New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1873-10-23
THE HAYDEN EXPEDITION.
ASCENT OF THE MOUNT OF THE HOLY


CLIMB-NOTEs OF GEOGRAPHICAL AM uHV-
1ocIcAI lNTEREsT-THE FIRST TROUT
frpo,, a.. CoRRI sPoNDENr OF TIN TRIBUNEl
c,,sp Foor OF Holy Cross MOUNT, Col. Ter, Aug.
95-Tbe entire week since my last letter was dated
has been spent in efforts TO reach the Mount OF the
Holy Cross Success has come at last, but at much
raater cost of time aud labor than anticipated
The peak lying it docs at the northern end of the
National range. midway between the Blue River
range and the great group between the GunnisOn
and Grand, was a geographical station of great
Importance and one Of the points Of primary TRAN
gulatiOn which had to be reached unless found aO-
solutely inaccessible Moreover there is no mountain
in the region more celebrated and to which reports
of immense hight have more persistently attacneu
themselves. The survey itself, in the earlier Suin
mer was msled by the exaggeratiOn of its distance
on the maps las in the also of the Wmte house
and the Capitol to overestmste its probable nlgnt
as reported TO you in my first letter. IL VIII dis
appoint great many to learn that after all 1t only
stands among the highest peaks OF the range ana OF
the Territory and not at their head IL is otten
COMPOUNDED with Sopris Peak, which is given
monument place on the maps. and put by guess IN
the wrong place Sopris is the northernmost peak
Or rather triple rounded summit-of the other
range il is about 10 miles north of the Capitol and
decidedly lower than the latter although doubtless
exceeding 1900 feet
DIFFICULTIES or THE START.
The Holy Cross like the Holy Grail. has had to he
hunted and labored for The usual method of ascent
which we have hitherto practced fails here, namely
10 find the most important valley of drainage from
the peak, push the main camp up it as far as con-
yenient, then send a picked and lightly-lOaded
party up to tmber-line and climb to the top early
next morning. 1t was not difficult indeed TO find
here the valley of principal drainage a very large
creek empties into the Eagle River below, through
broad sra ght open valley. that leads up directly
to the base of the peak But this valley, in the first
place is some eight or ten miles long; and it leads
out nearly north, so that we had to 90 almost
around the end of the range to reach its mouth
and in the second place, it offers no practicable
road it cannot DO assembled For where the
creek now comes down, came down formerly an
enormous glacier, and the gneiss that forms the
bottom and sides of the valley is scored and cut up
TO more than thousand feet in altitude into what
biologists cali by the French name of rOches mouton-
Mes. "muttoned rocks;' that is, rounded ridges,
which in the distance look out of the groen Of the
valley like herd of immense sheep lying III The
grass. Immense, indeed, for these sbeep-backs are
from ten TO fifty feet high and stretch out into long
ridges 1t is doubtful whether another 80 grand
and admirable an example of this particular effect
of glacial action is to be found in the county our
corps at any rate has found other that compares
with it, One might now, pick ones way slowly
through such a valley on horseback, If there were
no obstacles excepting the rocks; but NIL up their
insterstices with fallen timber, they are filled
here and travelling on more than two feet is wholly
impossible. The photographs taken by the survey
will make this perfectly plain. beside showing the
remarkable glaclatiOn.
"a SLOW AND PAINFUL PROGRESS.
-, 10 Lioh
point that overlooks several miles of the valley,
with the peak at the end and several others from
below in the midst Of the "sheep-backs" them
selves The ridges that border the valley broad
backed and rise with gentle slope, the angle OF
ascent of which is determined by the dip of the low
est stratum of sedimentary rocks which caps them;
but these are made impossible by the labyrnths Of
fallen timber which cover them. We lost a day
trying to get mp them attempting more than one,
but had to turn back and camp late at evening in
spot not than two hours march from our mOIn-
ing starting place. A smaller and lighter party set
out early next day, with pioneer corps of AK men
in 'front.' and succeeded in cutting through, coming
out upon commanding point 800 feet above the
valley and about midway Of its length. Here it
seemed impossible to follow the ridge further
and we plunged down the steep bank, which a few
weeks ago should have thought passable only by
deer or wild sheep, and labored our way painfully
over and among the sheep-backs for mile up, till
they became too high and close to adj
NIT Of step of further progress. and here
was made the climbing camp. We had. as
usual. vexauOusly shOwery day; and the day was
followed as is not usual by a steadily rainy night,
which, considering that we had loaded our animals
with only half allowance of blankets and tents
was not conducive to sound and refreshing sleep.
At daybreak the clouds seemed trying also to break
;1,,I l-;vo, ho
fore o'clock for the summit There were two par
ties the geodetc. under Mr.. Gardner which of
course made for the highest peak and the photo
graphic under Mr.. Jackson, which took by prefer
ence ridge that ended opposite the other and was
some 500 feet lower. Though hardly more accessi-
BILE il 6ncluded in it's panorama the peak itself.
Each party carried its instruments, those of the
photographers weighing so to 40 pounds TO every
man; and they had TO be carried steadily, as it
turned out for from seven to ten hours of hard
climbing. 1t was three hours over the sheep-backs,
TO the point where the actual ascent of the principal
peak began, and in that time the party had gained
nearly a thousand feet of altitude leaving than
four thousand still to make.
ASCENT OF THE PRINCIPAL PIAK
The creek makes the descent in succession of
cascades and rapids varied by two or three wndngs
through swampy, sedgy meadows There are two
reaches especially, where it goes tumbling and roar
ing in succession Of falls, for 200 300 feet be-
tween narrowing rocks, making scenes that, amid
more fortunate surroundings would be much sought
out aud visited Unfortunately, the day did not full
ell the promise Of the morning; wet through by the
water-aden grass and bushes Of their early tramp,
the parties were visited on the higher way by
peated showers, and reaching at last the submits,
found them Obscured by mists that opened and shut
giving only glmpses of the prospect, until the day