Cooking MOUNTAIN RECIPES INTERVIEWS WITH A ROCK CLIMBER AND A SEARCH-ANDRESCUE VOLUNTEER Enter our DRAWING contest BECOME AN EXPERT IN Flora and Fauna MOUNTAINS BOOK REVIEWS ART BEAUTIFUL STORIES COMICS GAMES & RECIPES BY AGES 7-12 #2 AWAKENING WONDER IN EVERY CHILD! Packed with: March-April 2026 3D poster inside!
MOUNTAIN RANGES Page 20 FOCUS IN THE UNITED STATES Jeanne and the Glacier’s Gift Fiction Story Page 30 Travel Page 38 Contemplate Pages 8 and 28 Focus Page 34 Book Nook Page 5 Letters from Our Readers Page 4 CONTENTS a Rock Climber and a Search-andRescue Volunteer Interviews with Page 22 COVER STORY Page 10 PEOPLE OF THE MOUNTAINS Mountain Sports Page 36 Page 33 ZOOM IN TOP 10 Unique Mountains Page 6 TASTY Page 24 The Workshop RECIPES MOUNTAIN OF THE FLORA FAUNA IN THE HEART AND YOUR OWN HERBARIUM MAKE Page 26 ART History CHURCHES IN THE MOUNTAINS Your Opinion: Summer or Winter? Page 18 • A LITTLE GEOLOGY • A HIGH SPIRITUAL PLACE • MOUNTAINEERING, A LONG HISTORY • MOUNTAIN MYTHS AND LEGENDS • WORKING IN THE MOUNTAINS • INDUSTRY IN THE MOUNTAINS Page 42 CLUES IN THE CLOUDS Page 43 Let’s Play! GAMES N° 2 / 5 Zoey and Theo By Nicolas Doucet Snow is beautiful, but you have to shovel it! Monsters! Monsters! At least we’re not YETIS! Pff! YETIS DON’T exist. Good! Enough climbing! LET'S GO! It’s impossible to shovel with two monsters on my hands! Go sledding instead! Here, take this! Missed me! Go! Let’s go on the descent of death! What a race! Phew! Finally finished! Careful; we’re getting close. Have you mastered the stop? I’m a pro! You’ll see! Yahoo! FRRRCH. A YETI! Augh! Stop! Picture of the MONTH Page 40
In China, Mount Tianzhu is a mountain with 45 peaks; Tianzhu Peak is about 4,888 feet. The mountain has a labyrinth of connected caves and valleys that is called Mystery Valley. In Hawaii, Mauna Kea is a giant volcano of about 55,774 feet whose base is at the bottom of the ocean. Only 13,803 feet stand above sea level! In the Himalayas in Asia, between Nepal and China, Everest is the highest mountain on the planet at 29,032 feet above sea level! It’s hard to breathe all the way up there! La On Mount Denali, the highest point in Alaska (20,310 feet!), the absolute mountain temperature is the coldest on record: -99.8 degrees Fahrenheit! Brrr! Olympus Mons is an enormous volcano on the planet Mars. It is 72,000 feet high! That’s two and a half times taller than Mount Everest, the highest mountain on Earth! Unique Mountains TOP 10 Mountains come in many shapes, sizes, and colors. There is something for everyone! W S N O T I M O B A Y N A B L E E M A N I 1 4 3 2 Solution is on page 42. In the Himalayas, the southern wall of the Nanga Parbat, also called the Diamer, is one of the highest rock faces in the world, measuring 15,090 feet high. Its nickname is “the killer mountain.” In Western Australia, within the Purnululu National Park, is the Bungle Bungle Range. This mountain range has domes with orange and black bands that are made of sandstone and shaped like beehives! The Cameron Highlands in Pahang, Malaysia, have an altitude of 5,259 feet and extend more than 435 miles. Tea is grown there. It’s the perfect place to get away from it all and breathe in some fresh air! Zhangye National Geopark in Gansu, China, is a landform known as the “rainbow mountains.” The magnificent colors of its layered rock formations are the result of deposits of sandstone and minerals that occurred over 24 million years! On the island of Bohol in the Philippines, 1,268 small, rounded mountains are nicknamed “Chocolate Hills” because their vegetation turns brown in the dry season. Who am I? Some people call him “Big Foot.” Who is he? Put these footprints in order and find two other nicknames for him. One is written on the soles of his feet, the other on his toes. N° 2 / 9 / N° 2 8 The Coldest The Highest on Earth The Deepest The Most Mysterious The Most Colorful The Rockiest The Most Rolling The Tastiest Name The Greenest The Biggest in the Solar System
