Mount Robson, the Highest Point in the Rockies Author(s): A. P. Coleman Source: The Geographical Journal, Vol. 36, No. 1 (Jul., 1910), pp. 57-63 Published by: geographicalj Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/1777653 Accessed: 10-05-2016 13:21 UTC

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This content downloaded from 132.203.227.61 on Tue, 10 May 2016 13:21:37 UTC All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms MOUNT ROBSON, THE HIGHEST POINT IN THE . 57 light in his very remarkable expedition, largely into a new country and among tribes hitherto practically unknown. : I will bring this discussion to a close by thanking in your name, as I am certain I may, Mr. Torday most heartily for his interesting lecture. He has been thanked by several experts, and it is the thanks of such experts as those who have spoken which are really worth having. All we can do is to thoroughly associate ourselves with these expressions of commendation on the results of his work. Mr. TORDAY: I think I can give Dr. Haddon a satisfactory explanation of the reasons which have caused so important a tribal movement as the emigration of the Bushongo nation. That family scandal, incest, caused the chief, Woto, to leave the country with a number of followers cannot be doubted, as the same story of incest, although in very different shapes, is found amongst several sub-tribes. The emigration of the main part of the people must be attributed to famine, for it is recorded in the legends that when they left the country, Woto's wife, Ipopa, " made medicine" that caused the crops to rot and the poultry to die. The native account states that the nation went to search for Woto, but this probably is an idealization of the real motive. I do not think that the other remarks require any reply. The only thing I have to do is to thank Sir HIarry Johnston, Dr. Haddon, and Mr. Balfour for their most interesting and obliging remarks.

MOUNT ROBSON, THE HIGHEST POINT IN THE CANADIAN ROCKIES.

By Prof. A. P. COLEMAN, F.R.S., University of Toronto.

THOUGH known and admired since the time of Milton and Cheadle in 1862, Mount Robson, the highest point in Southern Canada, had never been touched by the foot of a white man in 1906. The following year, at the suggestion of Mr. A. O. Wheeler, President of the Canadian Alpine Club, my brother, Mr. L. Q. Coleman, and I determined to attempt its ascent. Several routes were recommended to reach the mountain, the shortest being northward through the Rockies from Laggan on the Canadian Pacific railway, a distance of 180 miles, as measured on the maps available. It was chosen as having the addi- tional attraction of leading through splendid mountain scenery. The Rev. George KIinney joined our party, and with Jack Boker as packer and ten ponies we set out from Laggan on August 2, with hopes of reaching our quest in three weeks' time. The fates were adverse, however, and fathomless muskegs, miles of fallen timber, and vanish- ing trails, so delayed us that the was not reached until September 4, two weeks behind our time. We looked in vain from the bottom of the narrow Fraser valley for the giant Mount Robson, only a few miles away, but wonderfully hidden. It was not till we had rounded the mountain ridge which separates the

This content downloaded from 132.203.227.61 on Tue, 10 May 2016 13:21:37 UTC All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms 58 MOUNT ROBSON, THE HIGHEST POINT IN THE CANADIAN ROCKIES.

Fraser river from its tributary the Grand Forks, that the splendid peak rose before us 6 miles away at the head of the valley. Its 10,000 feet of visible altitude were inspiring, but also disquieting with their tremendous vertical cliffs. It was clear that we must come to close quarters and make a flank attack. Once more the axes rang vigorously, but it was September 11 before we had forced a way up the valley through terrible windfalls to a camp 2 miles from the foot of the mountain. There was no time to be lost, and with blankets and four or five days' supplies on our backs the three of us set out, leaving Boker to look after the horses. The Grand Forks river divides into two branches at the foot of Mount Robson, and we chose the western valley, passing beautiful Lake Kinney, and turning north into a marvellous amphitheatre walled with grim cliffs down which waterfalls plunged for more than 1000 feet. The cliffs looked hopeless for men loaded as we were, so we turned back and, passing a night by the lake, made a toilsome way up the precipitous canyon of the eastern branch. Meantime it had begun to rain, and before we had struggled to timber-line at about 6000 feet, sleet was falling, partly hiding a beautiful valley surrounded by wooded slopes and waterfalls. When we woke next morning in our camp under a sheltering spruce it was mid-winter, with everything blotted out except the nearer trees. The storm lasted two days longer, and at the end snow lay far down in the valley. It was evident that our chance was over, and on September 16 we turned back, with sad hearts, thoroughly beaten. On our retreat one of the half-starved ponies had to be killed, and four others were left behind crippled or exhausted. It seemed unwise to attempt to cross the snowy passes to Laggan so late in the season, and we made our way out to civilization by the much longer Edmonton trail, well beaten by the hundreds of pack-ponies bringing in supplies for the engineers of the Grand Trunk Pacific railway. Naturally we planned another attempt on Mount Robson during the winter, and set out this time from Edmonton about August 1, 1908, with John Yates as packer. He proved most resourceful and efficient. As we had decided to make our attack from the rear, by routes un- mapped and with no perceptible trail,we engaged Adolphus Moberly at Swifts on the upper Athabasca, to pilot us part way. Adolphus was an Iroquois half-breed who had hunted in the Robson region and was now arranging a hunting expedition in that quarter. His relatives, including women and children, were travelling with him, making a picturesque cavalcade, but causing much waste of time which we could ill spare. We turned off from the Fraser valley 25 miles above Grand Forks, following Moose river, an important tributary of the upper Fraser. The Moose plunges through a narrow canyon as a series of wild falls about a mile above its mouth, so Adolph led us over a mountain ridge

