. Climbs & exploration in the Canadian Rockies . r. A more desolate spot couldhardly be found, hemmed in on all sides by-gloomy mountains that during the wintermonths shut out effectually the suns rays,exposed to the full force of the south-westgales which, when they did occur, would sweepwith increased violence up this narrow sHtthrough the main chain of the Rocky Moun-tains. It was no wonder we found it below where this cabin had been builtthe valley opened out somewhat, and, as therewas food for the horses, we camped. It was just below this part of the valley thatWilson had to
. Climbs & exploration in the Canadian Rockies . r. A more desolate spot couldhardly be found, hemmed in on all sides by-gloomy mountains that during the wintermonths shut out effectually the suns rays,exposed to the full force of the south-westgales which, when they did occur, would sweepwith increased violence up this narrow sHtthrough the main chain of the Rocky Moun-tains. It was no wonder we found it below where this cabin had been builtthe valley opened out somewhat, and, as therewas food for the horses, we camped. It was just below this part of the valley thatWilson had told us was the canyon where thegreatest difficulty was likely to be found. Peyto,therefore, went forward to investigate; late inthe evening he returned with the informationthat at the next bend of the stream, just belowMount Mummery, the fallen pine-trees were sonumerous that it would take a week or more toclear even half a mile for the horses; he evensuggested that in some places where the ava- lanched trunks were lying piled many feet deep, 62. THE BLAEBERRY CREEK the only possibility was to make a causeway overthe obstruction. Moreover a forest fire had beenburning for at least a fortnight, just below, thesmoke of which we had first seen from thesummit of Peak Sarbach; and even now, inspite of all the rain that had fallen, it was stillalight. Whilst Peyto had been exploring down thevalley, we had climbed a peak on the west sideof the valley—about 8000 feet high. From thispoint we were able to see a depression in thechain on the opposite side, which we thoughtmight possibly lead to the north branch of th®Kicking Horse River, and so to Field on theCanadian Pacific Railway. In it lay our lasthope, for to go back the way we had comewould have taken about ten days, and our pro-visions were already nearly done. Although,however, this gap in the mountains to the southwas below the tree hmit, yet we recognised thatgreat difficulty would probably be experiencedin finding a trail up
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