Summarizing mountaineering is as impossible as slipping Mount Everest into a backpack, but here are a few anecdotes! Mountaineering, A Long History Denali Located in Alaska Denali is the highest mountain in North America. It has two peaks: the North Summit and the South Summit. The North Summit, at 19,470 feet above sea level, was the first to be climbed. This historic feat was accomplished on April 3, 1910, by a group of four miners with no prior experience climbing mountains! In 1913, another group of four climbers reached the top of the South Summit at 20,310 feet. COVER STORY The First Mountaineers Mont Aiguille Located 36 miles south of Grenoble, France In 1492, King Charles VIII of France ordered the conquest of Mont Aiguille, a natural fortress in the Grenoble region. Captain Antoine de Ville, leader of the expedition, took with him a stonemason to attach ladders to the steep face of the mountain. It was a success! Mont Blanc Located in the Alps on the border of France and Italy Mont Blanc took a while to attract climbers due to its thick, permanent cap of ice and snow, which was frightening and even deadly. It was once nicknamed “the cursed mountain”! In 1786 two men from France, Jacques Balmat and Dr. Michel-Gabriel Paccard, were the first to reach the summit. Its altitude? 15,776 feet! Did ? You Know The Sherpas are a people living on the border between Nepal and Tibet. Vigorous and acclimated to the altitude, they earned the esteem of Westerners, who hired them as guides (to set up routes) and porters (to carry heavy loads) on their expeditions beginning in the 20th century. One hundred years later, their experience and assistance remains indispensable in Himalayan climbs. 1492 1786 1910 and 1913 1954 1953 Mount Everest Located on the border of Nepal and China On May 29, 1953, Edmund Hillary of New Zealand and Tenzing Norgay of Tibet made history by reaching the top of the world’s tallest mountain peak above sea level: Mount Everest. The peak of the mountain is 29,029 feet! Mount Denali, Alaska. K2 Located on the border of Pakistan and China In 1954, two men from an Italian expedition, Achille Compagnoni and Lino Lacedelli, became the first to reach the top of K2. Called the “Savage Mountain,” K2 is considered the hardest mountain in the world to climb due to its steepness, extreme technical difficulty, and severe, unpredictable weather conditions. Roland’s Horn The Pyrenees, a mountain range on the border of Spain and France, was the site of a famous battle. In 778, the French emperor Charlemagne and his army were retreating from battle. To return to France, they traveled through a narrow mountain passage. As the army’s rear guard waited their turn to pass through, they were attacked by the Basques—a native people whose villages the army had plundered. The emperor’s nephew, Roland, blew his horn to warn his uncle, to no avail. Legend has it that before dying in the attack, Roland wanted to break his sword, Durandal—a gift from Charlemagne that was said to be unbreakable—so it would not fall into enemy hands. Roland threw the sword and it hit a rock more than 100 miles away; the sword did not break, but it split the rock in two! The blade remained in the rock for 1,300 years, until it mysteriously disappeared in 2024. Mountains inspire numerous stories and legends. True or false, they always have depth! Dahu, Yeti, and Imaginary Beasts In the Alps, people speak of the dahu, a wild goat whose legs are shorter on one side than the other. Another imaginary beast is the yeti, an ape-like creature that hides in the Himalayas. Still others include the almasty (in the mountains of Central Asia) and bigfoot (in North America). While these creatures are legendary, stay on your guard, because the mountains are full of surprises! MOUNTAINMyths and Legends Literature For other great books on mountain life, check out My Side of the Mountain by Jean Craighead George and Heidi by Johanna Spyri. Hannibal and His Elephants In 218 BC, General Hannibal from North Africa crossed the Alps with his army of nearly 40,000 men and 52 elephants to attack Rome. After winning an important battle, the army faced harsh temperatures and terrain, as well as attacks from local tribes, and many of the men and elephants died. Mount Olympus In Greek mythology, Mount Olympus is the home of the gods, who feast there and consume ambrosia, a substance that makes them immortal. Mount Olympus is the highest mountain in Greece, rising to 9,573 feet. South Summit North Summit N° 2 / 17 16 / N° 2
