers offer too great resistance to the wind. Women will generally find woolen Boy Scout stockings best adapted for a trip of this kind; leggings or puttees may be worn over them as desired. Both women and men should tie their hats firmly under the chin, in order that the tramper may not be hampered by the necessity of holding the hat if the wind is strong. Other things needed, which may be procured at the camp in Paradise Park, are: alpenstocks, amber glasses, calks, hobnails, and actor's paint to protect the face from sun-burn.
"Before starting on the ascent, do not eat such articles as fried eggs, fried potatoes, hot cakes, or heavy pastry. Abstain from coffee and tobacco, if possible. Spirituous liquor of any kind is taboo, except as a stimulant in case of collapse. Beef tea, lean meat, all dry breakfast foods, cocoa, sweet chocolate, crackers, hardtack, dry bread, rice, raisins, prunes, dates, and tomatoes are in order. The simpler the diet, on the whole, the more beneficial it is likely to be. Never eat much at a sitting during the ascent, but eat often and little at a time. These are rules well known to mountaineers. The more faithfully one complies with them the higher one's efficiency will be and the keener the enjoyment of the trip."
Guides to the summit of Mount Rainier will be supplied at the rate of $10.00 per person in parties of not less than 5 persons, or minimum charge of $50 for each ascent. An assistant guide will accompany the party when it consists of more than 8 tourists. There is an additional charge of $2.50 per person for furnishing complete suits of clothing, shoes, glasses, alpenstocks, and other necessary equipment.
Clothing and Equipment
Rough and warm clothing should be carried by all persons who expect to do much tramping. Suggestions are given elsewhere regarding clothing to be worn on a climb to the summit. The equipment here described is for the climber who travels the trails and climbs the rock ridges. The best equipment for men consists of medium-weight woolen underwear, flannel shirt, woolen riding-breeches, leggings or puttees, woolen army socks, sweater, poncho, and heavy shoes; if rock-climbing is to be done, the shoes should be well supplied with hobnails. Women should wear light-weight woolen underwear, flannel middy blouse, sweater, small felt hat, woolen riding-breeches, poncho, woolen stockings, puttees or leggings, sneakers, and stout shoes with hobnails if rock-climbing is to be done. Many women object to the poncho because of the difficulty of getting it over the head; a good substitute is a Boy Scout cape. Felt hats should be worn by men and women in preference to cap, as the hat offers better protection from the rain. A man's felt hat makes the best headgear for a woman.
Camping outfits must be obtained in Seattle or Tacoma. Provisions may be purchased at Ashford, Longmire Springs, Fairfax, Carbonado, and Enumclaw.
Fishing
Cutthroat trout are the only fish caught in this Park. The fish are not large, but are fairly plentiful. Salmon eggs or angle worms are used exclusively for bait. In summer the fishing is not good in the streams that flow from glaciers, as they are generally muddy at this period. A fishing license is not required.
Crater Lake National Park
Location: Southwestern Oregon. Area: 249 square miles. Season: July 1 to September 30. Address of Supervisor: Crater Lake, Oregon, during season, and Medford, Oregon, during the remainder of the year.
Railroad Connections
CRATER LAKE NATIONAL PARK may be reached from Medford, Oregon, on the main line of the Southern Pacific Railroad between Portland and San Francisco, or from Kirk, Oregon, on a branch line of the Southern Pacific that leaves the main line at Weed, California. Crater Lake is 80 miles from Medford and 30 miles from Kirk. During the season passengers holding through tickets over the Southern Pacific Railroad between Portland and San Francisco may stop over at Medford and resume journey at this point; southbound passengers may stop over at Medford, cross the Park, and resume journey at Kirk; northbound passengers may take branch line from Weed to Kirk, cross the Park, and resume journey at Medford. Passengers desiring to make the circuit trip should notify the conductor and see that their tickets are properly endorsed.
From Kirk and Medford a tri-weekly automobile service to the Park is given by the Crater Lake Company. Passengers stopping off on through tickets must pay for their transportation to Crater Lake in accordance with the following tariff:--
Medford to Crater Lake and return $16.50 One way (either direction) 9.00 Kirk to Crater Lake and return 6.00 One way (either direction) 3.50 Medford to Crater Lake, thence to Kirk, or _vice versa_ 11.25
Automobiles leave the Hotels Medford and Nash, Medford, at 9 A.M. Monday, Wednesday, and Friday; stop for lunch at Prospect, and reach Crater Lake in time for 6 o'clock dinner. Returning, leave Crater Lake at 9 A.M. Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday, reaching Medford in time to connect with the outgoing evening trains.
