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The Conquest of Mount McKinley the story of three expeditions through the Alaskan wilderness to Mount McKinley, North America's highest and most inaccessible mountain
Belmore Browne (1880-1954) accomplished painter, explorer, mountain climber, and great proponent of northern outdoor living and wilderness adventure.
"The Conquest of Mount McKinley" --- the story of the three attempts made by Professor Herschel C. Parker and Mr. Browne to reach the summit of Mount McKinley, the highest mountain in North America, is of absorbing interest to mountaineers. It may be remembered that Professor Parker and Mr. Browne were with Dr. F. A. Cook on the occasion of his second attempt to climb McKinley, in 1906, and that after their return to the coast Dr. Cook claimed to have reached the summit. The Parker Browne expedition of 1910 was undertaken primarily to prove the worth of Dr. Cook's claim, disbelieved by them from the outset, as their knowledge of the country satisfied them that no "dash to the summit" could possibly have been made in the short time at Dr. Cook's disposal. They were successful in this part of their venture, securing photographs that disproved Dr. Cook's story, but their ascent of McKinley was blocked at an altitude of 10,300 feet. These attempts, both undertaken from the south, were followed by the still more arduous expedition of 1912, when, starting again from the south, they crossed the Alaskan Range and made their attack on the summit from the northeast. It was an heroic undertaking, involving the relaying of all their provisions and outfits by dog sled across the unknown range and up to an altitude of 11,000 feet, and thence back-packing to the camp at 16,615 feet, from which the final attempts were made. While contributing greatly to the knowledge of the country, and being in itself a noteworthy achievement, this laborious route across the Alaskan Range cost them their ultimate success. Within only three or four hundred feet of the summit they were driven back by heavy storms. Their long fight with the icy wilderness had taken the best of their strength; their stomachs revolted at the pemmican, their most important article of diet, and for lack of food they were compelled to return after two storm-defeated attempts on the final snow slope.
But to all intents and purposes Mr. Browne is perfectly justified in claiming the conquest of Mount McKinley. The remaining distance consisted of a perfectly easy slope; and nothing but the extraordinary weather conditions, which made it suicidal to continue, prevented him and his companion, Professor Parker, from pushing on to the summit. The book is splendidly illustrated with a series of photographs taken by the explorers on their several trips to and from Mount McKinley.
To most of us, the tense, overwhelming emotions that spring from the perils of big adventures are enviable; and from such a narrative as Belmore Browne's we learn to appreciate something of that tonic effect which the explorer feels as the result of successful resistance to hardship-the sense of well-being, of readiness for almost anything that may turn up, which is almost a spiritual asset.
The Conquest of Mount McKinley is an epic of American mountain-climbing, in which every-day cheerfulness and courage take the place of poetic fervor, while the perils encountered are no less impressive than that of Odysseus when the Cyclops hurled half a hilltop at his little boat. The conquest of the highest peak in North America appeals to one not merely as a manifestation of the spirit of sport raised to a heroic pitch and dignified by its connection with the most awe-inspiring grandeurs of nature, but also as a phase of man’s everlasting conflict with the physical world. In reading the story of this exploit, we feel ourselves responding to the elemental “ call of the wild.
"The Conquest of Mount McKinley" --- the story of the three attempts made by Professor Herschel C. Parker and Mr. Browne to reach the summit of Mount McKinley, the highest mountain in North America, is of absorbing interest to mountaineers. It may be remembered that Professor Parker and Mr. Browne were with Dr. F. A. Cook on the occasion of his second attempt to climb McKinley, in 1906, and that after their return to the coast Dr. Cook claimed to have reached the summit. The Parker Browne expedition of 1910 was undertaken primarily to prove the worth of Dr. Cook's claim, disbelieved by them from the outset, as their knowledge of the country satisfied them that no "dash to the summit" could possibly have been made in the short time at Dr. Cook's disposal. They were successful in this part of their venture, securing photographs that disproved Dr. Cook's story, but their ascent of McKinley was blocked at an altitude of 10,300 feet. These attempts, both undertaken from the south, were followed by the still more arduous expedition of 1912, when, starting again from the south, they crossed the Alaskan Range and made their attack on the summit from the northeast. It was an heroic undertaking, involving the relaying of all their provisions and outfits by dog sled across the unknown range and up to an altitude of 11,000 feet, and thence back-packing to the camp at 16,615 feet, from which the final attempts were made. While contributing greatly to the knowledge of the country, and being in itself a noteworthy achievement, this laborious route across the Alaskan Range cost them their ultimate success. Within only three or four hundred feet of the summit they were driven back by heavy storms. Their long fight with the icy wilderness had taken the best of their strength; their stomachs revolted at the pemmican, their most important article of diet, and for lack of food they were compelled to return after two storm-defeated attempts on the final snow slope.
But to all intents and purposes Mr. Browne is perfectly justified in claiming the conquest of Mount McKinley. The remaining distance consisted of a perfectly easy slope; and nothing but the extraordinary weather conditions, which made it suicidal to continue, prevented him and his companion, Professor Parker, from pushing on to the summit. The book is splendidly illustrated with a series of photographs taken by the explorers on their several trips to and from Mount McKinley.
