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Sierra Club Bulletin, 1930-39
Sierra Club Bulletin, Vol. 14, No. 4, Aug 1932, p. 148 - Mosauer, Walter, "Summer Ski-Trips in the Northwest"
Regarding the ski descent of Mt Adams with Hans Grage, Dr. Otto Strizek and Hans-Otto Giese, the author writes: "We left our camp at Cold Creek (about 5,500 ft.) at 4:15 a.m., July 16, 1932. I reached the summit at 11:35 a.m., the others following at intervals. Since an ice cold gale converted the snow into hard ice, skis were used only occasionally during the ascent, while in other places crampons were indispensible. Thus our trip cannot be considered a "ski ascent" proper, which in my opinion is a meaningless classification anyway. The descent, however, was a full, continuous ski-run from 12,307 to below 6,000 feet, delightful in spite of difficult snow conditions."Among other trips in the northwest, I enjoyed skiing from Camp Muir (10,000 ft.) on Mt Rainier, to Paradise Inn (5,500 ft.); a summit climb of Mt Hood (11,225 ft.), where skis were left behind at Crater Rock below the summit; and on Garfield Peak on the rim of Crater Lake."
Sierra Club Bulletin, Vol. 22, No. 1, Feb 1937, p. 69 - Ulrichs, Hermann F., "The Cascade Range in Northern Washington"
In this article the author summarizes his impressions of the North Cascades gained since 1932. He writes that the range is surprisingly unknown by climbers. He predicts that in time, "It will probably be regarded as the most spectacular, varied and truly Alpine of all our mountains." He describes the presence of two mountain systems superimposed on each other, the chain of volcanos extending from Lassen to the Canadian border (which he calls the Oregon System) and the more complex and granitic mountains extending from north of Rainier into the B.C. Coast Range (which he calls the Canadian System). Of the volcanos he writes, "Though actually the youngest of our mountains, the impression given by their tranquil repose and ample flowing contours is that of great antiquity. Other mountains seem young and turbulent in comparison." And further, "The commingling of these two diverse systems gives an inexhaustible variety to the range."He describes the experience of entering the mountains through the dense western forest: "One's first impression, of being imprisoned in a deep green cavern, cut off from the open sky, deprived of all outlook and freedom of activity, eventually succumbs to their mysterious, brooding, and really unknowable quality, and in the end the experience of traversing them to the heights beyond comes to be treasured for its own sake." He writes further, "The crowning glory of the Cascades is, for me, the unusually extensive subalpine zone, which commonly begins above 5000 feet and makes a rich green fringe between the ultimate edge of the forest and the everlasting rock and snow." And, "It would be hard to imagine a more striking and felicitous contrast than that between this idyllic, really Arcadian country, of intimate beauty and delicacy, and the almost savage ruggedness and grandeur of the big peaks, the deep valleys far below, and the magnificent panoramas of distant snowy ranges glowing in the soft light."
In the five years since he began exploring the range, the author made twenty-one first ascents. He describes his climb of Silver Star in detail. He mentions recent ascents by others of Sentinel, Agnes, Dome, Goode, Challenger and Whatcom. He mentions the challenges of the Picket Range, Mt Formidable and Blue Mountain (Gunsight or Sinister) which he approached (via the Hanging Gardens traverse) but did not attempt. He concludes, "This region of the Cascades, from its nature, would seem to belong more exclusively to the mountaineer than any of our other ranges. There is so much ice and snow in these mountains that they should furnish the most complete and varied training ground in the United States. Very few of the peaks have been climbed more than once, and there await for skilled climbers a multitude of magnificent alternative routes of first class difficulty."
This article is substantially revised from the similarly named article in aaj-1936-p462.
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