Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1901-02-14
THE CANADIAN ROCKIES,
An English Editor Discusses Them
Apropos of Recent Explorations.
London, Eng, Standard. I

lLoHuon, Eng, STANDARD.
Mr. Edward Whymper, who began
TO climb mountains not less than forty
years ago, as our Boston correspond
ent informs us today, just arrived In
that city from the Canadian Rockies.
Yet he might well claim exemption as
a veteran, from such arduous expedi-
tons. Indeed, after his return from
the Ecuadorian Andes, where, among
other achievements he twice scaled
Chlmborazo, and passed a night on
the summit of Cotopaxi, he was for a
time content to revisit the Alpine
SUBMITS, among which his earlier VIC
tories were achieved. But, last sum-
mer, the attractions of the Rocky
Mountains of Canada, proved too
strong a temptation The exact line
winch he has taken in his recent iour-
ney is not dated; probably it could not
De made Ineligible without a map.
for the whole region north of Hector
Pass, where the Canadian Pacific
halfway crosses the watershed. is one.
OF unusual complexity. OF this the
railway itself affords a notable ax.
ample. When it arrives at the Pacific
slae OF the divide, 1t descends to water
which reaches the sea by the Column
pia river. This route however. would
not suit the railway, so it crosses an.
other and lower pass to the valley of
| Illecellewaet and threads the grand
scenery of the Selkirk and other
mountain ranges, till it strikes the
fraser river This region, however,
Is now becoming comparatively we'll
known, though prior to 1888, when the
Rev. w. S. Green first made it's peaks
familiar to English mountainee rs.
very few travellers had turned aside 10
visit the Selkirks. To the north of
the railroad extending far away in
that direction, is vast area yet more
intricate. its peaks rising to even
higher levels, and presenting still
greater difficulties to explorers. II is
TINS, no doubt, which has attracted
Mr.. Whymper. For the last three or
four years travellers. both English
ana Canadian, have been making in
cursions into this lone land. It has
been described in papers. read at The
Alpine club, the most persistent of ire
explorers being Dr. Norman Collie
who. since 1897, has spent some
weeks, we think annually in endeavor-
ing to unravel the intricate topo-
graphy of the region. It consists of
great group of more or less parallel
ranges. On the western side of the
divide they drain to the Pacific mostly
by the Fraser river; on the eastern
the water runs into the two great
branches of the Saskatchewan. The
mountain scenery. as DIR. Collie's pho.
tographs, exhibited on several occa.
sions in London. have amply proved.
is OF very grand order. In his ex-
piorations he has found peaks which
almost rival the tallest Of the Anime
giants, while summmits about twelve
thousand feet above the sea level are
not rare, and their crags, glaciers
and snow slopes are sufficiently diff
cult to tempt the most athletic elm
Der. In some parts the scenery re-
calls the limestone region of the
Bernese Oberland; in others the peaks
are more like those of the Pennine
chaln. But the resemblance of the
Alps ceases with the mountain out.
lines. To approach a peak in the
Canadian Rockies is a far more ar
duous matter than it is in Switzer
land. Mr.. Whymper's ex-
periences appear fully to confirm
those of his predecessors, and the
story he may have to tell us win be
awaited with interest.