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The Mountaineers Summer Outing - 1915 - Feature Image
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The Mountaineers Summer Outing - 1915
Tuesday, August 17, 1915
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8/17/1915 - Map
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Locations
  • Panhandle Gap
  • Summerland
  • Mount Rainier
  • White River valley
  • Fryingpan Glacier
  • Indian Bar
  • Ohanapecosh Park
  • Ohanapecosh Glacier
  • Cowlitz Chimneys
  • Ohanapecosh Canyon
  • Mount Adams
  • Goat Rocks
  • Whitman Crest
  • Little Tahoma
The sky was clear but, unfortunately, much of the bedding and clothing was still wet when camp was dismantled. Somehow it was all stuffed into the sturdy dunnage bags. However, when the dunnage was loaded, some of the horses objected. Wet loads were overweight and some the packing had to be redone.

Lillian Streeter gave special attention to her dunnage bag, she knew that it would be a burden for the horse assigned to carry her things. She comforted the poor pack animal and persuaded it to carry on with the load.

As the party climbed toward Panhandle Gap, they looked back at sunlit Summerland and Mount Rainier. A view down into the White River valley showed the route that the 1912 Mountaineer party had followed in their ascent to and descent from Summerland.

Farther up, the party passed a small lake showing a rippled reflection of Mount Rainier.

Some snacked and rested while a volunteer "trail gang" carved a route that could be negotiated by the packhorses up the talus slope beside the Fryingpan glacier. The trail proved to be successful. Lillian Streeter still had the safety of her dunnage and its carrier in mind when she helped lead the horse up the brand new trail.

The horses crossed a snow slope at the edge of the Fryingpan Glacier. On the glacier, it was necessary to carefully walk some of the animals over the snowfield. Miss Mabel E. McBain, from Everett, offered her services to lead a horse on the snow slope.

Once the horses were accustomed to the glacial surface, the packers reassembled the packtrain and continued on to the next stop at Indian Bar. The party paused at Panhandle Gap where they had a good view of the upper Fryingpan Glacier and Mount Rainier.

While the packtrain continued on the trail to Indian Bar, the Mountaineers turned westward and climbed to upper Ohanapecosh Park. Brush and boulders slowed their ascent.

The party’s progress was further slowed as they picked huckleberries along the way.

A view of the east side of Mount Rainier was seen from a ridge above Ohanapecosh Park. The Ohanapecosh Glacier flowed smoothly down from the point where it split off from the Fryingpan Glacier. As the party looked down, they saw that the glacier filled only a small part of the wide valley carved in the mountain's flanks.

Looking northeast they saw Ohanapecosh Park and Cowlitz Chimneys, the view framed by sparse trees that had survived years of high elevation weather. Far to the south of Ohanapecosh Canyon, Mount Adams and Goat Rocks stood out clearly.

After returning to what was considered to be an "old Indian trail," the Mountaineers hiked south into the valley of Indian Bar. There, at 5,100’ elevation, the packers set up Camp #11.

The camp chef had planned a Huckleberry Supper but he needed more berries. Two of the women immediately began combing the fields for additions to the evening dessert.

A unique view of the slopes of Mount Rainier appeared when one looked up from near Indian Bar. From that angle the mountain seemed to be divided into a chain of peaks. The group decided to stay an extra day at the current site so that a climb of Whitman Crest, on the east flank of Little Tahoma peak could be made the following day.

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