78 CAMP FIRES IN THE YUKON 



den impressed upon us that the only way to get 

 across was to choose the high ridge to the right of 

 the pass and take the horses right up to the rock 

 pinnacles. We looked over the monstrous course 

 Hayden had impressed upon us, and while it seemed 

 absolutely impossible for horses we decided to fol- 

 low Hayden's directions, which we were more will- 

 ing to do after a band of six rams was located on 

 one of the pinnacles. Going through the timber we 

 saw a cow moose which we did not disturb, but con- 

 tinued up the high ridge where the going was slow. 



Reaching the top of the ridge we came to the 

 real base of the range, from which the peaks shot 

 up thousands of feet into the clouds. It seemed a 

 foolhardy undertaking to attempt to scale those 

 towering heights with horses, but we would lead the 

 horses up a hundred feet at a time and give them 

 a rest and then proceed upward. When we reached 

 the top of a peak we would look ahead and find an- 

 other higher peak, to reach which we had to descend 

 somewhat and then climb the peak in our front. 

 We finally got our animals to the top and then dis- 

 covered it was impossible to take them further, so 

 Baker and Wright took the horses down the moun- 

 tains, while Hoyt and the writer agreed to hunt 

 sheep and to meet the outfit down on the other side 

 near Count Creek. 



After climbing around on the rock pinnacles with 

 knife-blade edges, where one slope was dangerously 