This content downloaded from 132.203.227.61 on Tue, 10 May 2016 13:21:37 UTC All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms MOUNT ROBSON FROM THE NORTH, AT 5700 FEET.

MOUNT ROBSON FROM THE SOUTH, AT 3000 FEET. (,qlcetch by A. P. Coleman.)

This content downloaded from 132.203.227.61 on Tue, 10 May 2016 13:21:37 UTC All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms CAMP AMIONG LAST BUSHES, 7000 FEET.

MOUNT ROBSON FROM THE NORTH-EAST, AT 7000 FEET.

This content downloaded from 132.203.227.61 on Tue, 10 May 2016 13:21:37 UTC All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms MOUNT ROBSON, THE HIGHEST POINT IN THE CANADIAN ROCKIES. 59 to the west, keeping away from the river for some miles. Our trail ran for 20 miles north-west, between low mountains, following the west branch of the river for this distance, and then turning east to a larger branch coming from the north.

CANSIAN MT ROB S ON REGION by PROF. A. P. COLEMAN

Scale : 400.000 or ! inch-6.31 StaX. Miles.

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Before the eastward turn was made a great glacier was to be seen about 6 miles away in the direction of Mount Robson. This seemed the shortest road to our goal, but Adolph advised the other valley. We were now in advance of the half-breed party, and on our way up

This content downloaded from 132.203.227.61 on Tue, 10 May 2016 13:21:37 UTC All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms 60 MOUNT ROBSON, THE HIGHEST POINT IN THE CANADIAN ROCKIES. the north fork of Moose river Adolph killed a caribou, and afterwards a goat 1500 feet up the mountain-side at our camp. He then informed us that his family needed meat, so that he must go back with the supply he had shot. He rode a little way on with two of our party to point out our route for next day, and then left us. The north fork of Moose river flows between mountains rising to heights of 8000 or 9000 feet, with a few small glaciers on each side. At its upper end the valley swings to the north-west, and rises to a long stony pass somewhat above timber-line (7000 feet), giving a fairly easy route to the eastern fork of the , a tributary of Peace river. To the north is a fine snowy peak, probably more than 10,000 feet high. After reaching the forks of Smoky river, we turned south, following up the main stream, which heads in the largest glacier on the flanks of Mount Robson. We had made a circuit of more than 40 miles to reach the north side of Mount Robson, less than 8 miles from last year's camp on the south side. It was now August 24, nearly a week later than we had hoped, the delay being partly due to our travelling with the party of half-breeds. Our teepee was pitched in a little grove of spruce, protected from the main glacier by a rocky hill, at a height of 5700 feet, so that we were well placed for climbing. It was ominous, however, that a heavy snow- storm met us on the first days and the weather showed no signs of clearing up, low clouds hiding all the upper parts of the mountains. Rain fell in the valley, and snow on the mountain-tops, every day till Sunday, August 30. As all the upper part of Robson was shrouded, giving no chance to choose a route for climbing, there was nothing to do but map our surroundings and get things ready for a start. Every morning I rose at 3.30 to look at the weather, and then turned in again when the upper part of Mount Robson was invisible. Our mapping included two beautiful lakes, Adolph, on the Smoky river side, and , on the Grand Forks side. We found that the river flowing from the main glacier close to our camp divided its waters between the two lakes, providing a curious geographical puzzle. Since the boundary between the provinces of Alberta and is formed by the watershed separating the eastward from the westward flowing rivers, the Smoky river territory belongs to Alberta and the Grand Forks territory to British Columbia. The question arises, Which part of the main glacier and of Mount Robson belongs to Alberta by reason of the part of its waters flowing into Lake Adolph ? Before this time it had been supposed that the whole group of mountains was within British Columbia. On Sunday fine weather came, with Robson rising clean and white nearly 8000 feet above us, but, following Mr. Kinney's wish, we did not climb. Oar hopes that the weather lhad permanently improved

