The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1897-11-20
THE CHILKAT PASS.
ALFRED DALY'S EXPERIENCES ON A
TRIP OVER IT.


Alfred j. DAILY, assistant United
States attorney for the district of Alas
IA, recently returned from a trip over
,he Chilkat pass TO Lake Lindeman.
MIR. DAILY was convinced by his expert
once that great deal of the hue and
cry about the danger of the Chilkat
pass and the difficulty of getting over it
comes from men who have faint hearts |
and soft muscles. He declares that there |
is not the least danger for any person
reasonably active in attempting the |
journey and that any woman who is not
frightened at the prospect of roughing
it in a moderate degree can get over
the pass with comparative ease and COM
fort
In speaking of his experience the 9TH
er day Mr.. Daily said: 1--WE started
from Dyea about 10 o clock in the morn
ing, and the first thing we had to do
was to cross the river. You could al
most throw stone across but we had
to pay so cents to be ferried. The trail
crosses the river several times before
getting to the head of canoe navigation,
and every time 1t cost 90 cents for fer
ry, although in some places one can al
most Jump across.
II wore light tan shoes. We had
been told by some persons who had been
sla hat host THING
was to wear light shoes and to take an
extra pair, so as to have dry ones 9th
ers said TO wear rubber boots. We
found that the men who were in favor
of light shoes had the best OF It, The
trail is very rocky and hard ON thin
soled shoes, but if one wore good stout
walking boots he would be all right.
Our first stop after leaving Dyea was at
Finneean Point, where the wagons
stop packing Then we went ON to the
head of canoe navigation, where there
was tent doing restaurant business.
We stopped to get square meal, but
they had run out of everything put
mince pie and coffee. From the head OF
canoe navigation OH to the head OF the
CANYON the trail was sandy and rather
good. At the head of the canyon there
! is n bridge, over which there Is a sign
saving that Chief Isaacs had built II
free for public use. There the gradua
ascent begins up to Sheep Camp. Par
of this stage has been corduroyed, ant
that part was fine.
1--WE got into Sheep Camp about
O'Clock and found it place OF abou
200 tents. The trail from the canyol
up was very muddy, and having ON Low
shoes we had to step from rock T.
rock or log to log, which made the wa.
very long. The trail finally narrowe
down to nothing but footpath L
among the powders. We had supper 9
Sheep Camp-bacon and beans. w
staid in a shanty where they had
floor. 1t was kind of hotel. You pal
for the privilege of sleeping ON tn
floor. We turned in right after supper
because the proprietor told us that II "
didn't get our blankets down ON TT
floor very quickly we couldn't get room
He was right. The floor was full vel
SOON
"At 2 O'Clock the next morning v
started for the place where Stone Hou
used TO be. The ascent was very muC
sleeper, and the trail was very mudd
, On the right as one goes up the IRA
, there are two glaciers, one OF them qul
large. 1t covers the mountain ana
not apparently held ON by anything.
d. looks as if it would let go at any M
ment and come down. The first ST.
after leaving Stone House was at
place called the Scales, because there
. a tradition that some time or otn
tbere was n pair of scales there whe
they weighed out the packs 1or I
hackers to take over the summit
q the Scales packing by horse ceases, a
the packs 90 on the backs OF the me
An average pack is from 100 to i
pounds. | heard some stories about
{ dams carrying $50 pounds and aDou
Swede who carried 275, but 1t takes
big man to carry from 100 to 100 l
Indians usually carry right through
10 whole trip, but the white packers cal
q from point to point and double ON
e trail. When Indian packers are g
Moved. the dicker is usually made w
Chief Isaacs, who controls the packii
He arranges with the miners and de
with the Indians. The packs are ms
ont and checks are given showing d
MANY pounds there are in each one l
prices for packing were running "
high when we were there. 90 cents
mound in some cases. After the lndi'
take the packs you have nothing IN
, IN do with them and nothing TO
Yourself but to get to the lake, ella
YOUR packs and pay Off the pack'
!, The Indians usually get there first.
o. latter leaving the Scales the asc
" beg;ns in dead earnest. The face OF
hill is covered with large rocks, and
stem from one stone to another. lima
re Won think of great pair OF stairs
co lust keep raising one foot above
or other but the constant going up VIII
d. mack ON the back gets very tiresome
tn very short time. There is not a dana
30 ous place on the trail that could
et They take horses aud sheep and ca
er over the summit.
.A~~A