The Selkirk Mountains : a Guide for Mountain Climbers and Pilgrims
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J Presentee) to ^be Xibrar^ of tbe xaniversit^ of Toronto bs Her"bert B. Sampson, K,C, Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2011 with funding from University of Toronto http://www.archive.org/details/selkirkmountainsOOwhee THE Selkirk Mountains A Guide for Mountain Climbers and Pilgrims Information by A. O. WHEELER, F.R.G.S., A.C.C., A.C., A.A.C. vo A- Stovel Company, Engravers, Lithographers and Printers, Winnipeg, Man. Arthur O. Wheeler, First President of Alpine Club — CONTENTS Foreword—A. 0. Wlieeler Page 1 One Word More—Elizabeth Parker 2 The Snowy Selkirks—Elizabeth Parker 3-5 CHAPTER I. The Rocky Mountain System—The Selkirks—Early Explorers Later Histor}'—The Railway—Discovery of Rogers Pass—An Alpine Club—Members of British Association Visit the Selkirks, (1884) —Result of Completion of Railway—Government Surveys (1886) —First Scientific Observations of Illecillewaet Glacier Topographical Survey by William Spotswood Green—The Alpine Club, England, and the Swiss Alpine Club—The Appalachian Mountain Club—Triangulation of Railway Belt—Subsequent Mountaineering Pages 6-32 CHAPTER n. Peaks, Passes and Valleys Reached from Glacier—Glacier Park Swiss Guides—Glacier House—Outfits and Ponies—Places and Peaks of Interest Alphabetically Arranged 33-104 CHAPTER m. The Caves of Cheops (Xakimu Caves) —the Valley of the Caves The Approach to the Caves—Formation and Structure—Descrip- tion of Caves—The Mill Bridge Series—The Gorge Series—The Judgment Hall 106-117 CHAPTER IV. •Golden and the Country of the Upper Columbia—Along the Columbia River between Golden and Beavermouth are Several Points of Interest—the Upper Columbia—Travel by Waterway on the Upper Columbia 119-135 CHAPTER V. "The Dogtooth Mountains—Spillimacheen Mountains—Some unknown trails between Golden and Glacier 136-141 CHAPTER VI. Revelstoke—the Arrow Lakes 142-149 CHAPTER VII. Glaciers of the Selkirks—^A Note on the Geology of the Selkirk Mountains—The Snow-Sheds of the Selkirks 150-155 CHAPTER VIII. The Alpine Club of Canada 156-164 CHAPTER IX. Vegetation in the Selkirks—Conspicuous Plants in the Selkirks— Beasts, Birds and Fish 166-177 CHAPTER X. Clothing and Equipment—Rules for the Rope 178-180 APPENDIX. A. Glossary of Mountaineering Terms 182-186 B. Extracts from Game Laws (B. C.) 186-187 C. Park Regulations 187-189 D. Bibliography 190-191 E. Index 192-198 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. 1. Arthur O. Wheelei, First Pres.. of Alpine Club. .(Frontispiece) 2. Ml . Walter IMoberly, C. E 17 3. Topographical Survej-ors taking their instruments up a mountain 18 4. Edward Fcuz of Interlaken 26 5. Fritz 32 6. Sho%\nng Loop from Mt. Cougar, Sir Don? Id and Mt. Ava- lanche on left (A. O. Whttler) 34 7. Glacier House (I. X. Austin) 34 8. Panorama looking south from summit of Mt. Dawson, (A. O. Wheeler) 58 9. Selkirks above the clouds from Bald Mt. (A. O. Wheeler).. 45 10. Mt. Sir Donald from Bald Mt. an unfamiliar side of Sir Donald 45 11. Panorama from Mt. Abbott (H, Chapman) 30 12. The Raceway and Flume. Caves of Cheops 57 13. View^ down Cougar Low'er Valley, (M. P. Biidgland) 57 14. Miss Canada (C. P. R. Co.) 63 15. Mt. Lookout and lUecillewaet Icefall 70 16. Cougar Valley showing Sir Donald (A. O. Wheeler) 70 17. F. W. Freeborn on Snowcap 75 18. A well-known climber; V. A. Fynn, ready to climb 75 19. On the Asulkan Trail (G and W. S. Vaux Jr.) 81 20. Mt. Cheops and Napoleon (A. O. Wheeler) 81 21. Mt. Purity from Donkin Pass (A. O. Wheeler) 84 22. Battle Glaciers (E. W. D. Holway) 84 23. Swiss guides in A. C. C. camp (Byron Harmon) 88 24. A. C. C. at work Rogers Pass Camp 88 25. Miss Canada and Swiss Guide Crossing Couloir of Sir Don- ald (F. W. Freeborn) 93 26. Falls, Asulkan Valley (J. N. Austin) 93 27. E. O. Wheeler, R. E 100 28. A. C. C. Cooks in camp 105 29. After a week's climbing, nailed boots (P. D. McTavish) .... 105 30. Marble markings. Interiorof Caves of Cheops (A. O. Wheel- (t) 110 31. Goat Falls disappearing into Caves. (H. G. Whetler) 110 32. Where Cougar brook first disappears below surface. (M. P. Bridgland) 114 33. Upper Cougai Valley (A. O. Whe( ler) 114 . List of Illustrations 34. Exit T. Cougar Brook from Mill Bridge, (M. P. Bridgland). 118- 35. Looking dowTi Cougai Brook from Pt. Lockout, (A. O. Wheeler) 11& 36. Evcmng on the Upper Columbia River (M. C. Hickson). 