The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1894-09-22


leaps, charmed with its foaming, fcath-
erv cascades, and awed at its mad
plunges from one great rock to another.
But now We are rapidly nearing its
source, the summit of the Rockies.
The Bow Range has come into view, a
a long array of snow laden peaks, with
Pilot Mountain the central peak, well
above the rest Ii he huge white pyra-
mid As We enter Nirmillon Pass the
helmet-shaped summit of Mt. LEROY,
Of which We have caught gi!mpScs since
leaving Cascade, comes full into view,
the most conspicuous, gramdest figure
in the " hole panorama.
At Lagean we catch glimpse Of our
first glacier. Looking forward from the
station, through the gap ahead Of us,
toward Mt Hector, the crescent-shaped
field of ice lies upon the edge Of cliff,
over which it seems about to fall. 1t
looks but a good stones throw away,
yet it is 1900 feet above US and twelve
miles beyond.
At Hector we cross the summit of the
Rockies. \ little stream runs down
the mountain toward the line. Under
great arch bearing the words THE
Great Divide" the waters part, and
half running down the eastern slope
forms the Bow River, whose beautiful
course we have been continually fol-
lowing; the other half running down
/ the western slope forms the quarrel
some Ncrmjilion River, with which we
must dispute the right of way in our
descent.
This descent is very rapid, the line
| clinging to the side % the mountains on
/ the left and the river pIunging along
through the valley below. Looking
/ away to the north and west the eye sees
iii the world, denscly clad with heavy
/ forests, GRIT about on all sides with
cloud-touching peaks. Soon, ahead OF
us the great dome shaped head of Mt.
stephen, the highest peak Of the
Rockies in this latitude, is seen, and a.
we reach its slope, We see on shoulder
Just overhead, the immense green and
white glacier, over 500 feet III thickness
slowly pressing toward the edge Of the
pFeeipice. At Field, not far from the
base Of this mountain, the company has
another beautiful little hotel called the
Mt. Stephen House.
On the western slope of the Kicking
Horse Pass, some miles beyond, we OBJ
tain one of the most magnificent views
of the trip. The line has been running
along the Ottcrtail Range. Suddenly ii
turns, bringing into view the long
orderly array of the Beaverfoot Noun
talns, reaching away to the southeast
far as the eye can see. They appear
almost uniform in size and shape, like
a long line of giant soldiery, with rich
vestmcnts and grand white helmets.
( Looking back the highest peaks of the
. Ouertail Range seem suddenly to have
risen to an immense height, as though
they had not awakened to the import
ance of putting their best foot fore
most until just as we were to leave
/ them. The river turns abruptly with
( the line here, and together they plunge
into a narrow canyon. The mountain
sides rise almost perpendicularly the
river cuts its way through solid rock !;
! the towering cliffs seem to shut out the
/ daylight; the line twists and turns on
narrow lodges cut out of the rock, darts
across the gorge and slender bridges,
/ plungcs through tunnels cut through
! projecting masses Of rock, while the
roar of river and train, increased ten
fold by the echoing walls, makes the
passage through this gorge an exper-
fence not soon to be forgotten.
Reaching Golden we come out into
the broad light of the MONDAY sun.
/ Ahead of us is the wide Columbia River
! flowing northward through Il beautiful
valley. Rising eastward, range upon
range, are the Rockies, through which
we have just come. But across the
river, away beyond, rising out of the
forest-clad hills, warm and radiant in
the light, yet lifting ice-crowned heads
up among the clouds, are the matchless
| Silkirks.
This town of Golden is the point of
7 departure for the famous kootmav min
ing district. Gold and silver mines are
being developed all about here. The
river is nayigable and steamers make
regular trips up to the lakes, hundred
miles distant.
As We come nearer the Sillirks soft,
green strcaks are noticeable running
down their heavily wooded sides.
/ These mark the paths of avalanches.
/ At Donald, the station at the entrance
Of these mountains, the time goes back
another hour to conform with the Pa
/ citic coast standard. We enter through
4 pass so narrow that fallen tree
serves as Il foot bridge over it. The
Beaver River, forcing itself between
two great stone gates not ten feet apart,
dashes straight down in a mad leap to
reach the level of the Columbia. Al
most Immediately the line begins to
rise at the rate of ZIG feet to the mile.
It is notched right into the mountain
side, and soon the river looks like a
tiny silken thread in the valley below,
while we marvel at the gigantic scale
on which Nature has carried on her
work IN this deuscly forrStcd valley.
The Douglas fir and cedar trees attain
an enormous height Above the tim
Der line white peaks continually show
shining crests, with delicate veil OF
purple haze softening their sharp out
lines. We are frequently crossing
bridges over ravjnes, down which the
mountain torrents are tumbIing. As
we look back upon them from the curve