The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1883-03-02
RIDING AN AVALANCHE.
New Uncle Alex. Inland Came Up Prem
Elk Creek.
An Experience Written UP for the hensn'
Of .e-year Old Boys in the States.

Everybody knows, or Is the worse on Tor
not knowing, Uncle Alex. Hiland. de came
over here from Boise in 66 and got gooo
claim on Elk Creek, where he has hven
since, save when he comes up to Deer Lodge
occasionally to spend week or two with his
friends. We don't want to say anything even
cordial of Uncle Alex. He don't ike II; ou'
when he says the last 'good bye" to the boys
there will be more sad hearts than there ma
been for many a day in western Montana.
He is seventy-six years old, hale, hearty ana
vigorous for his years, and every day through
the season does his days work in the piacers
alongside such stalwarts as james HARTFORD
aud James 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 depar-
ture for California about this time and in the
due course of uncertain mails the letter was
placed in Uncle Alexis. hands. 1t had been
raining two days on Elk; the four or Ave feet
of snow that covers the mountains anu
gulches in the vicinity was soft and money
com bed and the streams were running fresh
Of Rut 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 on foot; but Wednesday
morning Of last week, he strapped on his
eleyen-feet Norwegian snow shoes and start
ed over, by way of Deep Gulch. The ascent
from Elk was tedious and laborious. It'll
long trudge up the mountain to the top OF
the ridge, thousand feet above Beartown
and six thousand above the sea-especially to
n man ssventy-six years old. The summit
was reached ut last and he was congratulating
himself on an easy run down to Beartown,
when the snow sunk in the trail, and down
| he went. Another trial and the same re suit.
The rains had honeycombed and undermin-
| ed the snow, A little distance on the whole
body ofsnow had slid away and plunged down
| the precipitous canon side into the bed OF
Deep gulch. This would never do for snow
shoeing. The only recourse was to ascend
the canon side to the dividing ridge between
| Elk and Deep and follow along on the edge
If the summit. He muffied his shoes with
rope brought for the purpose and the clint
was made, good footing secured, and all
looked clear ahead. Uncle Alex then though
IL was about time for a smoke. He halted
filed his pipe, lit it, took North American
Whit or two, and was just striking out whei
I-wh-e.w.w.zip away went the entire bod.
of snow with wild whirl, and in momen
he was riding an avalanche two hundred Zee
wide with lightning speed, headlong dow
the precipice toward the waters OF the creel
nearly 400 feet below Fortunately, he wa
whirled head on" and was within few
feet of the top of the slide when it started
He struck with his alpen stock, braced him
self in the shoes he could not disengage frot
his feet, and few through space with the az
, celebration of speed produced by both the dc
, clivitv and snow slide. Before he could sa
erin go Bragh," the slide had carried hiI
into and across the gulch, crushed his sno"
, shoes and swampcd the snow up around hir
until only enough of him was left free an
unfettered to have whipped Gerber had h
beeu in sight. But he wasnt-nor any othe
living thing-and the wind singing plair
tive monody in the neighboring pines alon
broke the stiffness that succeeded the roar
h the avalanche. He look back to see If An
o more snow was coming. The canon side Ia
L Dare anu sCdEEcu W shS SN''Nt
boulders and stumps holding white fra
ments of their recent shroud. He had riddle
e the crest of the slide. and was safe. He wi
y about to rest spell before extricating hin
d self. when suddenly his feet grew cold. IT
IT chill crept up his ankles and was feeling f
b his knees before he realized the situatio
y The snow slide had damned the waters
II Deep gulch. They were coming up after hill
10 Something was necessary to be done witho
Is unnecessary delay. Some willows and brui
& projected near He reached over and caug
them and was speedily free. He conciud'
s, to leave the vicinity forthwith, and was so'
rs after picking his way down the gulch,
Of irving at Beartown at p. m. without
rs bruise or broken bone. And that's the W;
$, Uncle Alex came up from Elk Cree
or Many and many q sturdy man has been 10
III In snow slides that were small compared
of this, but they were under and he was on to
ly When asked If lie would return that way,
A. said: "No, I think will 90 over by Hen
Grants cabin. The supervisor seems to ha
"a neglected his work this winter on the De
u. Gulch trail" He leaves for home to-day.