Evening star., 1898-12-09
other Opinions Rendered.
ALASKA's AWFUL MAN-TRAP.
The faIdes Pass the Only Way Over
the Alaskan Coast Range

tne Alaskan Coast Range.
From Leslie's Weekly.
Austere and repeliing, the Alaskan coast
raises a grim barrier between the prospect
ors and the golden wealth that is supposed
to lie IN the famous Copper river country.
The snow and ce-covered submits tower
toward sky that is always gloomy. When
gale is not sweeping these mountain tops
fieecy flakes are piling on top of the SHOWS
OF centuries. On these heights there is no
peace The elements always are at war.
The barrier would not be surmountabIe
were it not for the Valdes pass Even that
with its mighty glacier and treacherous
creVaSses, Is fearfully dangerous. But IT
Ia the only way through.
Inc Naldes pass lies to the west of the
klondike and Skaguay trails At its high
est point 1t Is 4, $50 feet above ttde-water
To reach Its barren summit continuous
upward climb Of twenty-four miles must be
made The descent is about twelve miles
in length.
Every man who starts to cross the glacier
IS warned by the guides to make his pack
as small and as light as possible. Scarcely
any. however, starts who is not too heavily
loaded. The guides cannot make newcom-
ers understand and apprehend the Difficult
ties to be encountered. There is more I'm
the Journey than mere mountain climbing
Until the summit is reached it is a constant
uphill struggle, in biting wind or falling
snow, over slippery ice, scaling the bench
es or cautiously sounding for hidden Gre
vases, which vary in width from mere
cracks to fifty feet. The snow covers their
tops with thin and treacherous bridges
which are likely to give way when stepped
upon. aud If they do the unfortunate goes
to the bottom, be 1t far or near. Under
meath the white covering are often abyss
NAL depths, where lie dead men who have
undertaken to cross the glacier without
guides. One wrong step caused them to
plunge through the snow-crust and from
visions of gittering gold they passed Into
dreamiess sleep in graves whose walls of
ice and rock rise hundreds of feet above
the poor. lacerated bodies.
The most needful and most difficult thing
to nnd on the glacier is timber for fire
wood. 1t must be hauled twenty-four miles
in one direction or twelve miles In the 9TH
er. Its price on the glacier Is ten cents a
pound. With such a price, even on the
coldest nights, there is not much in the
way of fire.
But the. descent on the other side is a
pleasure Famished, sick at heart and
journey-worn, the downward course be-
gins. 1t is sleeper by twice than the as
cent. But for a goodly portion of the way
men can ride on seds. In every mile of
the twelve a welcome change In the tenn
perature is noticed. Far away on the bot
tom lands trees and grass are visible.
Flowers come into view. All the wild flow
ers that we know In our zone, and many
that are strangers to US. in their blues
and reds and yellows. give the weary tray-
eers perfumed welcome The contrast be-
wilders the senses. The change from dreary
arctic winter to summer brightness is made
In few hours To those who have come
over the hateful glacier, over the ice and
snow, and through danger. to the forget
me-ncts and violetS and the singing Of
BIRDS the transformation Is from perdition
TO paradise.