This content downloaded from 132.203.227.61 on Tue, 10 May 2016 13:21:37 UTC All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms HANGING GLACIERS, NORTH-EAST FLANK OF MOUNT ROBSON.

ICE AVALANCHE, NORTH-EAST SIDE OF MOUNT ROBSON-

This content downloaded from 132.203.227.61 on Tue, 10 May 2016 13:21:37 UTC All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms GLACIAL STREAM WHICH DIVIDES ITS WATERS BETWEEN THE PACIFIC AND, ARCTIC OCEANS.

VIEW FROM 10,000 FEET ON MOUNT ROBSON.

This content downloaded from 132.203.227.61 on Tue, 10 May 2016 13:21:37 UTC All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms MOUNT ROBSON, THE HIGHEST POINT IN THE CANADIAN ROCKIES. 61 were dashed by rain on the teepee and clouds all above us on Monday morning. Our supplies were now getting very low, and we despatched Yates for more, expecting that he might have to go all the way to Swift's; but he returned the same evening with fresh and dried goat-meat, bought from our former guide Adolph, who was hunting only 15 miles away. The fresh meat was put in cold storage in a crevasse of the glacier, and from this on we lived mainly on goat-meat with very little bread or other food, except when Mr. Kinney shot grouse or ptarmigan with his revolver. On the morning of September 5 the mountain-top was clear at 3.30, and we set out for our climb, following up the main glacier for 2 miles south-east, and then turning south-west toward a shoulder of Mount Robson which had seemed feasible in our former reconnoitrings. Avalanches of ice kept falling from hanging glaciers firom time to time, forcing us farther south than we had intended, and we began our more serious climbing at noon on a slope of snow and ice with an inclination of about 50?. The slope became more difficult, with much step-cutting, and at 2 o'clock it was evident that we could not succeed by the route chosen. We turned back at a point a little above 10,000 feet. The next day was fine, but as it was Sunday we made no fresh attempt on the mountain, but prepared for Monday morning by making a temporary camp on a moraine 2 miles up the glacier, at an elevation of about 7000 feet. This would save us two hollurs of ice-work and 1300 feet of climbing for the next day. During the night a downpour of rain made our shelterless camp wretched, and next morning every- thing was hidden, and we returned to our main camp. Another night at 7000 feet, after a splendid sunset on September 8, ended with a blizzard in the morning, and we gave up hope of ascending Robson, as our supplies were very low, the last flour being baked into bannocks on the O10th. Mr. KIinney made a courageous attempt to climb the mountain alone on the west side, where rocks promised a better foot- ing than the ice and snow of the north-west side. He reached at least 10,000 feet, but was defeated by the usual snowstorm. We had expected to turn back on the 11th, but the day turned out fine and beguiled us into one more effort, so towards evening we camped again at 7000 feet, where the last bushes gave a little shelter and fuel. A brilliant night, with a harvest moon and marvellous dancing aurora borealis gleaming over the snowfields, prepared us for our last attempt. At this time in the autumn it was nearly five o'clock before there was light enough to start over the crevassed main glacier, though the mountain-top was glowing with delicate rose some time earlier. The late snow was partly crusted over, but our feet often crashed through, making walking heavy. We made our way up to the ice-fall, crossing the region swept by ice avalanches, and cut steps for several hundred