Automobiles leave Crater Lake for Kirk at 10 A.M. Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, connecting with the local Southern Pacific train from Klamath Falls. Returning, leave Kirk at 1 P.M. the same day, and reach Crater Lake in about 2 hours.
The round-trip fare between San Francisco and Crater Lake via Kirk is $33.50, including both rail and automobile stage transportation.
Automobile Routes
Motorists southbound from Portland will traverse the Pacific Highway through Oregon City, Salem, Albany, Eugene, Roseburg, and Grant's Pass to Medford, a distance of 312 miles. From Medford the distance to Crater Lake is 80 miles. Instead of returning to Medford, the tourist may reach the Pacific Highway by way of Klamath Falls, a distance of 116 miles. From this point the Pacific Highway is again followed to San Francisco, passing through Hornbrook, Yreka, Montague, Dunsmuir, Delta, Redding, Chico, Gridley, Marysville, Sacramento, and Stockton; distance 485 miles.
All motorists entering the Park must pay $2.00 for a round-trip permit for each automobile, or $3.00 for a season permit; motor-cyclists must pay $1.00 per machine for a season permit. The speed limits range from 10 to 20 miles an hour.
Trips
There are no regular tours in this Park; the favorite trips being tramps along the rim and to the water's edge or launch and row-boat excursions on the lake. There are a number of other points that are well worth visiting, the most important of which are listed below:--
_Distance from Anna Spring Camp (elevation 6,016 feet) to principal points in Park_
-------------+----------+---------+--------------+-------------------- |_Distance | | | | and | _Elev- | | |direction | ation | | _Name_ |from Anna | above | _Best means | _Remarks_ | Spring | sea- | of reaching_ | | Camp_ | level_ | | |(_miles_) |(_feet_) | | -------------+----------+---------+--------------+-------------------- Crater Lake | 5 N.E | 6177 | Auto or wagon| Beautiful scenery; | | | | good fishing | | | | Wizard Island| 7 N.E | 6940 | Auto and boat| Extinct volcano; | | | | crater in summit | | | | Phantom Ship | 8 N.E | 6339 | Auto and boat| Columns of rock | | | | 162 feet high, | | | | resembling ship | | | | Pinnacles | 15 E | .. | Auto or wagon| Many pinnacles; | | | | fine scenery; | | | | good camping | | | | Anna Creek |0 to 8 S.E| 5000 to | Auto or wagon| 500 feet wide, 500 Cañon | | 6116 | | feet deep; creek | | | | in bottom; good | | | | scenery | | | | Anna Creek | 6 S.E | 5480 | Auto or wagon| Waterfall, 60 feet; Falls | | | | good scenery | | | | Garden of the| 1-1/2 S.E| 6000 | Auto or wagon| Waterfall, meadows; Gods | | | | creek in bottom; | | | | good scenery | | | | Union Peak | 5 S.W | 7698 | Horseback | Fine peak; good | | | | scenery | | | | Victor Rock | 5 N | 7200 | Auto or wagon| One of the best | | | | view-points of | | | | lake | | | | Watchman | 9 N | 8025 | Wagon or | Fine scenery Peak | | | horseback | | | | | Glacier Peak | 10 N | 8156 | Wagon or | Fine scenery | | | horseback | | | | | Garfield Peak| 6 N.E | 8060 | Auto and on | Fine scenery | | | foot | | | | | Scott Peak | 12 N.E | 8938 | Horseback | Highest peak in | | | | Park | | | | Dewey Falls | 1-1/2 E | 6000 | Auto road | Beautiful falls | | | | and magnificent | | | | cañon of solid | | | | rock -------------+----------+---------+--------------+--------------------
The rates for the transportation that is available are given below:--
Automobile fare between Anna Spring Camp and Crater Lake Lodge:-- One way $.50 Round trip 1.00 Automobile transportation, 10 cents per mile within the Park. Saddle-horses, pack-animals, and burros, per hour .50 Saddle-horses, pack-animals, and burros, per day 5.00 Launch trip, Wizard Island and return, per person 1.00 Launch trip around Wizard Island and Phantom Ship and return (about 15 miles), per person 2.50 Launch trip around the lake 3.50 Rowboats, per hour .50 Rowboats, per day 2.50 Rowboat, with boat-puller, per hour 1.00 Rowboat, with detachable motor, per hour 1.00 Rowboat, with detachable motor, per day 5.00
Hotel and Camp
A hotel (Crater Lake Lodge) on the rim of the lake and a camp (Anna Spring) five miles below the rim are operated by the Crater Lake Company.
