FOREST RECREATION DEPARTMENT 



243 



preceding evening. The lake was soon left, and the 

 trail started in earnest the climb to Gordon Pass, twisting 

 and zigzaging up the steep mountain side. As each 

 switchback was turned, wider and wider views unfolded 

 to the westward the snow-cov- 

 ered Missions, dominated by 

 McDonald Peak whose upper 

 slopes were dazzling white in the 

 morning sun ; while further to 

 the right was the broad open 

 valley of the Swan River, down 

 which could be seen miles of 

 heavily timbered country. We 

 made a brief stop at a wooden 

 tripod, marking a fire lookout 

 station occupied during the sum- 

 mer. Henry, even more than the 

 panting horses, welcomed these 

 stops ; indeed, as the day ad- 

 vanced, he developed a wonder- 

 ful aptitude for enjoying the 

 view out of the saddle. 



These rests were brief, how- 

 ever. We left the zigzags be- 

 hind, and the trail hugged a 

 steep side slope, now crossing 

 great patches of slide rock where 

 the horses found a precarious 

 footing, now twisting around 

 some giant fir, whose massive, 

 distorted growth tells of years of 

 struggling existence against the 

 rigors of this exposed position. 

 Up and up we climbed until a 

 sudden turn and a last steep pitch 

 brought us at last to the natural 

 gateway at the top of the divide. 

 This gateway is known as the 

 "Hole in the Wall." It is more 

 of a steep-sided cut than a hole, 

 and makes an easy natural path- 

 way through the rocky knife 

 edge of the divide. 



A great bank of dirty snow, 

 solidified almost to ice, filled this 

 cut from end to end. Joyfully, 

 we unpacked on this snowbank, 

 and finding a couple of cans of 

 fruit, hastily buried them in the 

 snow, digging them out later, 

 cold as ice, to make a dessert 

 for our meal. 



North of this point, and easily 

 reached by a half-hour scramble 

 up the rocks, is one of the best 

 view points on the Swan River 

 divide. Persuading ourselves that 

 there would be time to spare, we 

 climbed to this point, where the 



grandeur of the view tempted us to loiter well into 

 the afternoon. To the east, a seemingly endless array 

 of mountain stretches to the Continental Divide ; to the - 

 south is the rugged gulf at the head of Gordon Creek 



A LAKE NEAR THE TRAIL Upper 



What more enticing spot could be found for weary traveler on forest trail than the meadow near this 

 gem-like lake. The wild beauty of these water mirrors call to all lovers of outdoors in a language more 

 subtle than written or spoken word. 



BIG SALMON COUNTRY Middle 



A land of giant forests, of timber clad slopes, of lakes of unusual charm and streams where lurk fighting 

 rainbow trout is yours in the vacation lands of the Flathead National Forest. 



BREAKING CAMP ON GORiDON PASS Lower 



The little park and meadow where Henry & Co. watched the display of the Aurora, told tales beside 

 the blazing fire and where a'fter an early morning breakfast packs were made up and the trip 

 down Gordon commenced. , 



