The Rockies of Canada

Front matter

A

THE ROCKIES

CANADA rd

Preface

THE Rocky Mountains of Canada offer much to those who love the study of nature or enjoy the rougher life in camp with its attendant hunting and fishing or the exercise of mountain climbing. No other mountains in the world combine with greater charm the gentle beauty of placid lakes, of upland meadows gay with bright flowers, or the vast sweep of green forests, with the stern grandeur of rugged cliffs, snow fields, and magnificent peaks which are characteristic of these Canadian Alps.

The encouraging reception given to his previous work has led the author, after several seasons of exploration in this fascinating region, to rewrite and enlarge Camping in the Canadian Rockies. Since the appearance of that volume he has visited many new and interesting places and secured many photographs which should give a better idea of this new pleasure-ground. The commencement of serious climbing by travellers from this country with Swiss guides, and by several noted climbers from abroad, has furnished material for a separate chapter on "Mountaineering." Other special chapters are devoted to a discussion of " Camp Life," "Hunting and iv preface

Fishing," and of that very interesting tribe, the "Stony Indians."

The work is illustrated by photogravure and halftone plates from original photographs by the author. In books where natural scenery makes an important part, good photographs give a clearer idea of the country than word painting, however faithful, and with the knowledge of this fact no pains have been spared to get the best possible effect in every detail. The illustrations are selected from a large collection, and represent many toilsome climbs and foot journeys, made under the heavy and sometimes dangerous burden of a camera, when repeated visits to favoured spots year after year have not always met with success, and, owing to smoke of forest fires, or the accident of clouds and storm, there was often no reward for patient effort.

Two maps accompany the text ; one a special contour map which shows the details of the country near Lake Louise, and the other a general map of the Rocky Mountains compiled from all the best maps hitherto published, supplemented by several recent sketches.

The author wishes to make, in this place, grateful acknowledgment to all those who, by kind suggestion or valuable information, have made this work more complete than would have been otherwise possible.

W. D. W.

Washington, D. C, June, 1900.

Contents

I — The Rockies of Canada i

II — Lake Louise .

Ill — Its Environment .

Index

PHOTOGRAVURE ILLUSTRATIONS.

Page

Mount Assiniboine . . . Frontispiece

Banff Springs Hotel .

.

6 1

Bow River and Cascade Mountain

.

10 *"

Lake Louise and Mount Lefroy .

.

. 16

Lake Louise and Mount Victoria

. 28

Lake Agnes ....

In early July , 1895.

•

. 36

Discovery of Paradise Valley .

.

48 "

Mount Temple from the Saddle

.

Camp in Paradise Valley .

.

. 60

Mount Assiniboine .

.

. 82

Lake Aline ....

.

Bill Peyto

.

. 118

Camp at Little Fork Pass .

.

Mount Balfour

.

Upper Bow Lake ....

Looking south.

•

Upper Bow Lake

Looking west.

•

Source of the Little Fork of the Saski itchewan

River

.

Storm in Little Fork Valley

. 182 viii pbotogravure Illustrations.

Page

Moraine Lake 200

Mount Hector and Slate Mountains . . . 238

From summit of a mountain near Little Fork Pass, 10,125 feet * n altitude.

Mount Lefroy and Mount Victoria . . . 246

From Pope's Peak, 9825 feet.

The Waputehk Range 252 "

Looking across the range from near Hector.

Mount Sir Donald, from Eagle Peak . . . 256 Head of Rocky Mountain Sheep . . . 270 In the Enemy's Country 282

ILLUSTRATIONS OTHER THAN PHOTOGRAVURE.

Mount Lefroy

Mount Assiniboine from the East

South Side of Mount Assiniboine

On the Continental Divide

Breaking Camp

Our Camp at Moraine Lake

Fortress Lake, Looking West

Fortress Lake, Looking East

Mount Forbes from Survey Peak (8000 Feet)

Summit of the Baker Pass

Consolation Valley

Sketch of a Part of the Rocky Mountains between the Kicking Horse and Vermilion Passes

From a rough survey by the author.

Pass between O'Hara and Prospector's Valleys OHara Lake and IViwaxy Peak

O'Hara Lake

Head of Rocky Mountain Goat .

A Typical Stony Indian .

