Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1903-08-19
WEEKS WORK
AT BIGFORK
Ascension of MacooueaI Peak One of
the Most Pleasant Incidents Of
the Summer.
A MAGNIFICENT VIEW OBTAINED
Top OF the Snow-capped Peak Offers
Beautiful sight-lnterestine pa.
pers Read by Educators.

Bigfork. Mont. Aug. 1+.-The fourth
week of the University of Montana
Biological Station at Bigfork, on Flat.
head Lake, began with an ascent IF
MacDougal Peak in the Swan range
The start was made on Monday, the
third of August. Camp was made ut
the foot of the mountain. On the day
following, the fourth, the ascent was
made. The night of the fourth was
spent on the mountain amid snow
banks and beautiful alpine flowers.
The descent was made on the fifth,
and return to the laboratory on the
sixth.
The party consisted of sixteen peo-
pie and three pack horses. The fol-
lowing persons made the ascent:
Prof. NJ. j. Elrod, Missoula: Prof. j.
NJ. Hamilton, Missoula: Principal
Maurice Kicker, Burlington, Ia; Prin-
cipal p. NJ. Silloway, L%ewistown; Her
bert Silloway. Lewistown; Claude
Spaulding, Missoula; Miss Charlotte
Cahoon, Butte; Miss Winnie Miles,
Corydon, Iowa: Vincent Craig, Mis-
soula: Walter Lehman, Lewistown;
Amos Estey, Echo; J. A. Fossum, Big
fork; Nathaniel Alcock, Yankton. S.
D.; Mis- Any NJ. Short, Butte; Miss
Gertrude Norton, East Helena; b..
Tomlinson. Holt. Mont, packer.
The ascent and return was made
without mishap, and all are loud m
their praises of the beautiful scenery
and the magnificent vegetation. The
party assembled by the well known
Aeneas trail and were the first to trav-
ell it this season. The trail is there
fore open to the summit of the range.
Very few windfalls were encountered,
but the trail is getting quite brushy
from side growth. A couple of men
with Ike could make it first rate for
a trail in a very short time.
Snow about the summit is much less
than for any year preceding when as
cents have been made. Ii happened
that the date of the ascent, August 4,
was the same date as the ascent of
1902. and therefore comparisons are
not hard to make. There was not
half as much snow as in 1902 on the
same date. But Notwithstanding the
decrease the banks were still large,
lending great beauty and charm to
the scene.
Vegetation on the summit was much
more advanced than on the same date
last year. Dog-tooth ~violets. ane.
mones, and others had gone to seed,
while in 1902 they were just in full
bloom. Along the western slopes far
below the summit h~uckleberries were
ripe, and the large. luscious blue beT-
ries were eagerly devoured by the
party. several of whom had never be-
fore tasted them.
The day the party stood on the sum.
nit was perfect. The air was clear
and the distant peaks showed up in
all their grandeur. Heavens peak and
Sperry glacier were plainly visible to
the north. G.. N. Simpson. where
the water go to three oceans, st. Men
olas. Baptiste, Swan, Mcdonald and
others in abundance unknown and IN.
tanned, stood out clearly in the after
noon sun. F1athead lake could be
seen from end to end, while the beau
tiful and fertile F1athead valley
was seen to better advantage. 1t was
grand. The magnificence Of the view,
with the peaceful lake and valley and
the high and rugged backbone OF the
continent is enough to stir sentiments
in the most callous breast. Could peo-
pie but know the beauties and glories
presented in the great panorama from
a mountain summit they would stir
every atone and make every effort
to reach a summit OF considerable
prominence. MacDougal peak is T.
600 feet altitude. is easy of ascent on
account of the well worn trail, and
offers a view of Ire beauty to the
one who will make the ascent.
Several cameras were taken up,
taking pictures of all sizes from small
snap shots to size 6R X Sk inches.
The resulting negatives are very fine.
the best that have ever been taken
and equalling in beauty those shown
from better known and more exten-
sively visited mountains. The botan-
lists made quite extensive collections
of alpine flowers. and the entomolo-
gists gathered insects in considerable
quantities. The alpine lakes, still
holding the snow of last winter, were
searched for entomostraca, beetles
and other forms of aquatic life. Sec
tions of the alpine fir and white-bark
pine were gathered for the museum
One tree two feet in diameter was 200
a old. Three sections were taken,
one for the state university, one Tor
the Fergus county high school and one
for the University OF Chicago. Other
sections of other trees were being
gathered, for the purpose OF making
complete collections of the woods or
the state.
The night at the summit was quite
cool. Long after sun-up white frost
still covered the vegetation, n II
was not until noon that the warmth
sufficient TO bring out insects.
This is the fourth party to make
the ascent of the mountain from the
Biological Station. The first party
had five. the second thirty-one, the
third fifteen. with sixteen this year.
Pres. O. J.. Craig, Mrs. Craig and
Vincent Craig, all OF Missoula. came
10 the station on Monday, August Bird,
while G.. II. Kicker and Miss Pearl
Kicker. of Des Moines, arrived on
Wednesday. President Craig address
ed the station people on Thursday ev-
ening. The first day OF his stay he
devoted TO his pastime. fishing, with
a net result to his credit OF "A trout,
ranging in size from one-fourth %
threefourths of a pounc. Succeeding
days were almost as successful. Pres
ident and Mrs. Craig returned home
Friday, while Vincent remained at the
station.
On Thursday evening Pres. Craig
gave the first lecture of the week,
taking for his subject the ~. +. A."
While en- route 10 Boston, the place