Israel C. Russell (1952 – 1906)
Israel Russel was born in Garrattsville, New York. He was educated at the University of the City of New York (now New York University) and at the School of Mines, Columbia College where he became an assistant professor of geology from 1875 to 1877. In 1874 he was with a U.S. government party sent to observe the transit of Venus at Queenstown, New Zealand. In 1878, he became the assistant geologist of the United States geological and geographical survey west of the 100th meridian. In 1880, he joined the United States Geological Survey (USGS). He spent four years at Mono Lake in California and wrote the seminal Quaternary History of Mono Valley, California published in 1884. In 1889, he represented the USGS in an expedition to establish Alaska’s eastern boundary.1)
In 1890, geologist and geographer Isreal Russell conducted a geological survey of the Yukon River from its mouth to the headwaters and then left over the Chilkoot Pass.2) In the same year he led an expedition to Mount Saint Elias for the National Geographic Society and the United States Geological Survey. He spent three months on the glaciers, climbing to an altitude of 8000 feet.3) Russell and climbing companion Mark Kerr were high on the mountain when Kerr went back for supplies. A snowstorm moved in and crushed Russell’s tent forcing him out and into a shallow snow cave. He cooked what he had over a wick dipped in bacon grease. Kerr had to lay on the ground covered by a rubber ground cloth for shelter and he had only raw flour to eat. They were reunited after six days and turned back down the mountain. Russell concluded that the last camp should be at the saddle below the final ridge.4) Mount Logan was named by Professor Russell who first saw it during his attempted ascent of Mt. St Elias in 1890.5) Russell Peak is a subpeak of Mount Logan. It is located on the south side of the normal route of ascent to the main summit. It is named after I.C. Russell of the U.S. Geological Survey.6)
Russell returned the following year but did not heed his own advice, placing his supply camp more than two miles below the saddle, or “col.” It was too late in the day to reach the summit when the second expedition was within reach. Still, Russell is famous for having found the best approach, up the glacial basin to the saddle, now called Russell Col, and up to the summit on the north flank. His failure pointed the way for the next attempt.7)
Isreal Russell became a professor of geology at the University of Michigan in 1892. When he died, he was the president of the Geological Society of America. Included in the features named for him are Russell glacier and Mount Russell in Alaska, Mount Ranier’s Russell Glacier, Mount Russell in California, and the prehistoric Lake Russell in the Mono Basin, California.8)