Appalachian Mountains Location: From Alabama to Maine and up into Canada Length: 1,500 miles Highest Peak: Mount Mitchell (6,684 feet, the highest point in the eastern US) Notable Features: Rolling hills Most Notable Subranges: Blue Ridge Mountains (mainly in Virginia, North Carolina, and Georgia), Great Smoky Mountains (Tennessee and North Carolina), and White Mountains (New Hampshire and Maine) Famous National Parks: Great Smoky Mountains National Park and Shenandoah National Park Sierra Nevada Location: Mostly in eastern California and western Nevada Length: 400 miles Highest Peak: Mount Whitney (14,505 feet) Notable Features: Massive granite cliffs Most Notable Subranges: The High Sierra, the Western Sierra Foothills, and the Eastern Sierra Famous National Parks: Yosemite National Park and Sequoia National Park Rocky Mountains Location: From Canada through Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, and into northern New Mexico Length: 3,000 miles (longest mountain range in North America) Highest Peak: Mount Elbert (14,440 feet) Notable Features: Sharp, rugged peaks Most Notable Subranges: Sawatch Range (Colorado) and San Juan Mountains (Colorado and New Mexico) Famous National Parks: Yellowstone National Park and Rocky Mountain National Park MOUNTAIN IN THE UNITED STATES FOCUS The Three Major Ones Cascade Range Location: Northwest US coast and into Canada Length: 700 miles Highest Peak: Mount Rainier (14,410 feet) Notable Features: Volcanoes, glaciers, and dense forests Olympic Mountains Location: Washington State Length: 60 miles long Highest Peak: Mount Olympus (7,980 feet) Notable Features: Glaciers and lush rainforest Alaska Range Location: Southcentral Alaska Length: 600 miles Highest Peak: Denali (the highest mountain in North America at 20,310 feet) Notable Features: Glaciers and extreme alpine environments Adirondacks Location: Northern New York Length: The Adirondacks form a circular dome about 160 miles in diameter. Highest Peak: Mount Marcy (5,344 feet) Notable Features: More than 2,800 lakes and ponds, and 30,000 miles of rivers and streams Wasatch Range Location: Utah and some parts of Idaho Length: 160 miles Highest Peak: Mount Nebo (11,928 feet) Notable Features: Rugged peaks form the scenic backdrop of Salt Lake City RANGES Some other notable US mountain ranges include: / N° 2 N° 2 / 23 22 ❶ I am known for my massive granite cliffs. ���������������������������������������������������������������������� ❷ I am the longest mountain range in North America. ���������������������������������������������������������������������� ❸ My highest peak is the highest point in the eastern US. ���������������������������������������������������������������������� ❹ I was formed by a chain of volcanoes. ���������������������������������������������������������������������� Solution is on page 42. Which range am I? mountain
© SŒUR KATERI EANNE and the Glacier’s Gift A dark night cloaks the mountain, but Jeanne doesn’t need to see clearly to find her way: She’s at home here. This high valley in the Alps holds no secrets for the twelve-year-old shepherdess. As she passes the last clump of pines, the sound of the turbulent river fills her ears. She usually loves the roar of whitewater, but tonight, it threatens to hide other sounds that she’s trying to listen for. Jeanne crosses to the other bank, hopping from stone to stone. Then she starts to ascend the steep slope that borders the glacier. She rarely notices the incline, but tonight a restless urgency tightens her chest as she presses on. Far from the torrent, the landscape finally becomes silent again. Jeanne stops to listen. Only the hoot of an owl and the warning cry of its prey reach her. The way is clear to the mountain pass marking the border with Italy. She must hurry; she’s meeting the mountain ranger at dawn to deliver samples of alpine herbs she gathered for her parents’ medicine. The shepherdess climbs faster, crushing under her feet the last stunted tufts of grass that persist at higher altitudes. Above, the curve of the mountain pass stands out against the sky, even blacker than the night. Suddenly, over the crunch of pebbles under her feet, Jeanne hears a voice coming from the glacier to her left: “Help!” Fiction Story Jeanne freezes. For a moment, she wonders if it’s the wind. But then comes another cry: weak, desperate. Her heart races. She doesn’t have a minute to lose if she wants to reach the ranger before daylight. But