A Stony Indian Mother and Children

Maps . . . . . /// pocket at end

Page 40

94 100

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222 228 232 262 286 290

THE ROCKIES OF CANADA

THE ROCKIES OF CANADA

Chapter I

the canadian plains— characteristics of the rockies — comparison with other great ranges of the world —the national park of canada — banff — a visit to the devil's lake and ghost river valley— sir george Simpson's journey through the mountains — an incident OF INDIAN WARFARE — THE VERMILION LAKES AND SOME FOREST TREES OF THE MOUNTAINS

THE western plains of Canada, rolling in gentle undulations of hill and dale, extend east a thousand miles to the wheat fields of Manitoba, south to the arid plateau of Colorado, and north to the frozen regions of the Arctic and the Barren Lands. They appear to have no definite limits except on their western border where the Rockies rise out of them like rugged shores from a great sea. The herds of innumerable buffaloes which

2 Zbe IRocfcies of Canada

formerly roamed here have disappeared through the criminal slaughter of the white man's rifle, though the Indians remain as a last relic of primitive Western life and their roving bands of horsemen give a dash of life and colour to the monotonous plains. For a score of miles or more there is a region of quiet beauty where the foothills make a borderland between plains and mountains. Here rivers fed by melting glaciers and snow freshets in the mountains make their way eastwards on their long journey over the plains. Their terraced valleys are covered by a thin turf which is brightened, at least in early summer, by prairie flowers, while the higher places are crowned with groves of a rough-barked evergreen called the Douglas fir. The Rockies, like an impassable rampart, terminate these hills and show a multitude of snowy peaks extending north and south beyond the limits of vision. These mountains have on their eastern side a rocky escarpment with jutting headlands towering in abrupt cliffs thousands of feet above the plains.

The great system of the Pacific Cordillera, which is generally called the Rocky Mountains, commences far south in Mexico and sweeps north to Alaska. The alkaline valleys of Nevada and the glaciers of Alaska, the cactus of Arizona and the evergreen forests of British Columbia mark the diversity of climate in a mountain system of such vast extent, while the granite domes of the Sierras, the bare and lofty summits of Colorado, and the snow-covered

Characteristics of tbe IRocfcies 3

dolomites and quartzite ledges of the Canadian Rockies illustrate the possibilities of mountain forms.

There are many reasons why the Rockies of Canada are interesting to the mountain climber and explorer. They have only recently been made accessible. Though these mountains have not the absolute height of those in Colorado, their apparent grandeur is greater because the valleys are both deep and narrow, richly forested and frequently guarded by cliffs which are precipitous for three, four, or even five thousand feet. Such rock walls are sometimes adorned by clinging trees and bushes or beautified by sparkling waterfalls playing at the mercy of changing breezes in their dizzy fall. Above are snow fields and hanging glaciers which often awaken thunders among the mountains by avalanches of ice. There are besides many lakes of blue or bluish-green colour, some of them hidden in the solitudes of evergreen forests, others enclosed by rugged cliffs, or exposed on the open expanse of upland meadows, and so they add beauty to their grand environment.

In comparison with other ranges of the world, the Canadian Rockies are unusually interesting. The Andes of Ecuador, Peru, and Chile have mountains from twenty thousand to twenty-three thousand feet above sea-level, or nearly twice the height of the greatest peaks of southern Canada. The highest mountains in the world, the Himalayas, reach such stupendous altitudes that no human being may hope, in the immediate future at least, to reach their summits on foot. But these great ranges lie in parts of the world somewhat remote from the beaten tracks of travel. Whymper's description of the Andes in Ecuador and Fitz Gerald's of those in Chile show that the lack of vegetation on their higher parts gives them a bare and dreary aspect. Sven Hedin's account of the Kuenlun and other ranges in Central Asia proves that they are likewise comparatively bare of forests and that their grandeur is not accompanied by beauty. The Caucasus and Alps, especially the latter, alone equal or surpass the Canadian Rockies, because they have scenic grandeur of snow fields and forests combined with historical interest.

