CHAPTER XXI 



THE END OF THE TRAIL 



I WAS anxious to cross the high altitudes of 

 the Continental Divide as quickly as possi- 

 ble, for winter had already set in, and 

 heavy snows were now to be expected. Any 

 morning was likely to dawn with one of the ter- 

 rific blizzards characteristic of the region, 

 which would stop all travel save on snowshoes. 

 The park's season for visitors was closed, how- 

 ever, and red tape held me at the soldiers' sta- 

 tion at Snake River until near midday follow- 

 ing my arrival, when I was permitted to pro- 

 ceed. That morning the thermometer regis- 

 tered twenty-two degrees of frost. The ground 

 was covered with snow of a previous storm 

 when I crossed the Continental Divide on the 

 day I left Snake River station and ice did not 

 melt there even at midday. 



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