The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1883-04-27
4 Ride On an Avalanche.

l
Everybody knows, or is the worse of
for not knowing, Uncle Alex Hyland.
He came over here from Boise in 1866
and got good claim on Elk Greek.
where he has lived ever since, save
when he came up to Deer Lodge occa,
sionally to spend week or two with
his friends. We don't want to say
anything even cordial of Uncle Alex.
He don't like it, but when he says the
last "good-by'' to the boys there will be
more sad hearts than there has been fol
many day in Western Montana. He
is seventy-six years old, hale, hearty
and vigorous for his years, and every
day through the season does his DAYS
work in the placers alongside such stall
warts as James Hartford and Jane:
Fleming, and never misses lick or .
meal. And he don't let the long
winters debilitate him either. A few
days ago John Gerber wrote to him OF
his intended departure for Californis
about this time, and in due course of un.
certain mails the letter was placed in
Uncle Alexis hands. 1t had been rain
ing two days on the Elk; the four OF
five feet of snow that covers the noun
tains and gulches in the vicinity was
soft and honeycombed, and the
streams were running freshet. But
Uncle Alex concluded to come to Deer
Lodge to see Gerber. The first eight
miles to Bear, crossing the heavy
range, had to be made on snow-shoes.
and the next nine to the stage station or
foot; but Wednesday morning, of last
week, he strapped on his eleven-foot
Norwegian snow-shoes and started over,
by way of Deep Gulch. The ascent
from Elk was tedious and laborious. II
is long trudge up the mountain to the
top of the ridge, thousand feet above
Beartown and six thousand above the
sea-especially to man seventy-six
years old. The summit was reached at
last, and he was congratulating himself
on an easy run down to Beartown. when
the snow sank in the trail and down he
went. Another trial and the same re-
suit. The rains had honeycombed and
undermined the snow. A little distance
on, the whole body of snow had slid
away and plunged down the precipitous
canyon side into the bed of Deep Gulch.
| This would never do for snow-shoeing.
| The only recourse was to ascend the
canyon side to the dividing ridge be.
tween Elk and Deep and follow along on
| the edge of the summit. He muffied
his shoes with rope brought for the pur.
pose, and the climb was made, good
footing secured and all looked clear
| ahead.
Uncle Alex then thought it was about
time for a smoke. He halted. filled his
pipe. lit it. took North American
Whit or two, and was Just striking out
when-wh-e-w-w zip, away went the en-
tire body of snow with a wild whirl. and
in moment he was riding an avalanche
200 feet wide with lightning speed,
headlong down the precipice toward the
waters of the creek, nearly 400 feel
below. Fortunately he was hurled
"head on and was within few feet
of the top of the slide when it started.
He struck with his alpenstock, braced
himself in the shoes he could not Olsen.
gage from his feet, and flew through
produced by both the declivity and
snowslide. Before he could say "Erin
go Bragh' the slide had carried
him into and across the gulch. crushed
his snow-shoes and swamped the snow
up around him until only enough
of him was left free and un-
fettered to have whipped Gerber had he
been in sight. But he wasn't, nor any
other living thing. and the winds sing
ing plaintive monody in the neighbor
ing pines alone broke the stiffness thai
succeeded the roar of the avalanche. He
looked back to see if any more snow
was coming The canyon side lay bare
and SCARED to the summit. with the
powders and stumps holding white
fragments of their recent shroud. He
had ridden on the crest of the slide and
was safe. He was about to rest a spell
self, when suddenly his feet grew cold.
The chill crept up his ankles and was
feeling for his knees before he realized
his situation. The snow-slide had
damned the waters of Deep Gulch.
They were coming up after him. Some
thing was necessary to be done without
unnecessary delay. Some willows and
brush projected near. He reached oveI
and caught them and was speedily free
He concluded to leave the vicinity
forthwith, and was soon after picking
his way down the gulch, arriving al
Beartown at five p. m. without bruise
or broken bone. And that's the way
Uncle Alex came up from Elk Greek.
Many and many a sturdy man has beer
lost in snow-slides that were small com.
pared to this, but they were under and
he was on top. When asked if he
would return that way. he said: mo,
1 think l will go over by Henry Grants
cabin. The supervisor seems to have
neglected his work this winter on the
Deep Gulch trail. Deer Lodge On. IT,
NeU Northeast.
An Undisputed Fact.