her grandfather’s words echo in her mind: In the mountains, anyone who refuses help to a creature in peril no longer deserves to be called human. Jeanne turns toward the sound and begins to descend. Carefully, she picks her way from rock to rock, her shepherd’s instinct guiding her away from loose gravel and hidden ice. She reaches the edge of the glacier, shielding her face from its chilling breath. She stops and scans the icy needles, the tormented blocks of ice, the chasms of the crevasses, and shudders: I hope the voice doesn’t come from one of these unfathomable holes! “Hello!” she calls out. “Over here . . . by the rock,” comes the reply, faint but real. Twenty paces to Jeanne’s left, a tall stone leans over the glacier. She walks around it and discovers a man lying there beside the tilted boulder. “The rock fell . . . broken leg . . . dragged myself here. . .” the wounded man gasps. Then, with a start: “I’m thirsty.” Jeanne kneels beside him and offers her small metal flask. “Here, drink.” The man’s breathing steadies. “Can you . . . get help?” he asks, grimacing in pain. “Yes,” Jeanne says, looking toward the ridge. “The mountain rangers make their morning round soon. They always check the pass.” As dawn begins to brighten the sky, Jeanne spots figures moving along the trail: the familiar silhouettes of the rangers. Four men walk along the ridge path, kicking up dust from the slope. Jeanne sees their reflective badges gleaming in the first light of day. She recognizes the uniform of the mountain troops responsible for monitoring the border. Jeanne stands, waves her arms, and calls out, her voice echoing off the rock walls. “They saw me,” she says, still waving her arms. “They’re coming down toward us.” / N° 2 N° 2 / 33 32
OF THE FLORA FAUNA IN THE HEART AND In winter, everything is covered in a thick layer of snow—but keep your eyes and ears open! FOCUS Flowers under the ground! Despite the cold temperatures, lots of flowers grow in the mountains every spring. Examples include mountain laurel in the Appalachians, Colorado blue columbine in the Rockies, mountain arnica, and many different species of lilies and asters. As many mountain wildflowers are delicate and rare (some are in danger of extinction), the US government protects them by making it illegal to pick, remove, or damage flowers in National Parks and on other protected lands. The US Forest Service urges mountain visitors to photograph, draw, or paint pictures of the flowers they see, rather than picking the flowers themselves. Some endangered flowers, such as the Smooth Coneflower and the Western Prairie Fringed Orchid, are protected and must never be picked. Prickly Trees? A conifer is a cone-bearing plant. Conifers keep their needles all winter. The fir, the spruce, the pine, and the larch are some of the conifers you may see in the mountains. • Did you know that the Douglas fir can live nearly 500 years and withstand temperatures as low as -9°F? • You’ll recognize the spruce tree by its brush-like needles. • The pine tree is one of the oldest species in the world; it existed even during the Ice Age! And how long can one live? While many pine trees live 100–150 years, the Rocky Mountain bristlecone pine can live as many as 2,500 years! • The American larch (or tamarack) is one of the only conifers in the US to lose its needles, which then become good soil for spruce trees. Hardwood trees will be bare in cold weather, but you can still recognize them by their trunks. • The American beech, which can grow up to 115 feet tall, has smooth bark that is silvery-gray when young and gray-black when mature. • The white bark of the birch is completely resistant to the cold. It is waterproof but burns extremely easily. • The live oak only loses its leaves in spring, and its acorns are a delight for squirrels, blue jays, and wild boars! Animals That Brave the Winter During a snowy hike, you might be lucky enough to spot the tracks of a mountain inhabitant, feathered or furry. Keep your eyes peeled! • The elk is the second largest member of the deer family. A male elk can weigh as much as 700 pounds! The elk has a thick winter coat that has two layers. During severe weather, the elk tucks its legs under its body and rests in the snow to conserve heat. • For the golden eagle, winter is the season of display. This