The Mountaineer 15 
rugged Alpine summits, attaining a height of perhaps 12,500 
or even 13,000 feet, with seven tremendous glaciers in sight 
within a small radius. One of these, to the northwest, a 
splendid, mountain-wide hanging glacier with a sheer 1,000- 
foot ice-wall, continually avalanched huge blocks over a_ ter 
rific precipice across the valley from us. 
Our expedition up Horse Thief Creek, a tributary of the 
Columbia a little north of Toby and also on the western or 
Selkirk side of the river, offered even more dramatic scenery 
in some respects. Exploration and climbing on this creek 
is simplified by the fact that one can get outfitted at Star- 
bird’s Mountain Vailey Ranch, about thirteen miles up. Be- 
yond the ranch the scenery becomes indescribably grand. In 
places sheer, precipitous 6,000 or 7,000-foot cliffs rise on either 
side of the narrow valley, cliffs which I have never seen equaled, 
even in the famous Tuolumne Canyon of California. At other 
points the walls recede, showing glimpses of even higher snow- 
capped summits beyond. It is a two days’ trip from Starbird’s 
to the head of the creek, and at a point a few miles from the 
head is one of the grandest viewpoints that Gleason or I have 
ever seen. The sides of the valley recede so as to form a deep 
bowl. There are in sight at one time four magnificent water- 
falls and cascades plunging down from the steep, canyon-like 
walls, while to the west, at the head of the valley, a mag- 
nificent mountain rears its bulk. It bears a tremendous double 
glacier, two huge ice streams having united and left a fine 
medial moraine on which an exploring party could advance 
high up on the glacier and perhaps get a good start to climb 
the mountain. 
The whole region, besides its attractions for the moun- 
taineer, is also a hunter’s paradise, abounding in goats, moun- 
tain sheep and grizzlies, of which we saw evidences on every 
hand. 
Our trips on the eastern or Rocky Mountain side of the 
river were less extensive, although interesting, our tramp up 
to the curious, volcanic appearing Fish Lakes leading us 
through a short canyon having the U-shaped Yosemite char- 
acteristics. 
We were now in first-class tramping and climbing condi- 
tion, had our mountain legs and were ready for anything: but, 
alas! our holiday was over. We had, however, accomplished 