The Canadian Rockies have no single peaks or groups of mountains so far discovered equal to the Jungfrau, the Matterhorn, or Mont Blanc. Their wild and secluded valleys echo neither to the tinkle of bells nor the call of horn. Their interest depends on natural beauty added to the fact that their solitudes are as yet unfrequented by travellers. Where many of the larger rivers and mountain ranges remain as yet unexplored, every side valley offers some possibility of discovery. The mountaineer likewise standing on the windy summit of some high point commands a view, not of a limited circle of mountains as in Switzerland with the sea and plains beyond, but of a chaotic upheaval where countless peaks and ridges extend in every direction beyond the utmost possibility of vision — four hundred miles to the

Gbe IRational park of Canafca 5

Pacific, a thousand towards the Arctic, a thousand and more southwards.

All this region was practically an unknown wilderness before the completion of the Canadian Pacific Road. This undertaking was formally begun on the 20th of July, 1 87 1, when British Columbia entered the Dominion of Canada and on which day the first survey parties commenced work. Eleven different routes were surveyed across the several ranges of the Rockies before the work of construction began. In 1880 the Government seemed unable to make any progress in so vast an undertaking and gave over its control to a private corporation. Under new management, what was at that time the longest railroad in the world was soon an accomplished fact, and in 1886 a new region was opened to mountain climbers and travellers.

Places of unusual interest and beauty were then chosen among the mountains, of which the chief is Banff in the Canadian National Park. This reserve is similar in aims and government to our Yellowstone Park, and covers at present 260 square miles, and has a prospect of a much greater extent in the near future. A small body of the North-west Mounted Police is stationed here to enforce the game laws and keep order generally. Their exploits with rebellious Indians and desperadoes on the plains make the theme of many exciting tales. They wear a scarlet uniform, Wellington boots, and a small circular cap gayly tilted to one side of the head. Their duties are

6 XEbe IRocfcies of Canaba

easier now than a few years ago when there were laws in force against the sale of whiskey, for many desperate attempts were made in those days to smuggle in stimulants, which were regarded necessary to stave off the rigours of a severe climate. The thirsty inhabitants of Banff met with some success, though in the process many bottles were smashed and many barrels were rolled into the Bow River. Whiskey is easily obtained by everyone now, and the people have accordingly lapsed into temperance.

The village of Banff consists of a few scattered houses and stores, with the necessary schoolhouses and churches for the enlightenment of the people, and several hotels for the entertainment of summer guests. Some excellent roads and bridle-paths lead through pine and poplar groves to places of interest, such as the hot sulphur springs, the Spray valley, and Lake Minnewanka.

From the summit of Tunnel Mountain, which is exactly one thousand feet above Banff, a very good idea of the surrounding region may be had. The Bow River comes from the north-west, passes through the village of Banff, and after forcing a passage between great mountains, flows east to the plains, which are concealed by intervening ranges. Southwards, for many miles, may be seen the green valley of the Spray River, an unbroken mass of forest enclosed by long ridges, one of which, Mt. Rundle, is nearly ten thousand feet high and towers a mile above the Bow. To the north-east is seen the end of

Banff 7

Minnewanka Lake, beyond a series of gravel ridges which are relics of the glacial period.

About one mile from the village, on an eminence overlooking the junction of the Bow and Spray rivers, stands the Banff Springs Hotel. The Bow River makes a fine cascade between rocky walls just below the hotel, which latter is a comfortable place with accommodations for a large number of guests. The verandas command, from a considerable height, a magnificent view of the foaming river, while a vista of snowy peaks almost unrivalled on this continent is seen in the distance through a gap in the nearer limestone cliffs.

Several years ago, two gentlemen decided to ascend Cascade Mountain, one of the highest peaks of the neighbourhood. Instead of taking such advice as was offered, they would have it that a course over an intervening ridge was preferable to any other. They started out with the intention of returning within twenty-four hours, but instead mysteriously disappeared for three days. Then they returned, much to the relief of their friends, who were by that time alarmed for their safety. It appears that they had been lost in a region of burnt timber where they had wandered hungry and hopeless till some fate led them to a place of safety. No one knows how far they went or where, but it is certain that upon reaching the hotel they retired to their rooms and remained there the greater part of the ensuing week.

