Page:The Selkirk mountains (1912).djvu/53

Rh Patches of red snow of the Arctic regions are frequently seen on the Asulkan Névé and in many other places in the Selkirks. Professor Tohn Macoun, Dominion Botanist, says concerning it:—"It is not of rare occurrence high up in the mountains, but is seldom noticed, as it is most often green and only discolours snow. It is a unicellular plant, an alga, related to the sea-weeds and belongs to the lowest form of plant life. The scientific name is Protoccus nivalis (red snow). It grows on the surface of the snow and is only a state of the species named Protococcus Viridus, because it is green. The plant is most frequently seen as green slime on trees, old boards, etc."

Asulkan Pass—Name: By W. S. Green, with reference to Asulkan Valley and Glacier.

Altitude: 7,710 ft.

Location: The divide leading from Asulkan Valley basin to the Valley of the Geikie Glacier and Creek.

Distance: 5 miles from Glacier House; 1 mile from the foot of the Asulkan Glacier. Novices on ice and snow require a guide.

Time required: 3½ to 4 hours.

View: From the crest of the Pass the view is magnificent. To the left rises Mt. Fox, the summit a blunted cone partly covered by snow. Upon the side directly opposite, two hanging glaciers send their fragments to the ice-river below. Over the outline of Mt. Fox is seen the long drawn-out mass of Mt. Dawson with jagged rock-edges outcropping from perpetual snows only to be buried in clouds that almost continuously wrap it round. Looking still to the left, the white crest of Mt. Selwyn is just seen. To the right of Mt. Dawson, quite alone stands the sharp cone of Mt. Donkin, a huge natural observatory. Between is the snow-mantled Donkin Pass; and at their base the Dawson and Donkin Glaciers flow together. Directly below the Asulkan Pass flows the Geikie Glacier, an ice-river forming the main outlet of the Illecillewaet Névé on the south. The descent to it is 2,800 ft., the upper portion, over shale, snow and grassy slopes; the lower, down steep cliffs with projecting, sharp rock edges, that cut like a knife. The grass-land abounds in many varieties of alpine flora, and during the summer months is gay with bloom. As indicated by the name Asulkan (Indian for wild goat), the mountain goat (Haplocerus montanus) frequents the slopes on the south side of the pass and is occasionally seen.

Asulkan Ridge—Name: By the Topographical Survey.

Greatest altitude: 9,329 ft.

Location: On the east side of Asulkan Brook; forms the west limit of the Illecillewaet Névé. Glacier Crest (7,419 ft.) and Mt. Lookout (8,219 ft.) are at the north extremity of the ridge, and the Snow Dome (the point of greatest elevation) is at the south extremity, the latter forming the divide between the two Névés. A splendid mountaineering expedition may be obtained by a traverse of the ridge, beginning with Glacier Crest and terminating at the Snow Dome, returning via the Asulkan Glacier or Illecillewaet Glacier and the regular trails.

Time: A full day is required and a guide is necessary.

Augustine Peak—Name: By the Topographical Survey.

Altitude: 10,762 ft.