Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1897-07-30


work was far enough along so that we
might break camp the next morning
and come TO Lake Lindeman. had
taken the precaution 10 send oyer a
small tent the day before in the event
of trouble in getting down on the other
side but did not expect any. l had not
peen over here up To that time but the
trail was being used constantly and
was hard and vel marked. Well,
Monday morning came and with II IA
clear sky and no wind. | was up at
$3.50 and while Booth was getting
breakfast | had one load OF our camp
outfit and my dog team ready To start.
Breakfast consisted of fried bacon, cold
bread. coffee and beans. Soon after 1
o'clock | started for the summit three
miles away, up the steep mountain
side | was early at the foot of the
summit or last great rise, which Is SO
steep that everything must go up on
mems backs or by windlass. The
angle is so great that one might think
the mountain was leaning over and
would fall that way. OF course every
thing is covered with many feet of
snow. No men were working yet, so
left my load to be taken up when the
windlass started and returned TO camp.
The round trip had taken four hours.
Booth had been taking down the big
tent and getting the last things ready
while | was away. Breaking a camp
takes some time 50 that 10 o'clock
found us but just ready to start. The
,uu was quite warm and the snow soft
when we started but | could see that
there were hight clouds on the mountain
anil some indication of wind. As we
went up.the wind began to blow lit
tie from the south or AZ our backs. A
we came nearer the summit we began
to meet the Indian packers coming
down, having quit work above As the
wind was getting - strong There ar.'-
two benches or narrow flat places up
the lie and our wiudlass was placed
o. the first one about 1000 feet from
the foot We arrived al the foot a lit
tie before ! o'clock TO find that the first
load which contained our beds had
gone up, but before this the wind had
gained such velocity above that our
men had all quit work and left. We
could not turn back now so concluded
20 follow our beds. After making
everything fast unhitched the dogs
and calling them along we started to
climb TO the top This is no small task
| can tell YOU. and when we arrived at
the first bench it was after two O'Clock.
Here the wind was blowing very hard
and cold and the small particles of ice
that came with it cut my face and
hands so that could not face it or take
Oh my mittens. Here we found our
beds and | also managed to find can of
frozen corn beef which tasted very good
while we sat for a short time behind
pile of goods to rest. We packed our
beds from this bench TO the next. The
wind had now become so strong that il
would almost carry me up the side. !
believe il would have been next to i'm
possible TO 90 down again even.
AT the second bench had hard work
70 keep my feet at all but managed to
bind our beds on a sleigh, get the doc,
IN and start for the last climb. | never
again expect 10 see such storm as was
raging at the top Snow was now com
ne with the icy wind and drifts were
forming in ali the protected places
The noise Of the storm was so great that
no other sound could be heard. The |
war of cOutending elements was mag.
nticent but felt quite too insignificant
Iong to be a witness and was glad to get
away as soon as possible. The descent
on this side is very steep but not so long |
After letting the dogs 90 down we Just
sat down in the soft snow and slid
or dropped down to the tevel below.
which is quite large body of water
called Crater Lake" supposed to be
the site of an old volcano. 1t lies far
above the timber line and Is always fro
zen. just at the loot there was very
little wind and we stopped tor a short
time to rest before starting out on the
long run Of nine miles through the
snow and wind storm to the camp.
Before the first few miles were
passed the drifting snow had so covered |
the trail that the dogs could not follow