Wood River times. [volume] (Hailey, Idaho) 1882-1915, 1886-01-22


before the first crossing or bridge, tho
wind raised and it commenced snow
ing again. We were worry uneasy nc
this point, as we feared a snowslde
from the steep sides of the mountain
here, as there was nothing to retard it
or hold it, as there were no rocks or
bushes, but just smooth surface, and
almost as steep as the roof of house.
We hurried our horses all we could,
and finally crossed the bridge and
started on up the grade on the right
hand side of the canyon, where the
snow became much deeper and our
progress necessarily much slower, and
the storm again very severe.
ere we began to feel the terrible
binding gusts Of fine snow, and heard
the rushing, roaring sound made hy
the slides, but fortunately supposed it
to be only the roaring of the wind and
the storm, as we had never heard the
ominous sounds made by a snowslide,
and did not know of the immense
clouds of fine snow raised by them on
their way down the mountain sides
When these binding clouds of fine
snow were surrounding US SO we
could scarcely get our breath, We sup,
posed them to be the natural results Of
the wind and storm; but had it been
daylight we would have seen that the
entire mountain side we had passed
had slid down, covering trees, bushes,
and buryng all out of sight, and en-
tending over space as large as 80 to
40 acres.
We struggled on throsgh the storm,
our horses doing nobly, never p'ung
ing around, bu: pushing on, except
when the gusts of wind and snow
were particularly piercing and blind
ing, they would try to :urn around SO
as not to face it.
Finally the wind began to quiet
down, and the snow cane down faster
than ever. We were now nearing the
ldahoan concentrator, and soon saw
the watchman's light. We came OBJ
pos'te the works, and after short
consultation, concluded not to stop,as
we had promised Mr.. IIavens that we
would get there if possible. We rode
on up the canyon, and shortly after
passing the point where the larg,
quarzite reef crosses it, about quar-
ter of mile above the concentrator
we came across FIVE or six heavily
oadt d sleds all near each other. We
had considerable trouble to pass then
horseback, but finally succeeded, ant
rode up the canyon to within abou
200 yards of IAahoan gulch
which is called Shutdown. There We,
encountered the first snowslide in tn
canyon to impede our progress. Here
after wallowing around, getting on
of our horses in so we thought h
would not be got out again, ETC., W
saw that the horses could be of n
further use to US, so we concluded, a
it would not do to leave them, tia
we would take them back to the Ida
hoan Concentration, put h m in tn
stable. get warm, obtain a lantern
and try it again a.foot. We foun'
we had then been on the road fror
, near 8 o'clock until l p. m.-nearl
five hours obtained our lantern, an
started out. Soon after we passe
the quartzits reef again the storr
: broke over US, seemingl y with create
fury than ever. We finally, ate
many stoppings to get our breath
and once turning and going back tw
or three reds-again turned our face
up the canyon and finally arrived a
, the loaded sleds again where we too
rest; and here at this point OF
5 worst troubles began. 1t was abor
, this time that the snow commence
5 sliding the worst; the canyon was ii
t orally filed with a fine, cutting snow
, being the clouds from the avalanche
caught by the terrific wind, and whe
: driven in our faces was almost unbea
able, producing singing. burnin
F., sensation like thousand needl,
e driven into the skin, and whenever
] struck the eyes the pain was intens
t We also had much trouble to kee
our lantern from blowing out. Hel
j again we concluded to go back, az