Attempt on Mount St. Elias. Our plans for climbing Mount St. Elias went all right up to a certain point, but then things came unglued. We intended to walk in from the sea to a drop-site under the Haydon ridge and proceed up the route used by the Miller party in 1946. Since only half of us could get away for a 40-day vacation, four would walk in ahead, receive an airdrop and relay freight up the mountain until the other four could join us. We walked along the Malaspina, Agassiz, Libbey and Tyndall glaciers to the drop-site on a snow shelf at 4500 feet. The drop came beautifully. To our surprise, we also picked up a box sent in by the late party, apparently to lighten their loads. It contained mountain gear and half their food. We continued relaying with many backward glances over the route. A storm intervened and when clearing weather did not disclose the others below us, we reasoned that they had turned back for lack of food and would drop us a note by plane. When no plane came, we concluded that they had not been able to reach civilization and were hurt or hungry. We had no alternative but to turn around at 10,500 feet and go to their rescue. Upon reaching Icy Bay, we found a note saying that the four men had run out of food and were returning to Oregon. It was too late to head back to the mountain with our reduced party and so we too ended our adventure.

W. E. Blanchard, Sierra Club