In the United States, most of the mountains are of subdued relief, simple in contour and clothed to a large extent with forests. East of the Mississippi river, the highest peaks of the Appalachian system do not much surpass the timber-line and of course fall far short of the line of perpetual snow. In the Western States, the peaks rise farther above timber-line, but again not sufficiently to bring their summits into the realm of perpetual snow, except in the cases of certain isolated volcanic cones. The mountains for the most part resemble the Eastern type, though on a larger and more jagged scale. Dominating peaks may indeed bear large snow banks the year around, and occasional residual glaciers may be found tucked away in sheltered cirques, but in no sense do they chal lenge the attention of skilled alpinists. As possible exceptions to this generalization may be noted the comparatively compact group of the Olympic mountains in Washington (Mt. Olympus, 8,250 ft., is the highest), the Rockies of Glacier National Park, domi nated by Mt. Cleveland (10,438 ft.), the range of the Tetons in Wyomihg, of which the Grand Teton ft.) is primate, and Mt. Moran (12,10o ft.) next in prominence, the whole perhaps constituting the nearest approach to a genuine alpine configura tion to be found within the bounds of the United States proper. (See ROCKY MOUNTAINS, THE, and NATIONAL PARKS.) Colorado and California, despite the multitude and the grandeur of their mountains, fail to satisfy a rigorous alpine standard, although admittedly containing individual summits where technical proficiency in rock climbing does not come amiss. In Colorado are to be found 46 peaks surpassing 14,000 ft. and 30o surpassing 13,000 ft. The best climbs are Lizard Head, first ascended in 192o, and Crestone Needle (14,191 ft.), first ascended in 1916. Diffi cult rock routes are to be found on many of these great peaks, but there is always an easy side. The Sierras of California boast of the highest peak in the United States, Mt. Whitney (14,501 ft.), and II mountains above 14,00o ft. and 15o exceeding 13,00o feet.
This great complex of mountains in the western United States has brought into being a number of organizations devoted to their exploration and conquest—the Sierra club of San Francisco (1892) including some 3,00o members; the Mazamas of Portland (1894) with over 700 members; the Mountaineers of Seattle (1907) having some 85o members and the Colorado Mountain club of Denver (1912) with some 1,200 members. It would not be proper to classify the field work usually accomplished by these organiza tions as genuine alpine climbing, which is conditioned by the pres ence of ice and snow as a predominant feature. These great peaks
for the most part simply duplicate the winter conditions of such groups as the Adirondacks or White mountains and require no strategy to surmount them.
Such work, however, affords practice on snow slopes and gla ciers and may easily develop a penchant for the craft in its advanced aspects. Recently Pacific Coast clubs have visited dis tant districts where alpine climbing proper could be secured.
Entirely in character with this land of superlatives is Mt. Mc Kinley (20,300 ft.), the culminating point of North America. Its apex was first attained in 1913 by Dr. Hudson Stuck and Harry P. Karstens in an expedition of three months duration. The previous year Messrs. Browne, Parker and La Voy were driven back by a storm when just short of the summit, a most dishearten ing climax to their three seasons of persistent and plucky explora tion against heavy odds. The North Peak (some 20,000 ft.) was ascended in 1910 by William Taylor and Pete Anderson, Alaska prospectors. Mt. Logan (19,85o ft.), next in rank, was con quered in 1925 by a joint party of Canadian and American moun taineers led by A. H. MacCarthy. It comprised Messrs. H. F. Lambart, W. W. Foster, Allen Carpe, N. H. Read, H. S. Hall, R. M. Morgan and A. Taylor. They were in the field upwards of six weeks, more than half of which was spent on the ice at elevations exceeding 14,00o feet. Two arduous preliminary ex peditions, totalling three months and a half, had been made by MacCarthy in establishing supply depots and selecting a route.
Mt. St. Elias (18,024 ft.) was the first great Alaskan peak to fall to the assault of mountaineers. It was ascended in 1897 by a party of ten under the leadership of Prince Luigi, duke of the Abruzzi, following the route explored by I. C. Russell in 189o-91. Mt. Blackburn (16,14o ft.) was conquered in 1912, by Miss Dora Keen and G. W. Handy. The expedition occupied five weeks, of which 13 days of storm were weathered in ice caves dug in the glaciers. The party utilized six men and eight dog sleds for trans port. Mt. Wrangel (14,005 ft.), an active volcano, was as cended in 1908 by Robert Dunn and William T. Soule. Mt. Natazhat (13,48o ft.) capitulated in 1913 to an attack by a boun dary survey party under the direction of H. F. Lambart, who later ascended Mt. Logan. On no other mountains in the world must the climber live so long on snow and ice as in Alaska, and nowhere else must continuous gradients of snow from 14,00o to 17,000 ft. in height be overcome. (H. PAL.)