Page:The Selkirk mountains (1912).djvu/99

Rh Purity Mountain—Name: By H. W. Topham who saw it from the Donkin Pass, a pure white cone shrouded in snow from base to summit.

Altitude: 10,457 feet.

Location: Most westerly peak of the Purity Range, situated between the headwaters of Van Horne Brook and Battle Creek.

First Ascent: By Messrs. Huber, Topham and Forster in 1890.

Route: Reached from Glacier House via the Asulkan trail and Pass. Geikie Glacier, Dawson Moraine, Donkin Glacier and Pass to a camp on Mitre Creek a short distance below Bishop's Glacier. The route from this rendezvous: cross the end of Bishop's Range to the stream from Black Glacier; then ascend to the most westerly glacier from Mt. Purity, follow its edge and ascend the steep snow-slopes to the summit.

Time required: From camp and return, a full day: from Glacier House. 3 days with 2 nights on Mitre Creek. The climb is chiefly ice and snow. Unless experienced in climbing, a guide is necessary.

View: Mt. Purity is a prominent and very attractive peak, isolated, pure white and shapely, rising out of snow fields as white. It is the pivotal peak of the vicinity and is surrounded on all sides by névés, no less than six glaciers radiating from it, the principal being Van Horne, Purity and the western Battle Glacier. Owing to its isolated position, the views are many and varied and magnificent, including such prospects as the amphitheatre of the Battle Glaciers, the Van Horne Névé and Glacier, Mt. McBean; and, across the Bishop's Range, the snowy heights of Mt. Bonney and the many glaciers flowing from its southern face. On every side there is a wilderness of snow and ice above the rich green forests of the valleys.

Purity Glacier and Pass—Name: In relation to Mt. Puritv.

Altitude: 6.800—9,200 feet at summit of the Pass.

Location: The glacier lies north and the pass north-east of the peak.

Route: The ascent is made from the valley of the stream flowing from Black Glacier by the moraine of the glacier lying east of the great north-west shoulder of the mountain. The pass is of snow and leads to the head of the western Battle Glacier.

Time required: 4 hours from a camp on Mitre Creek to the summit of the pass.

Rampart, The—Name: By Messrs. Abbott, Fay and Thompson with reference to its great rock-escarpment, rising sheer above the Asulkan Vallev.

Altitude: 8,476 feet.

Location: It constitutes part of the western wall of the Asulkan Valley between Mt. Afton and the Dome.

First Ascent: By Messrs. Abbott, Fay and Thompson in 1895.

Route: Reached from Glacier House by Mt. Abbott trail, the Abbott Ridge, and a traverse along the north and west slopes of Mt. Afton, rising gradually to the summit of the peak.

Time required: 4 hours. Novices require a guide.

View: From the snow col between the highest point of Mt. Abbott and Mt. Afton there is a fine view of the Rampart. Prof. Fay says of it: "From where we sat, the black unassailable precipices of that portion of the ridge resembled in form and shape