Page:Canadian Alpine Journal I, 2.djvu/25

Rh of smooth rock, about 60 feet high, which apparently could be ascended only through a perpendicular chimney affording no hand-holds except at its base, and having an overhanging rock near its top. Feuz Jr. had already been this far in July 1907 with a small party; and had been obliged to turn back.

"It was now about 10.15 o'clock. The weather though fairly clear, had turned unpleasantly cold, and there were heavy clouds moving from the west with a high wind. After taking some refreshment the guides suggested that they should first try the chimney, in regard to the feasibility of which I was not at all hopeful. As the result of half an hour's work Feuz managed to ascend some 15 or 20 feet, but there was no prospect of getting further in this direction. We then explored both sides of the ledge to discover whether there was any way of working round the wall of rock and ascending to the summit from another side. We came to the conclusion, however, that what seemed to offer a possible means of circumvention was, on account of the fresh snow on the loose rocks, too dangerous to be worth the risk. The guides were strongly opposed to undertaking it. So we left the ridge very reluctantly about 12.30 o'clock with the intention of seeing something more of the mountain by descending on the opposite side to that along which we had come up. But, after getting down about a thousand feet, we were obliged, again owing to the condition of the snow, to ascend in order to resume our previous path. We reached camp at 4.40 p.m. It seems to me that it would be worth while trying this peak again only when it is completely dry, i.e., free of snow for 1,000 feet below the summit. Last summer was notoriously unfavorable for mountaineering, as fresh snow fell almost continuously after the beginning of August on all peaks over 8000 feet."

Defeat does not always mean lack of pleasure, for in mountain climbing (as in most other things) the very