Page:Canadian Alpine Journal I, 2.djvu/52

This page has been proofread, but needs to be validated.
222
Canadian Alpine Journal

rock into our faces. A gentle breeze on the summit of the pass proved very welcome. We were now looking down the Valley of the Ten Peaks, ten snow peaks forming the right side of the valley.

From the lofty mountains of Oregon and Washington, the view lies all below, no rival near. From these different passes peaks lifting everywhere fairly bewilder one; and it makes it all the more impressive to realize that you are not far from the Great Divide, the source or fountainhead from which streams branch out to flow eventually into three different oceans. The descent into the valley would have been easy had the snow been firmer . We broke through repeatedly, sometimes waist deep. Three of our party soon left us to keep on down to Moraine Lake, a few miles away, where another side camp had been established. We ascended the left slope of the valley, and after a rather steep rock climb reached snow again and quickly made Wastash Pass, just west of Eiffel Peak, and looked into Paradise Valley.

We were now opposite the Mitre Pass, the first pass of the preceding day's tramp. We hurried down, enjoying several steep slides in the snow, and were soon retracing our way down the valley, making the main camp in time for supper; having seen more in two days than could be seen elsewhere in months, an expedition never to be forgotten.