Page:Canadian Alpine Journal I, 2.djvu/18

200 though we might be able to work our way up. For about forty or fifty feet we had little difficulty, but beyond that the way was absolutely blocked by the steepness of the rock and its utter lack of hand-holds and foot-holds. For fully an hour the guide struggled at this point. Finally one of the party braced himself and allowed Edouard to climb upon his shoulders in the hope that the advantage thus gained would reveal new possibilities. But the effort was useless and we were reluctantly forced to retreat.

It was now suggested that we try to work our way up the walls of the huge crack at a point farther in where it was not as wide, but upon examination we found these walls covered with ice and the hope of getting up here was quickly dispelled. Then began a more careful examination; but, after reconnoitering to right and left we found no place where there was the slightest possibility of ascending, so returned to the fissure once more. For upwards of an hour we redoubled our efforts at this point, but all to no effect, and finally decided unanimously that we were defeated. Mr. Forde's experience at this point follows: "The foot of the wall was traversed on a small ledge for several hundred feet easterly, along the side of the mountain, above the Valley of the Ten Peaks, but further progress was barred by the ledge ending suddenly. As no place was found at which it was possible to attempt to get higher, the climbers retraced their steps to the shoulder mentioned before and continued around the face of the wall towards Paradise Valley. Here again no practicable route to the top was found, the only place that seemed at all likely to be feasible being a narrow crevice in the face of the wall. This crevice looked anything but promising, but as it was the only chance left, it was attempted and some progress made by pressing the elbows and knees against the sides and working up a few inches at a move. About fifty feet from the bottom of the crevice it widened out to six or eight feet. As the walls were smooth and perpendicular, and the