The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-07-11
Birmingham Writer Tells Wonders of the Scenery and Delights ofTrout
 Fishing in Glacier National Park

N%'H- Mount Despair, in the distance, tower l,50O feet above sea level A glimpse or lower Two Medicine Lake, with it's crys- tai surface shimmering in hundred re- fiecting shadows, a vision of Trick Falis, with it's varied prismatic hues, and Two Medicine camp nestles dreamily under the brow of Rising Wolf Mountain. Its main spire reaches 5000 feet amid the clouds. Miniature streams of melted snow and ice trickle down the chasms to keep the waters cold. Fine views are af- forded of Spot Mountain. Mount Nor gan, Funsch's Peak, Mount Helen and Dawson Pass, all now-capped and rang ing from 1000 to 9,SOo feet in altitude STOCKED WITH TROUT
 This lake, like moscs of the others and many of the streams, is lavishly stocked by the government with half dozen varities of cold-water trout. They range in size from one to six pounds, hard strikers and vicious fighters. Nearly every day took twelve to thirty beauties with half dozen colors Eastern Brook, Rainbow, Steelhead, Cutthroat and Black Spotted How they do churn the water double your rod and make the reel sing in accompani- ment to the scream of incline! From the broiler by camp fire under the skill full treatment of half-breed Indian guides, they are food for the gods. When Dick Eggleston, Lucian Brown, Hardee Johnston, Dr. May and other Birmingham expert flycasters read this they will want to know what time the next train leaves for Glacier Park From Medicine to St. Mary Lake is a question of two hours by pack. Thence to romantic cut bank, where ranger and Indian life are in evidence. It is a restful nook Cut Bank River, famed for it's big cutthroat trout. Dur ing an afternoon two of us with brown hacker and gray gnat day flies took nine lusty fellows that tipped the scales at twenty weight pounds. And we used five-ounce rods, too. A fight with in- numerable maneuvers of ten to fifteen minutes is required to put a big cut throat in your net.
 Probably nowhere in America is there a more perfect gurgling trout stream | than at Cut Bank. Here commanding views are obtained of Twin Battles, Basin, White Calf, Divide and other emi- nences poking their heads 5000 to 9365 feet. They form an assembly of sullen sentinels keeping vigil over wales and dells, lakes and streams and all the wildness of nature for miles around. ROOF OF CONTINENT
 A day was spent on the trail to and from Trople Divide Mountain spread ing it's upper surface s, AGO feet through
 
 joys the distinction of being the Roof of the Continent" From it's summit the waters flow three ways--to the Gulf of Mexico via Cut Bank and the Missouri rivers; to Hudon Bay through St. Mary lake and river, and to the Pacific Ocean along the Flathead river. Here the Monroe Twins, rising 5000 feet and Mount James, lifting its menacing head | 9,365 feet, are thrilling features of na- tures masinry standing in bold relief. | Then came two days at beautiful St. Mary camp, nesting on the shores of St. Mary lake, ten miles long, and connected with lower St. Mary lake, seven miles | in length, by a picturesque and romping l little river. Both are ribbon-like bodies I of purple, amber, emerald, blue and law ender waters that seem to steal their way through bases of drowning moun- l tains either side.
 1 St. Mary, with it's camp and two ! abandoned huts, boasts of bit of his- tory, as we'll as wealth of scenic beauty. Years ago a straggler started stories of the place that stirred up gold
 the region gotten under way before a 1 village was slung together, and the sa-
 i->r and eamhlins house vied for con quest in human wrecks. Hideoeus nights of debanch followed. But it all ended | in bubble of ruin and despair. There
 
 l fled back over the trail of forlorn hopes Tor fields of greater promise.
 While returning from stream fishing in St. Mary River I witnessed real catch from the lake by two Indians in
 canoe They had it out nts,Y with vt IT Nasifsx Nttaseifsx rsMus ma " It was battle royal for nearly half an hour. These are the ''big ones' of St Mary They provide sport for your reel and rod expert.
 CAMP BY THE LAKE
 Two days and nights we camped on the shore of Red Eagle Lake. in the heart of the wilds, nine miles from St Mary. There is no sign of habitation for at least seven miles over a rock ribbed trail through dense forests and around formidable ledges overhanging roaring streams thousand feet below It's wonderful how these pack horses can pick their way over these steeps with never a stumble or falter As we rounded Kootenal and Red Eagle Noun tain the promised land" came in sight Guides pitched tent, and Indian cook prepared for lunch from skillet and cof- fee pot in the open. Arnold, the lead guide, enjoined the two fishermen to attend to business" adding there was not an ounce of meat in the pack. Bet ter land a few" he warned, lessen you can get through on eggs and beans."
 Here in a blue and emerald lake ly-
 ing between two mammoth donies two thousand feet above the waters surface a mile long and two hundred feet deep, we had it out with thirteen cutthroats that tipped the scales at forty-six pounds And all in two hours casting with dry flies and five-ounce roas. It was work as we'll as sport. believe me. The largest was little over six pounds. beautifully marked with red slashes along the upper sides, tints of pale blue and light brown with some black and tan spots on his body.
 That evening luscious pink meat broiled to a turn by Rocky Mountain trail cook who knows the business pro- duced many a smack and lick of lips around the camp fire.
 MERCURY DOWN TO 3S Two nights we slept in wool sacks, ground under tent shelter. with dun mage bags for pillows. The mercury went to 3S. A glowing fire was sup piled at intervals by rear guide with ] logs just in front of ten. flap. It was great. Only an occasional moan of a coyote or grumble from a silver 1 tip far off on the mountain. a thousand 1 feet above varied the swish of the lake shore. until the chatter of mag pies aroused us early next morning. l The days are long away up here in the northwest. The sun is up long l before A. and when it disappears eve nings at twilight continues until nearly 10. I could see my fly while 1 fishing as late as 9:45 on clear nights l Trailing back to St. Mary in time to catch the afternoon boat for Going 1 to-the-Sun camp, horses were sent