El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1896-12-30
A NEW YOSEMITE.
Travellers Make a Great Discovery
in Montana.
scenery in the Northwestern Part of the
state Grander Than That of
the National Park of the
Yellowstone.

| greater Yosemite valley and a grandcl
National park than the Yellowstone,
said Prof. L. W. Clancy, of Carleton
college, Northtield, Mimi, in telling
about his recent visit to Avalanche
basin, which he discovered last year in
the northwestern corner of Montana.
\ year ago Prof. CLANCY and some
other scientists, one of them lecturer
on the natural scenery of the west,
found in the western part of Montana
n country which had seldom been seen
by MANFRED or white. They heard
vague rumors of a glacier valley, and
cut their way from the then newly
found Lake Mcdonald through the for
estS that crown the mountains.
They were told by the original settler
in the vicinity of this lake that year
before, in following up the slopes of
Brown peak, north of Lake Mcdonald.
with the idea that glaciers were to be
found, he had seen not only a glacier,
but also a beautiful valley and a lake
lew to the world
The scientists found the basin and
lake, and, by reason of the constant
roar of avalanches, they named the val
ley Avalanche basin, and spent as long
Il time as their provisions would allow
i'll searching the beauties of the spot
They had no instruments and were un-
able to get any measurements.
They determined to return at the
earliest opport unity. This they have
HOW DONE armed with all needed instru
mentS, to make Il thorough inVestiga-
ton. In the meantime others have
been to Avalanche basin, and the trail
from Kalispel has been so chopped out
that Il woman-Mrs. j. II. Edwards, OF
that place-has made the perilous "trip.
Some of the dozen or more men who
have seen the basin have been world
wide travellers. and declare that there
is nothing in the Swiss mountains or in
the most famed resorts of Europe that
can compare with it. The valley is
scenic gem set IN a frame of cloud
touching peaks. and is unrivaled in its
brilliancy and natural interest, but
owing to the purity of the atmosphere
and the consequent impossibility of
getting distance in the view it is impos-
sible to make n photograph that will
show adequately the beauties of the
region.
Lake Mcdonald is located in the
northwestern portion of Montana. about
of Kalispcl. 1t is 16 miles in length.
four or five miles wide. at an altitude of
about 5000 feet, and as clear as crystal.
Its mirroring effect is more sharply
defined than is that of the famous Mir
ror lake of California, and it reflects
the forests of the surrounding noun
tain slopes so clearly that the narrow.
sharplv-defincd beach of smoothly-pol-
Il.
where the reflections begin and the for
est ends. From Lake Mcdonald the
trail through the mountain extends to
the northward about IS miles. up the
rocky sleeps. and at the last cuts
through a gorge of crimson jasper
quartzite. in which are many deep cas-
Cades.
Suddenly. and without warning, one
energies on the shores of Avalanche
lake and into n valley of the most sub
lime and impressive grandeur. The
way has been hard and the climbing
difficult. but the end repays it all.
The basin is more than 500 feet high
er than Lake Mcdonald. and the sur
rounding rocks tower in almost a per
pendicular wall for from 5000 to G.OO3
feet higher. Rising here and there
rock are various peaks. The discover
ers have named one the Matterhorn.
and its altitude is 1000 feet above the
level of the lake: another has beer
called the Cathedral Dome from it's re
semblance to the dome of st. Peters.
as seen from the campagni, and it rises
about 400 feet: a third has been called
the Sphinx. and a fourth the Castle.
The last rise to a height of over 10000
fee above the sea. Down the sides OF
these walls cascades fall at heights
varying from thousands to about 400
feet, breaking in foam on the lake be-
low. and filing the valley with the roar
of n Niagara.
The basin is nearly two miles long
and nearly the same in width. In its
center is Avalanche lake, three-fOurth
Of mile in length and half a mile wide.
Its waters when seen from the ShOrA
are of Il turquoise blue. but wheE
looked down upon they are as clear as
crystal. even more so than those of
Lake Superior. and the rainbow and
mountain trout lying in their depths
can readily be seen.
The upper end of the basin is abOu:
two miles east of the entrance. ana
plunging down the precipitous rocks
are some dozen mountain streams.
forming n series of beautiful cascades
and catarncts. All are fed from the
SHOWS of the mountains. and they are
large and small according as the sun
has had an opportunity TO melt the
SHOWS Avalanches have cut their way
down the slopes and have left their
gashes on the surrounding cliffs.
North from Avalanche basin to the
British line the scenery is of the grand
est. 1t rivals if it does not surpasS
that to be found in the Selllirl>s and in
Che Canadian Rockies. Glaciers abound,
and about 30 miles north of Avalanche
is one of the greatest to be found in
Nmerica.-N. Y. sun
= Puzzle
She-Therc is one thing about poll