of flowering alpine valleys and
commanding heights. From there they go south, over the west-side
glaciers, or east, across the Carbon and through the great White river
country. They camp on the south side of the Sluiskin mountains, in
Moraine Park, and there have ready access to Carbon and Winthrop
glaciers, with splendid views of the vast precipices that form the
north face of the Mountain. Thence they climb east and south over the
Winthrop and White glaciers. They visit the beautiful Grand Park and
Summerland, and either make the ascent to the summit from "Steamboat
Prow" on the "Wedge," over the long ice slope of the White glacier, or
continue around to the Paradise country and Longmire Springs.

{p.052}
[Illustration: Leaving the National Park Inn at Longmire Springs for
Paradise Park.]

[Illustration: Copyright, 1909, By Asahel Curtis. On the Summit,
showing Columbia's Crest, the great mound of snow that has, most
curiously, formed on this wide, wind-swept platform. This, the actual
top of the Mountain, is 14,363 feet above sea level.]

The west side has been less visited than the others, but there is a
trail from the North Mowich to the Nisqually, and from this
adventurous explorers reach North and South Mowich and Puyallup
glaciers. No one has yet climbed the Mountain over those glaciers, or
from the north side. A view from any of the trails will explain why.
The great rock spines are more precipitous than elsewhere, the
glaciers more broken; and the summit is fronted on either side by a
huge parapet of rock which hurls defiance at anything short of an
airship. Doubtless, we shall some day travel to Crater Peak by
aeroplanes, but until these vehicles are equipped with {p.054}
runners for landing and starting on the snow, we shall do best to plan
our ascents from the south or east side.

[Illustration {p.053}: Paradise Valley or "Park," and Tatoosh
Mountains, from slope below Paradise Glacier. The highest of the peaks
are about 7,000 feet above sea level and 1,700 feet above the floor of
the valley.]

[Illustration: On the Government Road a mile above Longmires, bound
for the Nisqually Glacier.]

[Illustration: Near "Gap Point," where the road turns from the
Nisqually canyon into that of Paradise River.]

I have thus briefly pointed out the favorite routes followed in
exploring the National Park. The time is fast approaching when it will
be a truly national recreation ground, well known to Americans in