Show t t l r lJ j 1 o a r r 4 C 1 a 1 er P. P 3 e L Mount McKinley the Top of ef the No rth Am American Continent Prepared by the Ute National Geographic Society Val Washington D. D C. C The completion of tue V-c governments government's Alaskan railway mal makes s reasonably accessible for the first time the Mount McKinley National park which contaIns contains con con- contains the rW best point on the North Ame American lcm continent The total area of tills this great playground ground which hitherto hitherto hitherto hith hith- erto has been seen been by so few people Is about 2400 square miles I In scenic grandeur the stupendous mass of which Mount McKinley Is the I culminating peak has fo rival The Une snow here lies Hes at about feet I Ian an and above that elevation only a few sharp cra crags s and seemingly perpendicular ular cliffs are free from the glistening white mantle From the Valley Valle of ot McKinley Mc Yc- Kinley Fork which w which is at nt the north lingo of the mountain and n I lies Hes at nn an elevation eleva n elevation tion of o only ly 1500 feet the bare rocks of the lower mountains extend exten upward for about feet an and above them I Mount McKinley rises In majestic whiteness to a n height of feet feet feet- the loftiest peak peal on the continent The upper feet of the mountain mountain mountain moun moun- tain Is clad In glaciers and perpetual perpetu snows thus offering to the Ule mountaineer mountaineer mountaineer moun moun- the highest climb climb above above e snow snow- line in the tile worl world The rise rife of 1800 feet from the Ule lower end of ot Peters Glacier north of the mountain to the highest peak is made In a n distance of only 13 miles In Ia no other mountain mass do o we fin find so great a vertical ascent In so short a distance The peaks of the Colorado Colora o tho l though h wonderful rise from a n hl high l plateau plat au so that at most points from which they ther can cnn he be seen they the stand only OM O or at most feet above the observer ob ob- b- b server sener Mount St. St Elias Ellas an nn foot toot mountain may be seen from sea 81 I lever leve en but the stands peak miles from the Ule coast const and so loses in height to the eye ey eye eye- by the distance from frum which It must be viewed Similarly the Ule high hI-h volcanic peaks of Mexico Melco an and South America Ame and U the Uve worlds world's loftiest mountains In ht the tho Himalayas rise from high plateaus which diminish by their own elevation the visible magnitude and towering height of their culminating p peaks f Southwest t of ot Mount McKInley 1 15 13 miles awa away from it stands Mount Munt Foraker only feet teet lower and al almost almost almost al- al most equally Imposing If It It stood tood alone llone Mount Foraker would the h he fa famous fits b- b in Its own 11 right as a ml mighty peak having few 0 equals 1018 but In the th- th presence of It Its giant neighbor It la Is reduced reduced re rl duce to secondary rank These two dominating peaks standIng standing stand stand- Ing side by side and flUd nd known to the interior in- in I in interior natives as Denall and e D Wife far outrank the tIle flanking mom monn- to the northeast and t. southwest among which however there are x If score re of other peaks that rl ripe e to tn height between o t een and feet t. well above snow line and that th ar are tho the gathering ground for many glaciers In 1002 the first filat t surveying 8 party that actually r reached ched the vicinity of ot Mount I nt was ns conducted by Alfred H. H Brooks s and D D. L. L of ot the geological survey lurvey This party entered the park at nt Its southwest border border bor hor der er rind Unversed It trait Iron end to end bringing out the first r t authentic Information Infer Infer- mation maton In to regard to an unexplored are art of at many thousand square miles and the position height ht and b best route of nt approach to the base of Mount McKinley Swarm With White Whits Bighorn Sheep Shep The mountains nt at the head hend of ot anti rivers literally swarm s with v th nh the magnificent white bighorn sheep which are tri elsewhere extremely wary and difficult to ap ap- a approach hut but which In summer are here herePO hereso PO so little disturbed that the they move off oft only when hn one olle comes come to Jose close range runge A days day's travel el along one of ot these valleys val val- leys will usually afford the casual traveler a fi view ot of many bands of or sheep p. The sheep race re e on the lower lower low low- er slopes of the mountains especially In the upper reaches of ot the str streams ams near nea- neathe the glaciers nt at the lie valley h heads or even ven in the valley Talley bottoms bottom flie dle bighorn sheep prefers the slopes of or high rough faits fo fOt It its range range and nn and may be found only inthe In Inthe Inthe the mountains within easy reach of at lU ragged crags cras lo to which It ft may retreat for Por safety from It Its enemies Its range therefore UPS lies between timberline timberline timber timber- line and the level Ic of If perpetual snow It Is difficult io to n make an accurate e estimate es- es of ot