M SUy3t^-J^J .ci.A'^^ Toronto Public Library. Reference Department. THE ROOM. THI.S BOOK MUST NOT BE TAKEN OUT OF Ap.- ^^cro:^':^- Oknalnian xm Journal PUBLISHED BY THE ALPINE CLUB OF CANADA HEADQUARTERS BANFF. ALBERTA. Volume II L price one dollar CANADIAN ALPINE JOURNAL PUBUSHEU BY THE >••• Alpine Club of Canada. 1911 Printed by Stovel Co., Winnipeg, Man. ^ 'b li^ S, THE ALPINE CLUB OF CANADA Officers for 1910-1912 Hon. President Sir Sandford Fleming, K.C.M.G., Ottawa, Out. President A. P. Coleman, F.R.S., Toronto, Ont. Vice-Presidents J. D. Patterson, A.C, Woodstock, Ontario M. P. Bridgland, Calgary, Alta. Hon. Secretary Mrs. J. W. Henshaw, Vancouver, B.C. Hon. Treasurer E. M. Saunders, Calgary, Alta. Director A. O. Wheeler, A.C, F.R.G.S., Sidney, B.C. Secretary Treasurer S. H. Mitchell, Sidney, B.C. Advisers F. Yeigh, Toronto, Ont. S. L. Jones, Calgary, Alta. Rev. G. B. Kinney, Keremeos, B.C. Local Committees Toronto A. P. Coleman, F.R.S. Chairman C. B. SissoNS, Victoria College, Secretary Winnipeg A. C. Galt, K.C, Ch ail-man Calgary S. L. Jones, Chairman A. B. Ballentine, Box 1127, Secretary Vancouver D. N. McTavish, Chairman C. H. GiLLis, Box 490, Secretary New York F. W. Freeborn, Chairman Benj. F. Seaver, 111 Pierrepont St., Brooklyn, Secretary London, England J. Norman Collir, F.R.S., Chairman A. L. Mumm, 4 Hyde Park St., London W., Secretary . CANADIAN ALPINE JOURNAL The Publishing Committee is not responsible for statements made by contributors to the Canadian Alpine Journal. MOUNTAINEERING SECTION An Expedition to the Freshfield Group. By J. E. C. Eaton 1 First Ascent of Mt. Hammond. By Charles D. Ellis 14 Across the Purcell Range of British Columbia. By T. G. Longstaff 26 Two First Ascents in the Rockies. By J. W. A. Hickson: Mt. Douglas 40 Mt. Quadra 52 Expedition to Mt. McKinley. By Herschel C. Parker and Bel- more Browne 57 Mt. Sugarloaf ; a Solitary Glacier Climb. By W. D. Holway ... 80 SCIENTIFIC SECTION Mountain Sickness and its Probable Causes. By T. G. Longstaff 84 Fish of the Eastern Slopes of the Rockies. By Euston Sisley. 113 Fish of the Western Slopes of the Rockies. By John Macovm 117 A Note on the Geology of the Selkirk Mountains. By A. P. Coleman 119 The Origin and History of the Selkirks. By E. M. Burwash ... 121 Motion of the Yoho Glacier. By Arthur O. Wheeler 123 Observations on Glaciers in 1910. By Mary M. Vaux 127 Botanical Notes Haunts of the Wild Flowers of the Canadian Rockies. By Mary T. S. Schaffer 131 Western Dogwood. By Julia W. Henshaw MISCELLANEOUS SECTION Consolation Valley Annual Camp, 1910. By A. C. Gait 137 The Upper Columbia. By Elizabeth Parker 147 Up the Bow and Down the Yoho. By B. S. Darling 157 In Memoriam Dr. A. L. Kendall 172 Alpine Club Notes Exploration in the Yellowhead 173 Attempts on Mt. Sir Sandford 173 Mount Baker 174 Mount Assiniboine 174 Mt. Tupper 175 Mt. Garibaldi 175 Grand Mountain 176 Corrigendum 176 Reviews Swiss Mountain Climbs. By Val. A. Fynn 177 OFFICIAL SECTION Report of the Director 179 Library Report 186 Report of 1910 Camp 188 Statement of Treasurer 197 Ck)pies of the Canadian Alpine Journal can be obtained from the Secretary -Treasurer, S. H. Mitchell, Sidney, Vancouver Island, B.C. CANADIAN ALPINE JOURNAL PUBI^ISHED BY Vol. III. THE ALPINE CLUB OF CANADA MOUNTAINEERING SECTION. AN EXPEDITION TO THE FRESHFIELD GROUP. By J. E. C. Eaton. It was at the suggestion of my trusty guide Heinrich Burgener, that I decided to make an expedition to the Canadian Rockies in 1910. My ignorance of the Rockies and of the conditions and requisites for travelHng therein was complete, but the kindness and hospitality which had been shown to members of the Alpine Club (London) by the Alpine Club of Canada encouraged me to apply for information, and not only was this furnished to me in a most practical and useful form, but Mr. Wheeler's letters conveyed an assurance of a most cordial welcome at Banfif and a kind invitation to the annual camp. This latter I was unfortunately unable to accept, as I wished to reach some moderately remote group. 