Page:Canadian Alpine Journal I, 2.djvu/208

316 watershed is locally known as Wilcox Pass. Before reaching this spot much rainy and bad weather had been encountered and it now climaxed in a wild snow-storm.

Descending from the Wilcox Pass by the valley of the Sun Wapta, over widespread shingle and mud flats and by trails badly obstructed by dead-fall or almost obscured by the growth of the young jack-pine, the main stream of the Athabaska was reached. This stream was followed to the junction of Miette River, the party being considerably delayed by brulé and second growth.

After a vain search for a ferry, which it was reported would be found near the mouth of the Miette, the Athabaska was crossed by rafting. Now ascending the Miette to its source in Yellow-Head Lake, the pass was traversed and the headwaters of the Fraser River followed to Moose Lake. Continuing down the Fraser, at the junction of the Grand Fork the party obtained the first view of the "imperial mountain of our aspiration: one vast, lone, snow-clad, cloud-capped peak, wrapped in the solitude of centuries."

A day was spent seeking a short route from the Fraser to a tree-line camp on the flanks of the mountain. In the end, however, a path had to be cut, by dint of much chopping, up the Grand Fork, with traces of an old-time trail for guidance; but so sinuous and rough that it was with great difficulty pack-ponies could be taken over it to a camp beside the rushing torrent at the base of the mountain.

Two more days were spent searching for a route of ascent; and when, at length, the party had with great difficulty established a camp at timber-line, snow covered the ground and was still falling. Next morning it was so deep that the impossibility of an ascent within the limit of the time at its disposal was recognized and the party was compelled to admit defeat. It was doubtful if the heavy snow-fall would permit of an attempt being made, even if it had been possible to wait for an oppor-