The Red Cloud chief., 1914-03-19

ing. Aghtng at the village of Belton We have
delicious meal In the Great Northern's pretty
Swiss chalet hotel and climb aboard stage coach
for the ride to Lake Mcdonald For an hour we
travel boulevard cut through dense forest Of
pine, spruce and balsam. and then, where a group
OF cottages are clustered on its shore the lake
opens out before US This ! 1-mile stretch OF water
Is so beautiful In setting and color, that no words
are adequate to describe 1t. Lake Mcdonald was
a popular resort long before the national park
was established. and there are several hotels and
camps about its northern end. To one Of these.
the Glacier hotel. we are taken by launch to be
greeted cordially by its proprietor. j. f. Lewis,
who for years has been taking care Of fishermen
and other folk who wanted to spend week or a
summer In the open. So near that II seems but
moments walk from the shore. the mountains OF
the park tower to the skies, casting their jagged
reflections in the still waters Of the lake. ten
mile ride through the forest that clothes their
lower slopes brings us to Avalanche lake. Pea
green I'm color. rejecting the spruce and pine and
hemlock that crowd to its very edge It lies like
a precious gem in deep basin that Is a veritable
mountain garden. Al one end the rock wall rises
almost perpendiculary for 5000 feet, and its
edge ard down it's face dash four torrents dis.
charged from Sperry glacier, two miles away
Not very easy of access. but wonderfully impress
sive when you get to 1t after some fve hours OF
climbing is Sperry glacier. Just great field OF
Ice and snow, about three miles In extent and Of
unknown depth. 1t lies gittering and sparkling
unuer the midsummer sun. CrevaSSes cross It's
expanse here and there, and the tourist must be
exceedingly careful II he ventures out on its
face. Indeed. the authorities do not permit this.
unless with guides and ropes. on any of the ga-
ciers In the park. The wind is always high up
there and snow and rock slides are frequent
The mountains and glaciers and lakes and
passes We have seen only few OF the wonders
OF this wonderful park-only a few. indeed. OF
that part that is open to ordinary sightseers
Almost half Of the park. the northern part Is
known to few except forest rangers. guides. Ind-
ans and some scientists. Doubtless before many
years the whole region will be opened up and the
remarkably satisfactory system of camps estab
lished by the Great Northern Railway company
will be extended to the Canadian border. Within
the last year these accommodations have been
larged greatly to meet the demands OF the rapidly
increasing stream OF visitors,
One more thing must be said for Glacier Ma
tonal Park: 1t is a pleasure ground for the Beo
pie, not for the millionaire. No fine clothes, no
expensive luxuries there. All charges are regu
lated by the government. and 1t Is the ambition
OF Louis HILL chairman of the board OF directors OF
the Great Northern. to keep the necessary ex.
park Is his hobby and his pride. and he is as
familiar with its trails and passes the
guides and the Indians OF course, tourist travel
to the park helps his railway. and at time In
the far future the company may begin to break
even on its lavish expenditure O. money to make
things comfortable for those who go all the way
to Montana to see the Switzerland OF America-I
haven't yet devised better name for It,