This content downloaded from 132.203.227.61 on Tue, 10 May 2016 13:21:37 UTC All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms 62 MOUNT ROBSON, TEE HIGHEST POINT IN THE CANADIAN ROCKIES. feet, up and around the huge blocks slipping from the hanging glacier, only to find ourselves caught in a trap by the opening up of impassable crevasses between the blocks. WVe picked our way down again, and, crossing several snow bridges, began cutting steps once more up a slope that required handholds as well as footholds. This route brought us to the top of the shoulder we had attempted in vain on the former climb. We were now at about 10,500 feet, and could look down on all but one of our neighbours. Our prospects now seemed good for reaching the top, though it was 3.30 and the sun had softened the deep snow, making the going very heavy. In an hour we were not far below the ridge running south-west from the main peak, when a bergschrund opened before us, 10 feet wide, here and there bridged with late snow, through which our ice-axes could be pushed, dislodging great masses. Without making a long and trying detour, we could not get roullnd the chasm. It was now nearly five, and we were in shadow. In about 2. hours it would be dark. To go on to the summlit would mean staying the night in the snow with no blankets or food. We had reached 11,300 feet, a little over 2000 feet below the top, and with no pleasant feelings made our way back, finally defeated. We descended about 1000 feet of steps with our face to the ice, then unroped and made a dash across a quarter of a mile of broken ice, some of which had thundered down a few moments before, traversed in the dusk the lower part of the main glacier, avoiding its crevasses, and crawled into our blankets for the last time at the high-level camp. We had been on snow and ice for almost fifteen hours without once setting foot on rock. Next morning, September 13, we returned to our main camp, and packed our ponies for the long journey to Edmonton. A last glimpse of Mount Robson showed its summit shrouded as usual with a grey cloud, from which snow was driving aloft and little spits of rain drifting into the valley. During our hurried return we planned for a third attempt in 1909, but Mr. Kinney was able to get off before it was possible for my brother and myself, and when we heard that he was on his way west from Edmonton early in July we gave up the idea. Mr. Kinney reports that, with a young engineer, he reached the summit on August 13, 1909, making his way round by the west shoulder of the mountain, where most of the work was rock-climbing. Later in the summer a party of distinguished British mountaineers made an attempt on Mount Robson. Like our party, they were too late for complete success. It is evident that this splendid mountain, the finest in the Canadian Rockies, has very unfavourable climatic conditions. It is on the west side of the Rockies, and faces the moist winds of the Pacific, with no lofty ranges between it and the sea, so that the summit is hidden by snow-clouds for days at a time.

This content downloaded from 132.203.227.61 on Tue, 10 May 2016 13:21:37 UTC All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms A REMARKABLE ARCTIC VOYAGE. 63

Mount Robson is a degree and a half farther north than the moun- tains along the Canadian Pacific, and snow-line and timber-line are lower by about 500 feet. There is no other peak south of Alaska which presents 7500 or 8000 feet of neve and glacier, such as one finds on the north side of Mount Robson.

A REMARKABLE ARCTIC VOYAGE.*

By Sir CLEMENTS R. MARIHAM, K.C.B., F.R.S.

AN important Arctic voyage was made in 1906, by the Canadian steam- ship Arctic (the former Gauss, built at Kiel, tonnage 650 (gross), 436 (net), H.P. 275, going 7 knots, 165 feet X 37 feet X 22 feet), under the command of Captain Bernier. It appears that the Parry Islands were ceded to the Dominion by the Imperial Government in 1880, and Captain Bernier was sent to assert Canadian sovereignty in the Arctic Regions. He made his way to Melville island and returned to Pond's bay in one season. PI'arry's first voyage is one of the most memorable on record, both for its extensive discoveries and because it was then that the great explorer organized the first modern Arctic winter. Parry was favoured with an extraordinarily open season. He crossed the entrance of Wellington channel on August 22, 1819, found a narrow lane of water between the land and the heavy ice-floes, and reached Melville island without a check on September 1. In the following year he left Melville island to return, on August 26, and passed down Lancaster sound on the 31st, ten days on the outward and five on the homeward voyage, the distance from Cape Warrender, at the entrance of Lancaster sound, to the south-east point of Melville island being 350 miles. Thirty years passed away before expeditions in search of Sir John Franklin entered the portals of Lancaster sound and attempted to follow the track of Parry. But all were stopped by an impenetrable ice-field extending from Cape Walker to Cornwallis island. It was on the edge of that ice that the present writer first made the acquaint- ance of Dr. Elisha Kent Kane: 1850 was a season which would allow neither sailing ship nor steamer to pass. But in 1852, the ice was more open. The Resolute and Intrepid left Beechey island on the 15th of August. They were detained for six days off Lowther island, but afterwards made their way to Melville island between the ice and land, always with heavy pack in the offing.

* Briefly noticed in Geographical Journal, January, 1907, p. 93. For Captain Bernier's later expedition, see Geographical Journal, January, 1910, p. 81.

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