Page:Canadian Alpine Journal I, 1.djvu/135

88 About nine o'clock we rested for a few minutes, and shortly afterwards came to a snow-field from which we had a good view of Storm mountain, and could see the route taken by Mr. Whymper in 1901. From this point we kept to the arete, and had some interesting rock work because of the loose snow, which made it impossible often to ascertain the condition of the rocks in which we were seeking to establish hand and foot-holds. At eleven o'clock, upon leaving a small table, from which we enjoyed extended views to the north-east and south-west, we found a col lying between it and the mass of the mountain crowned by the summit—our goal,—and owing to the treacherous condition of the snow, the very crest of this col, sharp as it was, had to be followed. Fortunately it was not more than forty feet across, for even with the confidence which the rope inspired, it was far from pleasant with such uncertain footing, either to look down upon the precipitous snow-field to the one side, or at the short and hardly less steep slide terminating at the edge of a perpendicular rock wall, on the other. From this point the ascent was more rapid, and no further difficulty was experienced until we arrived at the edge of a snow-field leading to a saddle about 150 feet below the summit. From the earnest conversation of the guides, held in their own language, which I did not understand, it was evident they feared that the snow might avalanche if an attempt were made to cross it. Consequently, we kept close to the wall marking the western edge of this field, and by clinging to projections from the rock and cutting steps in the bergschrund when opportunity offered, we climbed the steepest part of the slope and then quickly made our way to the saddle.

Upon rounding a bastion at the point where we came to the edge of the snow-field, just referred to, it was evident that we should succeed in getting to the top, but from the saddle itself we had our first view of