bird of prey sometimes circles in the air, performing spectacular acrobatics and dives. • The bobcat is active in winter, though it may shelter in a rocky cave or burrow under the snow to stay warm during snowstorms. • The bear (both grizzly and black) hibernates in winter. You’ll have to wait until summer to catch sight of one, but don’t get close! Or leafy ones? Fir branch Black bear Smooth Coneflower Western Prairie Fringed Orchid Forget-me-nots Spruce tree Pine branch with cone Larch branch Golden eagle Elk When you go for a walk in the mountains, or in any area of nature, bring along a small notebook and a pencil. Draw pictures of any trees, flowers, rocks, or other natural sights you find interesting or want to remember. You can also draw animal tracks if you see any. After a while, you’ll be able to recognize them at a glance! You might also take photos with a camera or your phone. Print these later, and glue them in your notebook. Remember to label them so you’ll remember what they are! YOUR MOUNTAIN NOTEBOOK OBSERVATION Fox print Bobcat Birch / N° 2 37 36
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My Information First Name Last Name Address City State Zip Phone Email Issue #2/ March-April 2026 Publisher: Romain Lizé Editor-in-chief: Kathleen Hollenbeck Senior editor: Dominique Pérot-Poussielgue Managing editor: Gabrielle Charaudeau Marketing director: Dieudonné de Lavenne Marketing manager: John Sacco Marketing associates: Jillian Tuthill, Yesenia Gonzalez, Joseph Luis Webmaster: Hélène Durand Artistic direction: Jean-Marc Richard Graphic design: Nicolas Chevalier (Studiolivre) Production management: Marie-Hélène Vincent Printed in Slovenia by Družina Subscribe to Online: www.magnifiermagazine.com By mail: Magnifier - PO Box 822, Yonkers NY 10702 By phone: (866) 273-5215 By email: magnifier@magnificat.com (ISSN: 3069-5805) is published bi-monthly by Magnificat Inc., 86 Main Street, Yonkers, NY 10701. President: Romain Lizé Chief Operating & Financial Officer: Axel d’Epinay The annual subscription rate is US $29. The single copy price is US $6.90. 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Welcome to ! In your hands is a 48-page bimonthly magazine for children ages 7-12 that will fill them with wonder as they discover the marvels and beauty of the world that surrounds them. Why ? At Magnificat, we believe that children need beauty to grow, that they thirst to be lifted to greater heights! We believe that a magazine designed especially for them gives children an opportunity to interact with the world in a totally new way—with stars in their eyes and a heart open to the possibilities of what creation offers. We believe that this is the best way to prepare future generations: by passing on beautiful values of life inherent in faith. is meant to help children discover the world with a Christian perspective, to ignite a sparkle in their eyes by showing God’s hand at work around us! Featuring articles, activities, games, art pages, comics, original stories, and a large poster illustrating the theme of the issue, is a safe place for children to discover the world without the use of technology. In each issue, through a central theme explored from many perspectives, beautifully illustrated with a rich and lively layout, both adults and children will be amazed! Here are some of the upcoming themes they will enjoy: Bread, the Sun and Moon, the Five Senses, the Three Wise Men, Forests . . . all of which will encourage them to consider the world in a truly novel way. If you, too, believe that it is time for truth, goodness, and beauty to resonate in the hearts of 21st-century children, help us bring into our children's world! Make known around you and offer subscriptions (as low as $19/year) at www.magnifiermagazine.com or by using the coupon on the last page of this issue. By doing so, you will be accompanying the children in your life and giving them the gift of wonder and adventure! Discounts for gift subscriptions available for as low as $19 SPECIAL INTRODUCTORY OFFER 1 year for $29 $6.90 Created by a great team of editors including Sophie de Mullenheim (Regina Medal-winning author), Romain Lizé (MagnifiKid!), Kathleen Hollenbeck (Magnificat & Ignatius Press), and more! www.magnifiermagazine.com
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