Page:Canadian Alpine Journal I, 2.djvu/237

Rh

A number of expeditions were arranged daily, and two auxiliary camps placed at outside points: one at Lake O'Hara and one at Moraine Lake.

Chief among the expeditions was that encircling Mts. Lefroy, Ringrose and Hungabee. The route was a full twenty miles in length and occupied two days. It crossed five mountain passes—the Mitre, Abbot, Opabin, Wenkchemna and Sentinel; and traversed five glaciers—the Lefroy, Victoria, Opabin, Wenkchemna and Horseshoe. It was distinctly strenuous and presented some good phases of mountaineering while crossing the passes and traversing the glaciers. A half-way stop was made at the O'Hara Camp. An account of this expedition will be found in another part of the Journal, entitled "Expedition to Lake O'Hara." Four such expeditions started from the Camp and returned safely, sometimes reversing the order of route and going by the Wastach Pass.

A favorite but less strenuous expedition was the encircling of Mt. Temple, via the Sentinel or Wastach Passes—the former between Mts. Temple and Pinnacle and the latter between Eiffel Peak and Mt. Hungabee—and the Valley of the Ten Peaks. A night could be spent, if desired, at the Camp placed at the foot of Moraine Lake, and the following day the expedition extended up Consolation Valley and a visit paid to the two beautiful lakelets near its head, the upper one distinctly a glacial lake. The bright sunshine bringing out the golden yellow of the meadows, for spring had hardly commenced here, the deep green of the surrounding pine forest, the dark grey rock and the white snow, with the reflection of the surrounding peaks intensified in the placid surface of the lakes, made this minor expedition one of very great delight during the fine weather of the Camp. The Moraine Lake Camp was reached from both directions: those who were not ardent mountain-climbers going by trail and then returning via Larch Valley and Sentinel Pass, or, proceeding up the Valley of the Ten Peaks, by the Wastach Pass, or simply returning by trail as they had gone.

There were a number of minor one-day expeditions in the valley itself: (1) To Lake Annette, perched at timber-line on the western slopes of Mt. Temple, a lakelet of brilliant green, most beautifully picturesque in its surroundings. The expedition was a great favorite. (2) To the Horseshoe Glacier at the head of the valley. It is to be regretted that, owing to the heavy snowfall of the previous winter, the entire surface of the ice was covered and in consequence the usual interesting features of a glacier were hidden. The covering of snow also prevented observations for advance or retreat being initiated, as had been intended. Notwithstanding this, the visitors to the Camp seemed to like going up on the neve to enjoy the delights of glissading down the steep stretches of the forefoot. Two or more parties would be sent out daily. (3) Not far from the Camp were the "Giant's Stairs," where the western branch of Paradise Creek leaps wildly down ledges of rock so symmetrically carved out that, when the stream is at a low stage, the bed at this place looks like a gigantic stairway. During the period of the Camp