120 37. Smoking Room, Club Hou.se (B. Harmon) 122 38. A glacier of the Windermere country showing medial moraine (E. W. Harnden) 131 39. View of Tol>y Glaciei and Toby Mt. from Earl Grey Pass (E. W. Harnden) 131 40. Mt. Hammond (E. W. Harnden) 134 41. On Canyon Creek Trail 141 42. An annual meeting A. C. C. (F. W. Freeborn) 141 43. The Club House, Banff (B. Harmon) ] 4:-l 44. IlleciUewaet Canyon (R. R. Copeland) 143 45. Goat's Btard {Spirala Aruncus) Mrs. J. W. Henshaw 148 46. IlleciUewaet Glacier. Black line on the rock shows where the ice rested in 1887 (I. N. Austin) 152 47. Tongue of the IlleciUewaet Glacier (Geo. Vaux Jr.) 152 48. A. C. C. around the camp fire (Byror Harmon) 158 49. Five o'clock in the morning Climbing orders 101 50. A. C. C. guide and Miss Canada (D. Warner) 161 51 A corner of the Club House giving glimpse of the Bow Valley and mountains beyond (B. Harmon) 165 52. Prof. John Macoun, F. L. S. F. R. S. C 169 53. Yellow Adder's Tongue (Erylhronium gigantium) (Mrs. J. W. Henshaw) 171 54. White-floweied Rhododendron (Mrs. J. W . Henshaw) 171 55. Black Bear 175 56. The Hoary Marmot or Whistler. A baby captured in camp (M. P. Bridgland) 175 57. An Interior. The Assembly Room (B. Harmon) 177 58. A denizen of Cougar Valley (F. Simpson) 179 59. One of the best known Selkirk Animals (Byron Harmon) . 179 Maps. 1. Caves of Cheops (A. O. Wheeler) 112 2. C.P.R. Profile map 144 3. Map of IlleciUewaet Glacier (W. S. Vaux) 150 4. Portion of Upper Columbia (C. D. Ellis) 128 5. Selkirk Range (A. O. Wheeler) at end of book 6. Dogtooth Range 138 FOREWORD The accompanying Guide to The Selkirk ^lountains centralises around Glacier House, the most delightful of all the delightful sum- mer mountain resorts of the Canadian Pacific Railway. It is situ- ated on tlie western slopes, three miles from the crossing of the Summit, and the information given is here fairly complete. Outside this centre the book touches the districts of Golden, Windermere and Revelstoke, but in such localities the moimtain areas are as yet little known, few of the topographical featiu-es are named and there are no maps of the slightest use to the mountain-pilgrim. The information dealing with the Glacier section is, for the most part, obtained from photo-topographical surveys made by the writer during the years 1901, 1902 and 1905, augmented by subsequent information gathered for the purposes of the Alpine Club of Canada. The text is written by Mrs. H. J. Parker, of Winnipeg, who has collaborated with me in presenting the book to the public in its present form. To her earnest collaboration, hard work and gifted pen any success that may attend the publication is altogether due. It is hoped that the Guide will be of use to the mountaineer, and may enable the general public to enjoy more readily the unique alpine beauties of these white-shrouded peaks, mighty ice-falls and hazy blue valleys, where wild glacial torrents foam through prime- val forests and silver falls leap down precipices from the snows above. We have received much kind assistance from various persons who have truly at heart the best welfare of this very real wonder- land, and to whom we now wish to convey publicly our most grateful thanks. They are for illustration to Byron Harmon, of Banff; Miss M. Vaux and Mrs. Charles SchaflFer, of Philadelphia; Howard Chapman and Ivor X. Austin, of Victoria, B.C.: for latest information of trails and facilities for minor expeditions to S. H. Baker, of Banff. Concerning the vicinity of Revelstoke, .J. P. Forde and Rupert W. Haggen have furnished information. In the Golden and Windermere districts we are indebted to Miss C. DA. Lang, of Golden, who has gathered information from the local guides and outfitters and at much trouble put it in tangible form; to Charles D. Ellis, of Ellenvale Ranch, B. G. Hamilton of Wilmer and H. E. Forster, Firlands; while the illustra- tions are due to the camera of E. W. Hamden of Boston. The Geological Xote is by Prof. A. P. Coleman, President of the Alpine Club of Canada. The botanical notes and accompanying illustrations are by Mrs. J. W. Henshaw. of Vancouver, authoress of "Mountain Wild Flowers of Canada." Notes on trees and flowers, on the animals, birds, and fish are from Professor .John Macoun, Dominion Naturalist. To one and all of these public benefactors we tender our most sincere thanks for their great kindness. On board Steamer "Venture" going North. April 30th, 1911. Arthur 0. Wheeler. Guide to The Selkirk Mountains. "ONE WORD MORE." hisbook-'Th^ «,??, »""''" '""S "'"^ ">« •'"'ii and studied *vueeiers inian to these moun- tans Whpn tVio .ricu^^ i Conceniing those sections dealing with Golden and tt.P a^J^^ mere Country, and with Rcnelstoke and its re'L ft / nn/^^^'^ ELIZABETH PARKER. Winmpeg, May 17, 1911. The Snowy Selkirks.