In the early summer of 1899, I made a camping

8 Zhe IRocMea of Cana&a

trip from Banff to Lake Minnewanka, or the Devil's Lake, and along its north shore to the chain of pools beyond. This lake, which is ten miles long, though very narrow, is like a bit of the Mediterranean set between high mountains. An excellent trail, much favoured by the Indians, follows the north shore. On the second day we passed the end of Devil's Lake and made camp finally by the borders of another small lake, in a place almost surrounded by mountains but commanding a view of the plains towards the east. Our camp was located in a meadow where innumerable wild flowers blossomed, and among them meadow rue and wild onions grew together. A few white blossoms — albinos — were mingled among the purple heads of the wild onions. These and the other mountain flowers were slowly drowning under the rising waters of the lake, which was fed no doubt by underground springs from the mountains.

This is the valley of the Ghost River, a strange vale of limestone formation where no streams flow. Torrents descend gullies and waterfalls dash over the vertical walls of this canyon, but each one of them disappears as it enters this Ghost River valley. It is supposed to have been the ancient valley of the Bow, of which these small lakes and the larger Minnewanka are relics of the former channel. A few miles to the east, the mountains end abruptly, and this entrance upon the plains is called the Devil's Gap. What with a gap, a large lake, and a mountain a

Hn Inci&ent of flnbian THIlarfare 9

short distance to the north, called the Devil's Head, named after him, his Satanic Majesty seems to have a mortgage on all this region. All the large rivers of the north-west enter upon the plains from these kinds of openings which are called gaps. They are in reality noble thresholds or vestibules between the rolling plains and the mountains.

This Devil's Gap was the route by which Sir George Simpson entered the mountains in 1858 on his journey which he claims was the first overland expedition around the world from east to west. In this part of his journey his train, consisting of forty-five horses and a large number of packers, was guided by an Indian named Peechee. The guide Peechee seems to have possessed great influence among his fellows, and whenever, as was often the case, the Indians gathered around their camp-fires and gossiped about their adventures, Peechee was listened to with the closest attention. Nothing delights the Indians more than to indulge their passion for idle talk when assembled together, especially when under the soothing and peaceful influence of tobacco — a surprising fact to those who see them only among strangers, when they are usually silent.

A circumstance of Indian history connected with the east end of the lake is mentioned by Sir George Simpson, and illustrates very well the nature of savage warfare. A short time previous to his arrival, a Cree Indian and his wife had been tracked and pursued by five Indians of a hostile tribe. At length io Gbe IRocfcies of Cana&a

they were discovered and attacked by their pursuers. Terrified by the fear of almost certain death, the Cree advised his wife to submit without making any defence. She was possessed of a more courageous spirit, however, and replied that as they were young and had but one life to lose they had better exert every effort in self-defence. Accordingly she brought down the foremost warrior with a well-aimed shot. From very shame her husband was forced to join the contest and mortally wounded two of the advancing foe with arrows. There were now but two on each side. The fourth warrior had by this time reached the Cree's wife and with upraised tomahawk was on the point of cleaving her head when his foot caught in some inequality of the ground and he fell prostrate. With lightning stroke the undaunted woman buried a dagger in his side. Dismayed by this unexpected slaughter of his companions, the fifth Indian took to flight after wounding the Cree in his arm.

One of the most interesting excursions in the vicinity of Banff is a boating trip up the Bow River and through the Vermilion lakes. This part of the Bow valley above the falls is flat and the river is here wide and deep, with a comparatively moderate current. A small stream half a mile from the boat-house leads to the Vermilion lakes, and on pleasant summer days is alive with canoes and boating parties. The stream comes from two shallow lakes not far away, and the voyage thither is full of interest. In places the waterway is too narrow to permit of the

Gbe IPermilion lakes n

use of oars and you must paddle between tangled bushes and marsh grasses, dodging meanwhile the overhanging branches of willows and alders.

On these lakes there is an excellent opportunity to study some of the characteristic features of the Canadian Rockies. The surrounding mountains are covered with evergreens, part of that great subarctic forest which sweeps down from the north and clothes all Canada and the northern States in a garment of sombre green. The trees are spruce, balsamfir, and pine. On the sunny south-facing slopes there are a few large Douglas firs which penetrate the lower mountain valleys from the foothills, but do not live at much higher altitudes than that of Banff, which is forty-five hundred feet above sea-level. The open glades are filled with small aspen poplars, willows, and birches, which are practically the only deciduous trees. These live only at the lower altitudes, but the spruces and balsam-firs cover the grey limestone mountains to a height of nearly three thousand feet above this valley. The red squirrels and chipmunks surprise the visitor by their tameness. Many of the wild birds are likewise very tame, and I have seen a number of finches engaged in picking seeds from bushes within two yards of where 1 was walking.