2 Canadian Alpine Journal. My party consisted of an Italian cousin of mine, Heinrich Burgener, and myself. Dr. Collie, who crossed the Atlantic on the same ship, suggested the Freshfield Group to me as one that was comparatively accessible, and yet rich in unclimbed peaks, and most kindly gave me his map of that and other groups lying to the north of Field. On our arrival at Banff, where we met Mr. Mitchell, we made our way up to the Club House by a lovely path through the woods, and were delighted with the beauty of the situation, while nothing could exceed the kindness with which we were received. In fact, I must say that throughout this journey everyone was most good to us, and I am only too anxious to return to Canada again. We now definitely decided on the Freshfield Group, and our first stage was to Lake Louise, whence on the same afternoon we caught a train which took us to Field in time for dinner. An interview with John Otto fol- lowed, with whom I had already been in correspondence, and it was arranged that we should start from Field on Friday, July 15th. Our outfit from England, about the bulk of which I had had some misgivings, was pro- nounced by Otto to be reasonable, to my great relief. Thursday the 14th we spent lazily in the morning and busily in the afternoon, unpacking and arranging the outfit. On this day we met Bruce Otto, John's brother, who was to accompany us as packer, and I do not think the British Empire contains a better fellow. Our party was probably the most varied in nationality that has ever gone out in the Rockies, consisting as it did of an Italian, a Swiss, an American (the cook), a Canadian and an Englishman. The two former had little or no English, while the next two had nothing but English, so that the interpreter's ofifice was no sinecure. On the 15th the weather was fairly good and we started at 10.40 a.m., the party consisting of Heinrich, An Expedition to the Freshfield Group. 3 my cousin, Bruce Otto, myself and ten ponies. After crossing the Kicking Horse River by the bridge and riding for a couple of miles along a good road (which leads, I believe, to Emerald Lake) w^e turned to the left into the forest, on a trail. We soon came to a steeper path than I had ever ridden down before, but cayuses seem to be differently built from other horses, and ours negotiated the steep bit beautifully. The saddles also were admirably adapted for their purpose. We now crossed Emerald Creek, and soon came to a place where we decided to camp, although it was only about four miles out, so that Bruce might return to Field and get some fishing tackle and other things which had been for- gotten. We spent a peaceful afternoon after pitching the tent and lunching, while a slight shower led us to dig a trench round the tent with our axes. After supper, we heard with much pleasure and, of course, the requisite amount of credulity, a story of a man who fell into an ice stream, and was so numbed that he had to chew the reins through, in order to get free. On the 16th of July, after breakfasting sumptuously, we started at 9.10 in a N. W. direction, through the forest. Crossing a creek by a bridge, we next walked up a steep path, and then going alternately up and down hill, we entered the valley of the North Fork (v. Collie's map). Camp was pitched near some burnt timber, on the right bank of the stream. We were pretty stiff after a seven hours ride, and some members of the party promptly withdrew with some grease. A little fishing was attended with fair success, but the tortures inflicted by the mosquitoes were indescribable. The creek rose somewhat in the evening, owing to a storm to the north of us. A little rain fell in the night. On the 17th we got under weigh about noon. The trail was very rough to-day. After crossing the river several times, we reached Baker's Pass at about 3 p.m. and camped about 200 feet below it on the north side. 4 Canadian Alpine Journal. July the 18th was a lovely day. We started at 10.40 and rose to a height of about 7400 ft. because bluffs prevent progress in the valley, and from here we had a beautiful view^ of Mt. Mummery, some of the Freshfield Group and Mt. Sir Sandford. The trail now dropped very steeply for about 3,000 ft., but we had no trouble until we came to the Trapper's Creek, which was the worst we had to cross on the whole expedition. The bottom was very bad, and the current was swift and quite sufficiently deep. However, Bruce on Snowball, his excellent pony, led across, and the rest of the outfit fol- lowed without mishap. A further descent now brought us into the Blaeberry Valley, and, passing a trapper's cabin, we ascended the left bank of the Blaeberry River for some distance, and then crossed it to camp. The water was deeper than in the Trapper's Creek, but the bottom was good.