Major, directly opposite the point where Cougar Brook disappears for the first time into the Caves of Cheops. Near the centre of Gopher Bridge—the roof of the first series of the Caves—the two streams meet and disappear in the ground, joining Cougar Brook in its first underground flow. The place of their ingress has been named the Gopher Hole. Gopher Bridge is so called from the number of Parry marmots (Spermohilus Parryii)—a little animal not unlike the prairie gopher—that have their homes there in burrows in the ground (See monograph on Caves of Cheops).
Grand Glaciers—Name: By Huber, Topham and Forster, on account of their spectacular appearance.
Altitude—5,000—10,500 feet.
Location: On the west side of Beaver River Valley, between Mt. Sugar Loaf, Grand Mt. and Deville Névé.
First Ascent: By Messrs. Huber, Topham and Forster in 1890.
Route: (1) From Glacier via Asulkan Valley and Pass, Dawson Moraine, Donkin Pass, Bishop's Glacier and Deville Névé.
Time required: Including return, 3 days with 2 nights' camp on Mitre Creek, below Donkin Pass. All outfit must be carried. (2) By Beaver River trail from Bear Creek Station. Time: 5 days. Requires camp outfit and ponies. To go by the first route, or on the ice of the glaciers, novices should take a guide.
The Grand Glaciers spring from separate sources on either side of a great isolated central mass of rock and snow and then flow side by side, divided only by a well defined medial moraine. The central mass has been named '"Grand Mountain." The glaciers are of exceptional interest, the northern one much broken and crevassed, showing wonderful'sêracs and icefalls. The huge mounds and terraces of snow, softly modulated in light and shadow, surrounding the upper extremities of their ice, are very beautiful. They are distinctly two of the finest glaciers of the entire range.
Grand Mountain—Name: By the Topographical Survey in relation to Grand Glaciers.
Altitude: 10,832 feet.
Location: On the west side of Beaver Valley between Beaver Overlook and Mt. Sugarloaf, at the head of the Grand Glaciers, which it divides by a long shoulder extending easterly. The well-marked medial moraine between the two ice-flows extends from the end of this shoulder.
First Ascent: By Messrs. Holway and Parker in 1910.
Route: Reached from the south end of Deville Nêvé by traversing westerly above the ice-fall: then ascending the south shoulder of Mt. Wheeler, and following the snow-ridge to the peak. Climb: snow and rock. (For route from Glacier see Grand Glaciers.)
Time required: 18 hours from a camp on Mitre Creek below Donkin Pass; 4 days from Glacier including return. It can most comfortably be made by Beaver River trail (See Grand Glaciers), and ascent of Grand Glaciers to Deville Nêvé. A guide is necessary unless skilled in mountain-work.
View: Magnificent views of Mt. Sugar Loaf, Purity Range, Battle Glaciers, Van Horne Snowfield. and snowfields and glaciers reaching westward as far as the eye can see. Eastward across Beaver Valley are the Spillimacheen Mountains.
