Ascents to Mt. Starr King in Yosemite, August 1877.

From notes of mountain travels by James Mason Hutchings.

Early in August, 1877, James M. Hutchings, of Yosemite fame, whose homestead in Yosemite Valley had recently been taken over by the Yosemite Commission, established a temporary "camp" in Little Yosemite Valley. The camp was primarily to be his family's residence that summer, but many of his old-time friends from the Valley would also come and stay there at least for a while. In keeping with his renowned generosity, Hutchings would allow even complete strangers to stay and enjoy the evening conversations and stories of the old Yosemite inhabitants gathered around the campfire. One of Hutchings' goals for this summer was to scale the last of the "inaccessible" mountains near the Valley, Mt. Starr King. He and George Anderson, who was the first to climb Half Dome two years before, must have been carefully preparing for that climb for some time, well aware that the highest dome on Star King is even steeper and more demanding than Half Dome. Of course, Hutchings was anxious to attack the Starr King while the weather was still good and with plenty of daylight, but Anderson would rather wait a little longer. His main source of income was tourists who hoped to reach the top of Half Dome under his guidance, and mid-August was the peak of that activity. In the end, they agreed to a compromise and scheduled the climb for Thursday, August 23. The day before, Hutchings, Anderson and several companions had left Little Yosemite for a trip to the Mount Starr King area. Hutchings described the events in his notes from 1877. They had high hopes that theirs would be the first ascent to the summit of that "lofty landmark". Photographer Selah C. Walker was with them to immortalize the occasion. A lady, Augusta L. Sweetland, who would become the second Mrs. Hutchings three years later, accompanied them. The group was led by Anderson, whose skills and experience were crucial to the success of the project.

Several pages of Hutchings' handwritten notes (unpublished) and their transcripts are on file at the Yosemite Museum, but I have not had the opportunity to see them. Instead, I use a fragment copied from the Museum archive by Francis P. Farquhar. The transcript was printed in the Sierra Club Bulletin, Vol. 17, Num. 1, February 1932, pp. 115-118. The portion describing the ascent of Starr King, as quoted by Farquhar, is reproduced below.

S. C. Walker's photo showing Anderson, Hutchings and Sweetland during their ascents on August 24, 1877.

August 23 and 24, 1877

Our camping ground encircled by forest trees and about a mile from the goal of our ambitions was left about 10 A.M., under the guidance of Geo. G. Anderson, the first to climb the South [Half] Dome. We threaded our way among silver firs, tamaracks, and pinus monticola to the edge of the debris lying just under this lofty landmark, then picking our way among blocks of granite and stunted live-oak shrubbery, we sought the saddle at the south-eastern side of the peak. [We were] well supplied with ropes.

"Oh, that isn't much of a climb," exclaimed our leader, as we looked together up the smooth granite slope before us, standing at an angle of about 43°, with here and there a block, or shingle, formed by the concentric and con-choidal cleavage of the rock — to climb over.

Taking off his boots and putting on some home-made moccasins, the soles of which he had previously covered with turpentine, thick in consistency, then winding the coil of rope over his shoulder and under his arm, he picked up a hammer (which he fastened in his belt) and some iron eye-bolts; [He] said "Well, here goes!"

Walking up the smooth granite as if it were a gravel hill, he arrived at the first shingle. "Now," he said, "I'll put an eye-bolt here." So an eye-bolt was driven in and the rope fastened to it, allowing the lower end to reach the starting point. Here a huge block of shingle was encountered. Fastening about twelve feet to his belt, so that if he slipped he could not fall more than that distance, he proceeded, taking hold of the edge of the shingle, and advancing inch by inch. But he had made the rope too short to allow him to reach the next point of safety. He said composedly, "Now Mr. H., can you come up as far as this?"

I tried, but the rope was small and my fingers long and I couldn't get a good grip. "If you cannot get up I shall have to fall."— "Then I'll come." Catching the small rope over-handed, I knelt upon the rock and crept along aided by the rope, until I reached the eye-bolt and could just reach to his foot. This I held until he got a grip that enabled him to move his other foot. In a couple of minutes he was in a place of safety. Obstacle after obstacle was overcome, and finally we were standing firmly on the summit of Mount Starr King, 9230 feet above sea-level.

It is impossible to describe the glorious panorama! Mountain ridges and hollows, pine covered, like waves of the sea—with here and there white knolls, relieving the dark hollows! While away to the eastward lay the grand chain of the Sierras—lofty peaks in sunlight and deep canyons in shadow, passing clouds casting shadows on the peaks.

Deep in the gorge below slept Yosemite. The panorama—to the north and east—the top of El Capitan, Eagle Point, Yosemite Fall, North Dome, South Dome, Mounts Hoffmann and Tuolumne, Clouds Rest. Between Clouds Rest and Mount Hoffmann stood grandly up in the far distance a group of sharp peaks that must be among the highest of the Sierras in that direction. From Clouds Rest, Mount Wonderful[?], Mount Dana (far away on the crest of the range), Monastery Peak, Cathedral Peak, Temple and Echo Peaks. Thence numerous unnamed mountains filled the space until the Lyell group. Near and high in appearance rose the bold sharp outline of Gothic Peak [now Mount Clark], thence Gray Peak and Red Mountain. By the waters of the San Joaquin could be seen Black Mountain. To the south and west lay a long line of dull, whitish ridges that were only interesting as a contrast with the peaks and canyons of the Sierras. The whole middle ground, although embracing beautiful groups of trees, glimpses of river views, wide plateaus of pines, meadows, and bare bluffs, is comparatively tame.

Forest fires are on every hand making the landscape hazy and dull. I execrate the vandalism of the sheep-herders!

small arrow Aug. 23d: G. G. Anderson, J. G. Lambert [= J. B. Lembert], and J. M. Hutchings made the ascent.

small arrow Aug. 24th: G. G. Anderson, Mrs. A. L. Sweetland, S. A. Walker [= S. C. Walker], and J. M. H.

The entire area of the summit is only about 100 ft. by 75 ft. Two monuments erected gave evidence of someone having ascended this peak before us. We erected a flag pole, put up a flag, painted by J. G. Lambert—for our party.