Chapter II

EARLIEST VISITS TO LAKE LOUISE — VIEW OF LAKE FROM THE CHALET — DESCRIPTION OF THE LAKE — SWAMP FLOW- ERS — THE WHITE-FLOWERED RHODODENDRON — THE TRAIL NEAR THE LAKE — CLIFFS OF THE WEST SHORE — THE DELTA OF THE INLET STREAM — THE ROCK SLIDE OF THE SOUTH SHORE— COLOUR OF LAKE LOUISE WATER— TEMPERATURE IN MIDSUMMER — SOME INSECT PESTS — BATTLES OF HORSE- FLIES AND WASPS — CHALET LIFE — SUMMER CLIMATE AT THE LAKE— THUNDER-STORMS— LIGHT EFFECTS AND COLOUR ILLUSIONS — AN OCTOBER VISIT TO LAKE LOUISE — AN AVA- LANCHE FROM MT. LEFROY— A WARNING OF WINTER'S APPROACH

LAKE LOUISE is near the Bow valley, about forty miles from Banff. Who first discovered the lake or whatever became of him is lost to history. It is probable that venturesome spirits came to this wild spot during the early years of railroad building, or possibly when the first surveyors ascended the Bow valley.

The earliest record of a visit that I have been able to find tells how, in 1882, Tom Wilson was camped with a pack train near the mouth of the Pipestone, when some Stony Indians came along and placed their teepees near him. Not long after, a heavy snow-slide or avalanche was heard among the mountains

Earliest IDisits to Xafce Xouiee 13

to the south, and in reply to inquiry one of the Indians named Edwin, the Gold Seeker, said that the thunder came from a "big snow mountain above the lake of little fishes." The next day Wilson and Edwin rode through the forests to the lake of little fishes, which was named subsequently for the Princess Louise. The Indian told of two smaller lakes higher on the mountain side to the west, one of which, called by him the " Goats' Looking-Glass," is now known as Lake Agnes.

This region being away from the main routes of travel, and surrounded as it is by a knot of high mountains, no one hoped to find a pass in this direction, and no mention of it is made in the records of the earliest explorers. Somewhat more to our purpose is the fact that the place is now well known and Lake Louise may be reached with little effort.

Some time before 1890, a rustic inn was placed on the swampy shore of the lake, and a waggon road was made to open communication with the railroad at the little station of Laggan. In this way the first travellers came to Lake Louise. But one day in 1893 this log building caught fire, and burned to the ground, so that there were no accommodations and very few visitors that summer. However, with a friend I spent two weeks of that season, camping out in a tent among the tall trees near the shore, and in a small way we commenced our earliest explorations of the neighbourhood, which was at that time comparatively new.

14 Zbc IRocfties of Canada

The new chalet stands on a ridge near the water edge and gives a splendid, and possibly the best, view of the lake. The extreme length of this interesting body of water, which is shaped like the left human foot, is one mile and a quarter, but from the magnitude of the mountains on every side it appears at first glance to be a mere pool. The primitive simplicity of a virgin forest is shown in its densely wooded shores and the tangle of bushy banks where fallen trees, mossy in decay, are half concealed by underbrush and flowering shrubs. A narrow margin of angular stones and rounded boulders marks the shore line. From this the bottom drops away very suddenly to great depths, but you may see large stones under the water and water-logged hulks of old trees swept long ago from their positions on the mountain sides by avalanches.

Lake Louise has the enduring attraction of nature in one of her grandest and most inspiring moods. It is a deeply coloured lake between wooded slopes, which sweep upwards on either side in unbroken masses of green, to barren cliffs above tree line. On the left the forest growth ascends more steeply to the base of a grand precipice, while farther down the lake a massive pile of fallen rocks rests against the mountain base and dips abruptly into the water. Mt. Victoria, a giant of the continental watershed, stands square across the valley end beyond the lake. Its brilliant ice fields make striking contrast to the dark forests and shadowy cliffs encircling the lake.

