Page:Canadian Alpine Journal I, 1.djvu/126

Rh previously attempted, it appeared to offer a good chance of attaining the final summit. I think, in giving a short account of the climb, I can scracelyscarcely [sic] do better than quote from an article I wrote for "Appalachia" a short time after the trip was made.

On the morning of July 20th, with a week's provisions, silk tent, and mountaineering equipment, we made a rather late start from Lake Louise. A packhorse carried most of our "impedimenta" as far as Moraine lake. Here, assuming the heaviest of packs, we proceeded slowly up the Valley of the Ten Peaks, and, crossing the high pass between Neptuak and Hungabee, made a rapid descent to Prospector's valley, where we arrived in good time to make camp.

Leaving camp next morning at 3.50, we made our way up Prospector's valley to within about a quarter of a mile of the Opabin pass, whence, taking to an arête, we had a fairly easy and interesting climb of possibly two thousand feet. At this point further progress was barred by a wall of vertical cliffs. Directly in our path this rocky battlement was broken by a narrow icy couloir and a much narrower chimney filled with ice. After inspecting the couloir. Christian decided that the chimney would be the safer means of ascent, and so, after seeing that Hans and I were in as secure positions as the circumstances would permit, and with directions not to move from our places close against the rock, he disappeared around an angle and commenced the perilous climb.

It was only by watching the rope that Hans and I could judge the progress Christian was making above us. For minutes at a time, it seemed, the rope would be motionless, then inch by inch it would slowly disappear up the chimney, and the crash of falling rocks and ice would warn us that we must cling even more closely and find what protection we could beneath the rocky wall.