The Pioche weekly record. [volume] (Pioche, Nev.) 1877-1900, 1896-03-05
Region of Scenic Beauty Ex-
pIored.
sperry Party Reports on Magnificent
Discoveries in the Northern Mon
tana Mountains, Hitherto I'm
known to ANY but Trappers and
1ndians-New Lakes Named-Great
Country for Sportsmen.
Salt Lake Tribune.

tribune mas Deen furnished a copy OF |
the report first published in the ST. |
Paul Globe, by Mr.. c. w. Pitts, who |
represents the Great Northern at Hell |
ena-
Besides DR.. Sperry. the party consist
ed of Prof L. W. CLANCY of Carleton !
college; A. L. Sperry of Owatonna, and |
Il. H. Shepard, photographer of Min |
neapolis. At Lake Mcdonald they Sc
cured pack train, and two camp
helpers. The primary object of the ex-
petition was to make a more careful
examination and sminary survey of
Avalanche basin, which DR.. Sperry and
similar party had visited earlier. On
this second trip the party found Ava
lanche basin even more impressive and
beautiful than was at first represented
Prof CLANCY and A. L. Sperry deter
mined, by careful triangulation, the al
tltude of the more conspicuous peaks
which surmount the crests of this pre-
clpitous basin, and also the heights of
the larger cataracts which pour over
the cliffs and rush unanimously into
the lake. The average altitude Of the
crest of the basin, exclusive of the
more conspicuous peaks, was found to
be little over $500 feet, while the high
er peaks rose from 1000 to more thar
1900 feet above the level of the lake-a
greater altitude than is reached by FL
Captain, Glacier Point" or any other
of the rocky heights which overhang
the floor of the Yosemite valley.
STRIKING SCENERY.
The Matterhorn, the most striking
peak of all the Avalanche basin senti-
nels, is trifle over 1000 feet high, while
Cathedral Spires are sos feet higher
than the Matterhorn. Avalanche lake,
= II laN
midst of the floor OF the basin, is but
little less than a mile in length. and
about half that distance in width. Its
surface is 1910 feet above sea level
The increased melting Of the snow
fields upon the heights during the sum-
mer had increased the number of cas-
cades from two to seven, besides add
ing a number of ephemeral laughing
rills. too numerous and transitory to
justify special names. The disappear
ance of large snow areas since June en-
abled the party to ascend the southern
slope of the basin directly to the base
OF the Matterhorn, where they found
themselves, at an altitude of about
1000 feet, on ledge of rock so narrow
that, standing in one place, they could
look northward directly down into Ava
lanche basin, and by turning the face
southwark, they could gaze equally
we'll down into another valley almost
as striking as Avalanche basin. On
account of its shape they named this
latter valley or pocket Horseshoe
basin.
PARADISE FOR GAME.
Looking down the valley which
drains Horseshoe basin, across it's two
smiling lakelets and over about ten
miles of fir and cedar forests, they
could distinctly see almost the entire
surface of the charming Lake McDon-
aid, smiling in the sun. This Horseshoe
basin looks like a veritable paradise
FOR game. 1t was evident that noun
tain goats make use of the steep and
narrow pass at the base of the Matter
horn for travel between the two basins
To enable the Sperry party to get
their surveying instruments and camp
equipage into Avalanche basin, a trail
was cut from near the head of Lake
Mcdonald to Avalanche lake. AS soon
as this trail was passable, parties of
natures lovers began to visit the basin.
So far, the tourists who have pene-
trated to this spot have been largely
from Kalispeil and Great Falls, Mont,
though few from as far east as Bos-
ton have already been attracted to if
All who have gone in there pronounce
1t a marvel of scenic beauty.
FOUND COPPER VEINS.
After spending ten days in and about
Avalanche basin, the party proceeded
nortnWard ABOUT twenty-five miles fur
ther, following a trail that has recently
been cut to some very interesting ex-
posures or copper ore and a series of
promising incipient mines When ot,iv
snort distance from the copper veins.
and within about ten miles of the
British line, they came upon mountain
scenery even grander and more infer
estlng than that about Avalanche ha-
sin. These northerly mountain peaks
are not only higher, more rugged and
more unique than those nearer Lake
Mcdonald, but they are more striking
IN geological structure, in form and in
color. A little north of the @'Interna-
tional Copper Nine" and about TWEEN
ty-eight miles from Lake Mcdonald
the party came upon a glacier which,
with Its snow field, completely fills an
amphitheater nearly four miles in d.
ameter. and discharges itself eastward
into the valley of the Belly river. a tu-
multuous stream which curves north
Ward ana flows into the Saskatchewan.
Pror. Chaney spent two days STUDYING
| THIS glacier and making notes and
| sketches of Its peculiarities. In view
OF his being, as the party believe, the
nrst scientist to visit this field of snow
and Ice Of not, indeed, the first white
man who ever crossed it,, and in view
| of the fact. so far as the party could
| learn, that 1t has never been reported
or named, the party agreed to call II
CLANCY Glacier"
FOUR NEW LAKES NAMED.
Close to its terminal moraine lies a
beautiful lake. rendered turquoise in
color by the turbid glacier water that
leeds 1t; and further down the valley
ne several other lakes, artistic in form
ana or cleareSt sparkling water. Trap.
pers who have visited that country say
that the lakes are full of fine-fiavoret
and gamy trout. The four larger lake.
were named respectively "Glacier.'
Center" Long and Emerald" 1t /:
said that in the same valley, close t.
the four lakes above named are sew
eral other small lakes which were in
visible from the points of outlool
reached by the party.
CROWN OF THE CONTINENT.
North of the Clancy glacier, and a
about the same level. is another charm
ing lake, fed by the eternal snow,
which lie about 1t, and fiecked will
fall into 1t from the overhanging per
petual snow-f1elds. This sheet of ice
nld water Prof. CLANCY called Sum
NIT lake. THE view from CLANCY gla
cler down the Belly river valley Il
simply indescribable," exclaimed MI
Shepard. the photographer. 'Tt is boil
beautiful and grand. It beats anything
l ever saw before" George Bird Grin
nell, editor of the Forest and Stream
who has visited the region littl
southeast of CLANCY glacier, and ha
gazed upon the awe-inspiring height
which guard II, calls this region "TtI
Crown of the Continent" DIR. Sperr!
says that mr.. GrinnelPs appellation !
exceedingly appropriate"
A CRUEL EAST INDIAN WOMAN
In person the Begun Somru wa