_Hotel and Camp Charges_
Crater Lake Lodge:-- Board and lodging, each person, per day (lodging in tents) $3.00 Board and lodging, each person, per week (lodging in tents) 17.50 Board and lodging, each person, per day (hotel) $3.50 and 4.00 Board and lodging, each person, per week (hotel) 20.00 and 22.50 Baths (extra) .50 Fires in rooms (extra) .25 Single meals 1.00
Anna Spring Tent Camp:-- Board and lodging, each person, per day 2.50 Board and lodging, each person, per week $15.00 Meals: Breakfast or lunch, 50 cents; dinner, 75 cents. Fires in tents (extra) .25 Children under 12 years, half rates at lodge or camp.
Clothing and Equipment
If the tourist is going to spend all his time on the rim of the lake, ordinary outing clothing with light-weight woolen underwear will be sufficient. If much climbing and tramping is to be done, heavy shoes with hobnails should be worn. Women should wear short skirts, bloomers, or riding-breeches.
If the tourist expects to camp in the Park, he should obtain pack-horses, guides, and equipment at Medford. Provisions and general supplies of all kinds may be obtained at the general store at Anna Spring Camp and the branch store at Crater Lake Lodge.
Fishing
Originally the lake contained no fish, but it has been stocked with rainbow trout and is now one of the best fishing places on the West Coast. The best fishing is by fly-casting from the shore. Flies used are the Jock Scott, black gnat, yellow-bodied cow dung, professor, queen of waters, royal coachman, brown hackle, and gray hackle. No fishing license is required in this Park. All fish less than 8 inches in length must be returned to water.
Glacier National Park
Location: Northwestern Montana. Area: 1534 square miles. Season: June 15 to October 1. Address of Supervisor: Belton, Montana.
Railroad Connections
GLACIER PARK is the only National Park that is on the main line of a transcontinental railroad--the Great Northern. Areas east of the Continental Divide are reached from Glacier Park Station, while the portion of the Park west of the Divide is accessible from Belton.
Stopovers are allowed at Glacier Park Station and at Belton during the season on all tickets reading through these points. Stopovers are also permitted on through sleeping-car tickets. Round-trip excursion rates in effect during the season are as follows: Chicago, $48.00; St. Louis, $45.00; Kansas City, $37.50; Denver, $35.00; Seattle, $26.95; San Francisco, $60.90. Tourists' tickets from Denver and points east of that city may be purchased to include Yellowstone Park for $10.00 in addition to the fares quoted above. All tickets from eastern points may be made to read via Denver in one direction without extra charge.
Tourists holding transcontinental tickets reading via Northern Pacific Railway should obtain stopover at Helena or Butte and purchase excursion tickets to Glacier National Park via Great Northern Railway. Fare, Helena to Glacier Park and return, $13.15; Butte to Glacier Park and return, $13.35.
Tourists holding transcontinental tickets reading via Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railway should obtain stopover at Butte and purchase excursion ticket to Glacier National Park via Great Northern Railway.
Automobile Routes
Tourists traveling on the Yellowstone Highway may reach Belton, the western entrance to Glacier Park, from Missoula, Montana. The total distance is 167 miles. From Yellowstone Park the following routes may be taken to Glacier Park: From Gardiner (northern entrance) through Livingston, Butte, and Missoula; total distance 509 miles. From Yellowstone, Montana (western entrance), through Butte and Missoula (482 miles), or through Bozeman, Butte, and Missoula (519 miles).