To most of us, the tense, overwhelming emotions that spring from the perils of big adventures are enviable; and from such a narrative as Belmore Browne's we learn to appreciate something of that tonic effect which the explorer feels as the result of successful resistance to hardship-the sense of well-being, of readiness for almost anything that may turn up, which is almost a spiritual asset.
The Conquest of Mount McKinley is an epic of American mountain-climbing, in which every-day cheerfulness and courage take the place of poetic fervor, while the perils encountered are no less impressive than that of Odysseus when the Cyclops hurled half a hilltop at his little boat. The conquest of the highest peak in North America appeals to one not merely as a manifestation of the spirit of sport raised to a heroic pitch and dignified by its connection with the most awe-inspiring grandeurs of nature, but also as a phase of man’s everlasting conflict with the physical world. In reading the story of this exploit, we feel ourselves responding to the elemental “ call of the wild.
334 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 1913
3 people want to read
About the author
Belmore Browne
36 booksBelmore Browne was an artist, writer, explorer, mountaineer, and great proponent of northern outdoor living and wilderness travel. Browne first traveled to Alaska on a family vacation when he was eight years old. He returned there in his early twenties as a member of Andrew Jackson Stone’s mammal-collecting expedition. Browne was part of a group that made the first ascent of Mt. Olympus in Washington. He later made three attempts to climb Alaska’s Mt. McKinley, the highest point in North America, coming very close but falling short each time.
With extensive wilderness experience behind him, Browne went home in 1913 to marry an old friend, Agnes Sibley of Philadelphia, and then live for four years in New York. In 1917 he had the satisfaction of seeing Mount McKinley National Park created. After short service in the first war as captain in the Aviation Section of the Signal Corps, he returned to civilian life and the family moved to Banff.
In the early thirties his winters were spent in Santa Barbara where he became Director of the Santa Barbara School of Art. From 1938, the winters were spent at Ross, north of Golden Gate, when he was not working elsewhere. Just before the last war he was commissioned to paint several backgrounds for big- game exhibits in the North American Hall of the American Museum of Natural History in New York.
During World War II Belmore, then in his early sixties, became Air Force instructor in survival procedures, conducting schools in the high mountains of Colorado.
In 1947 the family moved to Seebe, in a log cabin just at the edge of the mountains east of Banff, where not so many people could find them.
Browne died May 2, 1954, from cancer. At the time of his death at age 74, he was working on the dioramas at Yale’s Peabody Museum.
With extensive wilderness experience behind him, Browne went home in 1913 to marry an old friend, Agnes Sibley of Philadelphia, and then live for four years in New York. In 1917 he had the satisfaction of seeing Mount McKinley National Park created. After short service in the first war as captain in the Aviation Section of the Signal Corps, he returned to civilian life and the family moved to Banff.
In the early thirties his winters were spent in Santa Barbara where he became Director of the Santa Barbara School of Art. From 1938, the winters were spent at Ross, north of Golden Gate, when he was not working elsewhere. Just before the last war he was commissioned to paint several backgrounds for big- game exhibits in the North American Hall of the American Museum of Natural History in New York.
During World War II Belmore, then in his early sixties, became Air Force instructor in survival procedures, conducting schools in the high mountains of Colorado.
In 1947 the family moved to Seebe, in a log cabin just at the edge of the mountains east of Banff, where not so many people could find them.
Browne died May 2, 1954, from cancer. At the time of his death at age 74, he was working on the dioramas at Yale’s Peabody Museum.
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April 21, 2018
This book was an amazing find on Amazon for $.49. It is an account of 3 separate attempts to reach the Alaskan summit of Mt. McKinley (now Mt. Denali) in 1906, 1910 and 1912. Mt. McKinley is 20300 feet above sea level and is the tallest peak in N. America. While it’s peak may be 10000 fewer feet compared to Mt. Everest, It could be argued the difficulty in getting to the top would be comparable. For instance, the Alaska range presents hurdles in the form of raging rivers from glacial melting, and dense vegetation in summer to travel through for over 250 miles from Cook Inlet or the Yukon to the base of McKinley. Then there are the numerous glaciers to cross and surprise snow storms and blizzards to endure during the climb. The author near the top at 20000 feet was stalled by a 50 mph blizzard with temps as low as 150 degrees below zero F.
The author was provided details of preparation, equipment, climbing techniques and transport which I found extremely interesting. They had some Alaskan natives as reluctant guides, but in the end, were of little use. Of course there were no Sherpas. The first 2 attempts began in late spring and summer where in one case transportation was native river boats traveling up icy river plus the use of horses when river travel was not an option. The final attempt began in January and dog sleds were used to transport thousands of pounds of food and equipment needed for a 6 month pursuit.
All in all, it is a grand adventure and a fun read.
The author was provided details of preparation, equipment, climbing techniques and transport which I found extremely interesting. They had some Alaskan natives as reluctant guides, but in the end, were of little use. Of course there were no Sherpas. The first 2 attempts began in late spring and summer where in one case transportation was native river boats traveling up icy river plus the use of horses when river travel was not an option. The final attempt began in January and dog sleds were used to transport thousands of pounds of food and equipment needed for a 6 month pursuit.
All in all, it is a grand adventure and a fun read.
Displaying 1 of 1 review