Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1897-09-04
Crossing the Now Famous Chill
koot Pass.


The following extract from most in
tercsting article in Outing for September
is truthful description of what must be
undertaken by those who want Klondike
gold
The trip from salt water to the head
of the nayigahle waters OF the Yukon il
usually made in two stages, OF each about
fifteen miles. The trader at Dvea had
brought in few horses, and We engaged
him to transport our camp outfit and
provisions over the first stage, where the
trail, though rough, can be gone over by
pack-animals. Some of the miners, how
ever, engaged Indians Immediately at
Dyea to pack the whole distance, and,
as it alterward proved this was the wiser
plan. We could also have obtained sad
die animals, but our little party preferred
to walk for the sake OF getting toughened
for the harder journeys that were to fol-
low.
"The trip turned out to be exception
ally fatiguing, large part OF the distance
being through sand and loose grayels in
the bed OF Il stream, where it was lnpos-
sible To find firm footing several times
also we had to wade the stream. The
valley along whose bottsm we were thus
travelling was narrow and 'anyon-like,
with steep bare mountains rl- ng high on
either side. The tops oil these noun
tains, so lar as we could see, were capped
with ice and this great glacier stretched
out long fingers down into the valley
along each OF the gulcheA or recesses in
the mountain wall Finally, crossing
the river last time on a fallen tree, we
followed the trail up into tn" more rocky
and difficult portion of the valley and
some miles OF this brought Us, thorough
ly tired, to our hating place,
'From Sheep Camp, whe,e we were,
the onl y way to get our supplies over the
pass was to get indians to carry them.
Although these Indians are no stronger
than average white men, yet they greatly
excel them IN point OF endurance, and
they Willingly undergo extreme fatigue
for any limited period. Al thia time,
however, the trail was so bad, on account
of the softening of the SHOWS il the hot
June sun, that they concluded 10 strike
for higher wages. This was the cause of
some little delay for rs.
once We saw the Siwash safely started
with their packs, we set out ourselves, at
about 6 O'Clock in the afternoon. Al this
time OF year the trip is usually timed by
the Indians, So that the deepest snow
will be crossed between IL O'Clock at
midnight and in the morning ior in
these hours crust forms, which ID day
time is sotened by the warm sun. Our
way soon led us on to a glaciey-lke field
of snow, when often sounded hollow to
our feet as we trod, and at intervals we
could near the water rushing beneath.
The grade became steep, and the fog
closed around us thickly, joining with
the twilight OF the Alaska June might to
make peculiar ob,curity which gave
things a weird, ghostly appearance. As
we toiled up the steep incline OF hardened
snow. those ahead of us looked like huge
giants; while those on whom We looked
down were ugly sprawling dwarls.
After awhile the well-beaten trail faded
to almost nothing, and at the same time
the snow-slope became ofexcesslye steep
ness. We were obliged to kick tootholds
for every step, on surface so smooth
and steep that slip would have sent US
sliding into depths which we could not
see. Looking down it seemed bottom
less pit, shapeless and fathomless, in the
eddying fog.
On the other side Of the summit
short but steep decliyity led down to
small frozen lake, named by the miners
Crater Lake. on account OF the steep,
crater-like walls which surround 1t on
three sides. On one side, however, TINS
wall opens out into a valley, through
which a imall stream runs; the lake IS.
therefore one Of the ultimate sources oil
the Yukon, and it was with feeling OF
relief that we stepped upon It's frozen
surface"
Ice cold soda, direct from the
cf11