Hotels and Camps
In Glacier Park are camp and hotel accommodations that range from the teepee to the modern steam-heated hostelry. Two hotels--the Glacier Park and the Many Glacier--are operated by the Glacier Park Hotel Company, whose address is Glacier Park, Montana. The Glacier Park Hotel is located at Glacier Park Station, while the Many Glacier Hotel is on the shore of Lake McDermott, 55 miles to the north by automobile road. Both these hotels have been constructed within recent years and are modern in every respect. The rates range from $4.00 and $4.50 per day, without bath to $5.00 and $7.00 per day, with bath. On the shore of Lake McDonald is the new Glacier Hotel, owned by J. E. Lewis, Lake McDonald, Montana; connected with it are 20 log cabins which furnish comfortable accommodations. Rates range from $3.00 to $5.00 per day. Other places on Lake McDonald are The Park Hotel, address, Belton, Montana; rates $2.00 to $3.00 per day; and the National Park Cabin resort, address Belton, Montana; rates $2.00 to $3.00 per day. The hotels on Lake McDonald are reached by stage from Belton to the lake, thence by launch. The National Park Cabin resort is at the foot of the lake and the launch trip is not necessary. Chalets are maintained by the Glacier Park Hotel Company at or near Two Medicine Lake, Cut Bank River, the lower end of St. Mary Lake (St. Mary Chalets), the narrows of St. Mary Lake (Going-to-the-Sun-Chalets), Lake McDermott (Many Glacier Chalets), Granite Park, Sperry Glacier, and Belton Station. Rates at the chalet groups are uniformly $3.00 per day. Each of these chalet groups consists of log or stone buildings, attractively grouped, in the vicinity of a central structure used for a dining- and lounging-room. Most of the dormitory chalets have one or more attractive lounging-rooms, equipped with large stone fireplaces. The service is less conventional than at the hotels, the aim being to furnish clean, comfortable beds, plain food, well cooked, plenty of it, and served in family style.
[Illustration: TRAVEL-GUIDE MAP OF THE GLACIER NATIONAL PARK MONTANA
_By permission of the National Park Service, Department of the Interior_]
Teepee camps are maintained by the Glacier Park Hotel Company at or near Two Medicine Lake, Cut Bank River, lower end of St. Mary Lake, narrows of St. Mary Lake, and Lake McDermott. All these teepee camps are near the chalets in the same locality; the rates are uniformly 50 cents a person a night.
All teepee camps are equipped with cookstove and cooking-utensils and dishes for serving meals. Food may be purchased at reasonable prices at the near-by chalets, the tourist being permitted the free use of the range, cooking-utensils, and dishes.
All teepees are wooden floored and each equipped with two single cot beds and bedding. They will be found very comfortable by those who desire to enjoy an inexpensive outing.
The only place in the extreme western portion of the Park where accommodations may be obtained is at Adairs, on Flathead River, about 2 miles south of Logging Creek.
Rooms with bath and bathing facilities for tourists occupying rooms without baths are provided at the Glacier Park Hotel and Many Glacier Hotel. There is a large plunge pool at the Glacier Park Hotel. Detached shower and tub baths are provided at Two Medicine, St. Mary, Going-to-the-Sun, Many Glacier, and Belton Chalets, for which a charge of 50 cents per bath is made.
The distances between the hotels and chalets are as follows:--
_Miles_ Glacier Park Hotel to Two Medicine Chalets, road 12 Two Medicine Chalets, trail 11 Cut Bank Chalets, road 22 St. Mary Chalets, road 32 Many Glacier Hotel, road 55
Two Medicine Chalet to Glacier Park Hotel, road 12 Glacier Park Hotel, trail 11 Cut Bank Chalets, trail 18
Cut Bank Chalet to Glacier Park Hotel, road 22 Two Medicine Chalets, trail 18 St. Mary Chalets, trail and road 16
St. Mary Chalets to Going-to-the-Sun Chalets, launch 8 Cut Bank Chalets, road and trail 16 Many Glacier Hotel and Chalets, road 23 Many Glacier Hotel and Chalets, trail 16 Glacier Park Hotel, road 32
Many Glacier Hotel and Chalets to St. Mary Chalets, road 23 St. Mary Chalets, trail 16 Going-to-the-Sun Chalets, trail 22 Granite Park Chalets, trail 9
Going-to-the-Sun Chalets to St. Mary Chalets, launch 8 Many Glacier Hotel and Chalets, trail 22 Sperry Chalets, trail 17
Sperry Chalets to Going-to-the-Sun Chalets 17 Glacier Hotel on Lake McDonald, trail 7
Glacier Hotel, on Lake McDonald, to Sperry Chalet, trail 7 Granite Park Chalets, trail 18
Granite Park Chalets to Many Glacier Hotel and Chalets, trail 9 Glacier Hotel, on Lake McDonald, trail 18
Tours
From Glacier Park Station an automobile road leads to St. Mary Chalets and Many Glacier Hotel and Chalets, with side roads to Cut Bank and Two Medicine Chalets. From Belton there is an automobile road to the foot of Lake McDonald. There is also a wagon road along Flathead River from the foot of Lake McDonald to the northern border of the Park. There is no road across the Continental Divide, and all trips in the mountain region must be by trail.