Park City High School - Kalendar Yearbook (Knoxville, TN)

Page 87 text:

Our Climb I was a great honor bestowed upon the writer to have been asked to accompany the small party of four, which was the first to set foot on top of Denali CMt. McKinleyj, the highest peak in North America. . The venerable Hudson Stuck, Archdeacon of the Yukon, a very noble gentleman, was organizer and leader of the party. Mr. Harry P. Karstens, and Walter Harper were the other two members. In the fall of 1912, supplies were brought by launch to a point about fifty miles from the base of the mountain and cached. The plans were carefully made by Archdeacon Stuck and the supplies were ordered from the States one year in advance. On St. Patriek's Day, 1913, our party of six, two Indian boys from the Mission at Nenana having been taken to assist us to the base camp, left Nenana traveling across country, our objective point being the cache of supplies, Diamond City. These supplies were relayed across the beautiful rolling country, to the base of the mountain, at an elevation of 4000 feet. This camp we pitched on April 10th. I-Iere several duties were to be performed. The instru- ments were overhauled, the readings of the mercurial barom- eter and other instruments taken, and ice-creepers fitted to the moccasins, and Snowshoes rough-locked. Here, too, several caribou and mountain sheep were killed, and their meat finely chopped and boiled down. This, with melted butter, salt and pepper was made into balls, and frozen. This, with a package of erbswurst and some rice made a luscious stew, which we always looked forward to. From the base camp we climbed up a narrow, steep defile, rising 2000 feet in three and one-half miles. This was through 85

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Armstrong, Grace Armstrong, Nina Armstrong, Eula Aniaans, Mattie Brooks, Jessie Banker, Mrs. Luke Burrows, Elizabeth Burnett, Nell Cruze, .Russell Chamberlain, Laura Congdon, Warren Curtis, Carl Crawford, Flossie Cox, Otterbine Cash, Gertrude Davis, Mae Dailey, Hale Day, Ida Dance, Harry Decker, Mrs. Chas. Eekel, Beulah Eekel, Hugh Eubanks, Myrtle Ellis, Stella Easley, Helen Fairchild, Elizabeth French, Mrs. Bass Ghormley, Porter Graham, Ben Hoekenjos, Mrs. Will Lynn, Mrs. W. N. Lawrence, Katherine Lason, Edith Miller, Kleber Miller, Minta McGee, John Malcolm, Ruth Moore, Lee Morrell, Ethyl MeAlpine, Ada Mankin, Mrs. Paul Nicely, Mrs. Von Petty, Mote Peters, Himie Pickle, Eursley Powers, Margaret Roberts, Mrs. C. R. Roberts, Mrs. G. B. Sensabaugh, Rhonda Tate, Edward Wheeler, Mrs. J. F. Wingfield, Mrs. Robert Wylie, Willard Wilburn, Mrs. Ed ' Firmin, Walter

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the McPhee Pass. On reaching the top we beheld a most wonderful sight. Stretched out before us was the great high- way to the heart of the mountain-the Muldrow glacier. It presented many difficulties. Every step had to be sounded, for often large crevasses lay under the crusted snow. A trail was made that the dogs and slcds could travel over, frequently snow-bridges had to be built. Our last camp on the glacier was at 11,500 feet. The glacier was out off by a steep ridge, about four miles in length, which rose 4000 feet, elevating us to an altitude of about 15,000 feet. A great staircase was hewn up this ridge, which had been shattered by an earthquake one year previous. The supplies were relayed to this place. Now before us for six miles was the Grand Basin, which was at right angles to the glacier below. Near the distant end of this glacier we pitched our camp, at an altitude of 18,000 feet, on June 6th. This was our last camp. Early on the morning of June 7th we made ready our packs and eagerly pushed up the steep slopes, suffering in- tensely from shortness of breath and bitter cold. At one-thirty we reached the summit. Walter, a 'half-breed Indian boy, was the first to set foot on the highest peak in North America, and the others closely following. First was said a prayer of thanksgiving to Almighty God. We joined hands in congratulation, and then the instruments were read by Arehdeacon Stuck. It was my privilege to raise the Stars and Stripes. Then a cross was made and thrust deeply in the snow and we gathered around it and said the Te Deum. It was a clear day and the scenery was, indeed, most beautiful, beyond description, At three o'cloek we started on our long, weary journey downward, reaching our 18,000 foot camp about six that evening. Two days later we were in our base camp. All hearts were happy that night. Robert Tatum. 86