the st of sheep within tIle the new ne park but there are probably probable well wen over o Great herds of caribou or wild reindeer reindeer rein rein- deer are to be e s sten aS seen as many as lG 1000 1500 Q at tt once nce Most of ot these iler herds 8 I frequent the bare gravel bars where I the stron strong winds afford atrol some relief from 1 the attacks by bv flies an and mos mos- Other herds herds range e on the high rugged mountain ridges and several se large droves rows row's have been observed observed ob ob- sen-e sen served far up en n on the glaciers well wen toward towar snow line seeking a little respite from insect pests peets In other p parts of Alaska caribou at times tImet appear lu in huge hUle droves roves as they migrate from to place but they stay only onty a short time In any nn one locality In the basin and inthe In Inthe the YI vicinity of glacier however however how how- ever tJ the caribou Ire ere at home and they remain there throughout the sum sumI I n ner cr er to rear reM their young There Is abundant Indication that this Is a 0 permanent range Deeply worn trails form a veritable labyrinth alon along the stream flats fiats and bedding grounds roun s old and new occur every where The mIners from front the na Da report that caribou may mn always be seen seea In great reat numbers on this lan l'an range e. e There here Is a striking difference between between be be- tween the actions of caribou and tho thoo those o of the bighorn sheep when surprised ed b by wan tuna A sheep once nce aroused knows exactly where he w ants wants td to go and usually starts without a n moments moment's liPs ht's co cu the shortest route to some snare ru rugged ed runes mats He lie may stop to look aroun around and appraise the danger dauter er l Lut tut tit he Is sure to follow the route he lie first cho chose Moose Are Arc Plentiful Moose are vre very cry plentiful In certain parts part ut tae new new park but are not so commonly seen sten as nB sheep and aud caribou As their loud lood supply con consists of willow wil di- 11 low und and birch twigs and leaves andLe and tLe Le succulent roots of water plants they Ut-f stay star much of the time In tIm tIm- bored hore-d cud cad d brushy brugli ar areas as where they tuey me are inconspicuous The best moose country In this re- re lies In th the lowlands north of ot the i Alasi Alaska a range outside of the l of the proposed park pink but some seine moose are to be e w seen n within n the prk j rk lines and doubtless 8 more mere of or them will fill take refuge In this tills game gune preserve r er e whoa tOD they are more vigorously hunted In la the neighboring regions There Thoro are some black brown nn grizzly bears hears In IIi this district but the bear benr hunter has M It much better chance of ot obtaining a hide in other parts of ot Alaska Ataska ka than he has hits here herC The new now par park lies almost entirely above timber T Trees Tree grow grov along th the valleys of ef f the main streams to an eI elevation of ot about feet teet above the tho sea level but the tiro timbered are areas 8 wily only a n small fraction traction of 01 the whole The only t trees s of Importance are the spruce birch and cottonwood nail and none nODe of ot these are large ll Th The best patches of or trees afford logs loge lo big enough for making log cabins but there UlMe Is la no merchantable timber In U the park Willow brush and nd some seine alders s grow V somewhat farther up the valley Tan than that tho the trees and enable the tha camper to find Ond fuel for his Ore fire In some areas where trees are arc The completion of ot th the new govern government ment meat railroad makes the pArk immediately Immediately Imme imme- accessible Tho The railroad line runs within a n few miles of tho the ea east t park parle line lino On leaving leasing Seattle OD one caRthen can caR then plan to rench reach Seward or Anchorage Anchorage Anchorage Anchor Anchor- age within a week spend a single f day dayon ny nyon on the railroad to tho ho park station and In another day or two by saddle horse hone c. c penetrate well Into the park and Into the thc midst of crt its game me herd herds With a completed wagon road rORd built from tram the railway ft It should be an easy half days day's journe Journey of ot 80 SO miles by automobile au au- automobile from the railroad d to the center center cen cent ter of or the park th the whole whale route traversing traversing tra tra- mountains of ot wonderful scenic beauty and teeming with big game At the western terminus of the wag TUg wagon on road rond there will some somo day be ber hotel for tor the accommodation of or tourists and mountain climbers There below the terminus terminus of ot Muldrow in con constant constant stant view of ot t the e mighty snow clad monarchs to the south one will be beable beable able to find complete rest In the grandest grandet grand grand- est et of ot natural surroundings or will have close at hand band tasks of or mountain mountain- climbing that t will 1 tax the resources resource of ot the sturdiest Few re regions ons offer the Inducements to the mountaineer tho con can bo be found und here I |