The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-11-28
The Winter Conditions on
White and ChilkOOt
Passes.

Scandinavian NJ e. church, has also
staked lot for another church.
Deputy United States Marshal Richards
CT Dyea, Is building telephone line from
Dyea TO Skaguay. around and over the
rocky spur Of the mountain which sep
arates the two towns
There is so much construction work 10
be done at both Dyea and Skaguay during
the next two months that there should he
employment for considerable number Of
men. though the present populations of
the two places viii be able TO supply the
demand. AT the present time wages for
ordinary work average from s.. 30 TO $3.50 n
day and s. per day on some kinds OF work.
as on the Chilkoot pass. The men en-
ployed by TIE various tramway companies
are boarded in camps by the employers.
Winter Conditions on the Trail.
The first norther of the season was blow
ing as the Al-ki steamed up the channel
from Juneau toward Dyea inlet. The pilot
estimated the wind at sixty miles an hour
The crests of the waves were blown for
ward so that the surface OF the channel
was white with flying spray. The steamer
did not make rapid progress in the teeth
Of this gale. and few of the passengers
appeared on deck at any time during the
day. The mercury remained at or de-
grees below freezing point. but the quality
OF that wind was such that il seemed to
strike through the warmest clothing and
search out the marrow. Ii came direct
from the great white peaks close at hand.
Looking up at these peaks. a curious spec
tacle could be seem vast banner OF mist
streaming out to leeward OF each of them.
1t was fine snow carried in a cloud thou
sands of feet outward, and that is the sort
of mist one encounters on the passes at
this season of the year. Those who have
experienced it say that the fine snow is
driven through ordinary clothing by the
wind, like sand in desert storms. II the
wind was so searching at IS degrees at sea
level what can IL be at zero or far below
on the passes?
That is why old timers say they will
await until the worst storms are over and
the snow packs down before they Will start
for the interior. In the way of clothing.
fur is good armor against the wind. but
an under garment of channels skin or buck
skin, worn just over the WOODEN under
clothing is the best protection, as IL is not
cumbersome.
It is a wel-known fact. however. that
when the temperature is extremely low
there is little or no wind. and II may he
stated in a general way that the colder II
gets below certain point probably some
where about zero the wind grows less
strong In the Yukon region there is said
to be little or no wind whatever during the
coolest weather The coolest weather ever
recorded al Dyea and Skaguay was 70 de-
grees below zero, two years ago next
month II was fully as cold at Juneau at
that time Snow falls to a depth OF nearly
three feet in the immediate vicinity or
Dyea and Skaguay and remains on the
ground practically all winter. clearing
away slightly by thaws in January ana
February and generally going away en-
tirely by April It SHOWS all winter at IN
teryals. usually ceasing in April, This in
formation Is supported by people who have
wintered there. One of them Mrs. wilson.
widow of Healey's partner In the tranlhs
firm of Healey & Wilson, spent one winter
entirely alone with her two little children.
at Dyea. Mrs Wilson says that the strong
winds drift the snow to considerable
depth. AT one time 1t covered the win
dows of the post to the top IN one great
drift and when the storm was over she
was obliged 10 dig some OF 1t away 10 iet
in the light Mrs Wilson does not care 10
repeat that winters experience
The snow grows a little deeper with ev-
cry foot of altitude on both passes. untii
the summit is reached. From the sunhni'
10 the lakes the snow grows shallow again
and remains at an average depth o. aoou'
sixteen inches TO two feet on the YUKON,
according to the best evidence can gain
or. There is no snow whatever on eitner
Dyea or Skaguay fats at the present time,
hut II be gins to show on the slopes al an
altitude Of a couHle of hundred fee'- Inc
ground is frozen just enough TO Keep the
mud from being troublesome
Ar Sheep Camp the snow Is about SIX
teen inches deep but storms are becoming
very frequent am; oid-tlmers say they
will soon he following one anther so rap
idlv that II will seem Ike one continuous
blizzard Under such conditions II Will be
practically impossible 20 pack outfits over
r..z g 4h.ay N
ter Is spent. This Is not expected before
the middle OF January. So far as known.
no packing had been done over the Chill
koot for a week previous to November H.
which is the latest date of news from the
summit This information Is brought ny
T B. Wallace. OF Tacoma, who waited at
Sheep Camp since The first of the week Tor
TIE storm 10 cease. When he started Tor
Lake Lnderman. accompanied by two
helpers he waded in srow waist deep 10
the summit bat here encountered 80 fierce
a wind and such ugly prospects ahead that
neither he nor his companions cared 10 at
tempt the ten miles from the summit to
Linderman. In fact Mr. Wallace told me
that he found il quite impossible even with
out A pack. as ne was, TO press forward
against that wind. The temperature was
not SO very low, somewhere above 10 de-
grees.
There are now a considerable number Of
parties with their outfits at Sheep Camp
waiting for opportunity to get over the
pass being anxious 10 push on at once 10
tho Yukon. Among these is the Charles h.
Vest party. OF Portland. who started from
the latter city i'm October with twenty-six
trained dogs and 400 dozen eggs frozen
In tin cans besides a lot of other proTi-
sions which the party proposed 10 get
into the Dawson market by Christmas. and
on which they hoped To realfzs a hand
some profit. /, is said that a considerable
quantity Of their canned hen fruit was
spoiled by thawing on the barge In the
/ harhor after transfer from the steamer.
! However, they would PROBABLY have had
! 20 get rid Of a portion 81 their freight any
way. they We're said 10 be TOO heavily
| loaded at the start Vest says that he viii
remain I'm camp al Sheep Comp until he