Jamestown weekly alert. [volume] (Jamestown, Stutsman County, D.T. [N.D.]) 1882-1925, 1898-03-10
THE TERRIBLE PASS.
w. II. Bullock Formerly o1
Jamestown,Now at Skaguay,
Writes About 1t.
Hardships A Party Endured in
Going Over The
Summit.
Frozen Feet and Frozen Food
Camping Out at 40
Below Zero.

Camping Out at 40
Below Zero.
NJ. L. Parker has received letter from
W. 81. Bullock, who left here for Alas.
ka in July east. dated at Skagusy Feb. 8,
1898. He just returned from two
weeks trip with party to lake Bennett
over the pass. He took about 800 lbs. on a
sled over the Dyea trail and had tough
time of it, but found his Dakota expert
ence valuable. He says:
1--WE started with freight for the Cana
dian mounted police at IS cents pound.
After three days a storm came up that
was like "h-l let lose" Drifts we're
gone over so to 60 feet deep. Snow flies
as 1t does IN Dakota in q storm. The
summit of the pass presents glorious
sight. The mountain side and rocks on
the pass are covered with icicles of snow
pointing in the direction of the wind and
frozen hard as rock. Not breath of
air stlrs when it is coldest and no clouds
are in the sky In the pass wind cur
rents blow snow IN big gusts. Before
| going over the summit I put on an ex-
ira pair of moccaslns or would have
frozen my feet. We waded IN snow
waist deep. It was hard work to follow
trail when on it, but you could soon toll
when off on account Of the deeper snow
I'm going to Lake Bennett you take q
trail from Dyea to Canyon City nine
miles; to Sheep Camp IA miles; to Stone
House 1515; to Scales 17miles; half mile
up to summit and miles from top tc
first camping place. Leaving the sum.
NIT We make an abrupt descent of three
quarters of a mile to the first camp, g
poor place on what is known as the
Crater lake, the heart of the mountain
where we left our loads.
"Sheep camp is the only good place tc
| camp near there and is seven miles from
the summit, on this side, so we came
back at night. We had nasty northern
to face on the way back. Snow was
falling at 8 p. M. when we got our load
to Crater lake, like dropping from q
cloud and no wind blowing. Four oil
the boys had concluded to go on to Lake
Bennett, but I returned to Sheep camp
The next day the summit could not be
reached for the snow. We started again
the second day and met "a or 80 men
who we're coming from the summit, and
who told us we could not make 1t. We
kept on however and reached the tor
but it took from 7:3O q. m. to l p. m. IN
battle with the elements overhead and
dritted snow under foot. The scene q,
the top Of the pass is at once grand and
terrible.
I'VE went on and soon saw our slede
cached at Crater lake. We travelled in
snow waist deep, rolling when We could
not wade down to the lake.
I'VE saw party of 25 or 80 men com
ing from the other direction, breaking
trail so we went and met them. With
them we're two Of the four in our party
who had kept on, the other two we're OK
hsusted ard had stayed in a camp. After
leaving US it seems they made camp
about a mile further on. The party had
laid in the snow for the night with
nothing but frozen bread and meat to
eat ard only snow to quenoh thirst. The
next morning they we're all right but
after travelling till noon two gave out
and lay down; the other two having
snow shoes went on, reached camp and
sent back three mon with snow shoes
and brought the boys in. One of them
had his foot frozen. When We reached
their camp they were working at bis feet
and the shoes had to be cut of; both
feet we're frozen to the heels. The
thermometer registered 80 below at p.
m.; at 8 it was 40 and still going lower;
at 1890 when 1t clouded up and became
warmer.
Here some of the boys sold their loads
to dog team owners to carry through
and went back glad to get away at any
price.
After meeting the party going back
we took one sled with blankets and out
fit and went into camp at the lower end
Of Long lake. l and my partner then
went on to Crater lake and dug our
sleds out Of four feet Of snow. Next
day we helped dig out some stuff for the
frozen footed man.
That night We oamped in tent all
night. We left the next day at 8 q. N.
and went over tie bills across Lake
Llpdermsn and the portage to tho Post
ct Bennett lake in three hours with 200
pounds.