The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1890-09-19
THIS IS THE SAME GLACIER
Lieutenant Ahren's Discovery Turns
Out to Be an Old
One.
The Pumpelly Survey Party Found
and Reported It Seven
Years Ago.
A Full Account of the Wonderful Creation
of Nature Was Published
Then.

Some two weeks ago there was chronicied
the discovery of glacier in the country
north Of the Flathead river. in Missoula
county, by Lieut.. Ahren and party from
Fort Shaw. It was at first thought that
this was new thing. but subsequent devel-
opments make it certain tina. it is the same
glacier found by members Of tie Pumpelly
Northern Transcontinental survey party in
1888, a full account of which was published
in THE INDEPENDENT ON Aug. II Of that year.
James j. Grant, of Egan. town north of
Flathead Lake, was here few days ago
attending the democratic convention, He
relates how Lieut.. Ahren and party came; to
his place from the neighborhood OF the
glacier. They had been on a tour and their
Indian guides had deserted them and taken
most of their supplies. When they reached
Grants place the party were we'll nigh ex-
hausted. The lieutenant then told of the
glacier. After the party had been provided
for they continued on to Miss0ula, from
which place the news Of the discovery was
sent out. While in Helepa, Mr.. Grant was
PENDENT in 1858, and unhesitatingly
declared. from the description given him
by Lieut.. Ahren, that it was the same gla-
cier. The news of the discovery Of the
glacier is really due to Prof. Candy, who
was member of the Pumpelly survey
time, written by Col. Wheeler of this city,
the following is taken:.
ITO. Prof. Candy, q member Of Pun
pelly's Northern Trans Continental survey
party, We are indebted for the following &C.
count of the discovery of glacier by the
party and description of the country
around the upper Marias pass, between the
headwaters OF the Flathead river, west of
the Rocky Mountain range, and Cut Bank
creek, east of the same. The locality is
about $50 miles north Of Missoula. Prof.
Candy says that on the first of August the
party, after having left the upper Flsthead
river (about eighty miles above the lake,,
tain to the pass. This ID walled in by steep
mountains which are covered by rugged
precipices thousands of feet in height,
sometimes terminating in knife-like edges
and sometimes running up into sharp,
rugged cones. which make the sky -lines Of
At the summit of the pass three main am
phitheatres come together. They are nearly
horseshoe in shape. From the pass
there is in full view ten or twelve high
peaks, often running up into regular sharp
rocky cones. Some ten or fifteen miles
mass of snow covered mountains were in
view and below these submits were seen a
true glacier, having frontage of at least
mile and in some places fall estimated at
500 feet in height. From underneath this
glacier flows stream OF milky colored
glacier water. Prof. Pumpelly, with the In
dian guide, penetrated the amphitheatre. in
which this glacier lies and counted twenty
two cascades over 500 feet in height. besides
seeing many smaller ones. The sides of the
mountains which surround this amphithsa-
ter are covered with deep bodies of snow
which are the sources of the many streams
flowing into the valley below" 9r8
The fact that one party located the glacier
on the east of the Rocky mountain range,
and that the other put it on the west, may
be accounted for by the fact that the two
were exploring from different directions,
and found it in coming from opposite
points. MIR. Grant says that the supposed
two glaciers are really one. He says that
an old hunter, who has been living IN the
of Marias pass for twenty
years, has spoken OF the glacier often and
knows of but one in that country.