66 CAMP-FIRES IN THE CANADIAN ROCKIES 



{Dryas octopetala), which to tired feet is most soothing 

 and restful. In places the surface of the slope forms a 

 long series of level benches a yard wide and five or six 

 feet long, each one generously cushioned with this odd 

 plant. 



Climbing a mountain over such footing as that is like 

 exploring a wilderness in a Pullman car. But mark the 

 contrast. From this zone of living carpet we climbed 

 upon the terminal cap of the mountain, a huge mound 

 of broken, sharp-edged rock, ragged, jagged, and barren 

 of all vegetable life. It was the remains of a prehistoric 

 peak, which foot by foot had remorselessly been torn 

 down by wind and sun, frost and rain, until its last pin- 

 nacle had been laid low. The whole mountain-top was 

 a mass of clean rock — carboniferous limestone the color 

 of a postal card, — that looked as if it had just come 

 from a quarry, suitably broken for rubble-masonry 

 foundations. 



The view from that rocky summit disclosed a mag- 

 nificent mountain-cyclorama. In every direction, to the 

 uttermost limit of vision, there rose and fell a bewilder- 

 ing succession of saw-tooth mountains, deep valleys and 

 far-distant peaks. The level mountain-plateau feature 

 was totally absent. Nowhere was there visible a level 

 spot large enough for a foot-ball field. It was moun- 

 tains, mountains, everywhere, a labyrinth of steeps, a be- 

 wildering maze of summits, valleys, precipices, basins 

 and passes. 



Looking eastward over the northern spurs of Phil- 

 lips Peak, across the valley of Elk River and beyond 