Swamp ]f lowers 15

In early morning and during calms after a storm, the placid surface reflects the precipices and hanging glaciers of the distant Mt. Victoria, and brings that picture of Alpine grandeur in pleasing proximity to the beauty of spruce-lined shores and richly coloured water. These mountain outlines are so harmonious, and the colour changes so exquisite, that Lake Louise is a realisation of the perfect beauty of nature beyond the power of imagination. Though surprisingly attractive to the new arrival, Lake Louise, like many another beautiful phase of natural scenery, grows in impressiveness when experience has given a true idea of the distance and magnitude of the surrounding mountains.

The swampy shore before the chalet makes a fine display of wild flowers even in these times when a new set of visitors comes every day to tear them up. Every spot in these mountains has its characteristic plants according to the nature of the ground and its altitude above sea. There is at this end of the lake a low and swampy shore, reeking with surface water from cold springs, unable to escape through the clayey soil beneath. Yellow violets and several species of anemones thrive here together with a considerable number of greenish orchids, and the fragrant lady's tresses, but by far the most beautiful flower is the yellow mountain columbine, a near cousin to the scarlet variety of our eastern rock banks. There are several shrubs, of which red-flowered sheep-laurel and white-tufted Labrador tea are most conspicuous,

1 6 £be IRocMes of Canat>a

the leaves of the latter being covered underneath with a rusty down. In the retirement of partial forest shade the beautiful white-flowered rhododendron grows. This bush has tender leaves of an oval shape, and is decorated in spring with large bellshaped flowers, which hang their white corollas in artistic clusters among the foliage. In June you will find them in bloom near Lake Louise, but the bush grows higher on the mountains also, and there they blossom in July, or rarely in August. As in many other mountain plants, the succession of flowers throughout the summer season comes from the lowest valleys upwards to higher altitudes. The scrub birch, Betula glandulosa, has no flowers except inconspicuous catkins, but its long black wands and small round leaves soon become familiar to every visitor to these mountains, for this bush is rarely absent from any mountain meadow.

A rather rough trail closely follows the north shore, and with perseverance you may arrive at the far end of the lake. New mountains appear as you proceed, and the form of the lake, which from the chalet seems like a round pool, changes apparently into a long and narrow body of water. Through a vertical opening in the cliffs at the head of the lake, Mt. Lefroy looms in the distance, crowned with a helmet of perpetual snow and hanging glacier. The extreme end of the lake is guarded by a vertical cliff. The trail ascends to avoid a pile of stones which have fallen from above, and so traverses a grassy slope,

Gbe Grail near tbe Xafce 17

where the blue sky above is portrayed in the petals of the most perfect forget-me-nots that I have ever seen. Their cheery yellow eyes and bright blossoms decorate tall branching plants, and make a pretty display throughout the entire summer.

Then the trail descends directly towards the cliffs, winds among great spruce trees, and enters a place of sombre and perpetual twilight, made by overhanging cliffs and forest depths. This is a marvellous revelation of the stupendous grandeur of these Rocky Mountains. The cliffs are disposed in horizontal layers of a hard and shiny quartz sandstone, stained red and orange transversely by iron, and vertically banded purple and black, where oozing waters drip from the trees above. Throughout the first three hundred feet the cliff rises sheer, or overhangs in some places where large blocks of this world masonry have fallen and left natural arches. On the higher places spruce trees cling with precarious foothold, their trunks parallel to the cliff, and so measuring the inspiring height of the precipice. The lapping water, a few yards below, touches the base of a pile of immense rocks, heaped in confusion as they have fallen from the crags, whence danger seems to threaten as you approach.

Emerging from this place of solemn grandeur, the trail leads down to a flat meadow at the head of Lake Louise. Here marsh reeds and white-tufted cottongrass grow in the sand and gravel which a muddy stream has carried down to the lake from a glacier a

1 8 Zbc IRochtea of Canada

mile or more up the valley. This is in fact a delta, which is slowly growing as the coarse materials are added to the shore, while the finer sand and clay rush out in a tongue of milky water to defile the blue lake. About a quarter mile of the ancient lake basin has been filled in, but as this has no doubt required all the thousands of years since the glacial period, and the lake itself is exceedingly deep, many ages must elapse before the lake entirely disappears.