SPORT IN THE GOLD RANGE 



minates in ragged gray peaks whose crevices are filled with 

 snow and ice during the entire year. 



Early in the autumn of the previous year, while Dell had 

 been hunting bear on one side of the cafion of Sitkem Creek, 

 he had discovered with the field-glasses some cliffs on the 

 opposite slope of the caiion, where goats were very plentiful 

 and had never been disturbed. To reach these goat-cliffs was 

 the object of the trip, and during the afternoon we arrived at 

 the mouth of the creek Dell tried to find a way of climbing 

 up to them. Shortly after dark he returned to camp much 

 disgusted, stating that the snow was so far down on the 

 mountain-side that it had prevented him from even reaching 

 a spot where he could overlook the cliffs farther up the 

 cafion. The next day both of us tried to get above timber- 

 line, but after struggling through snow waist-deep for several 

 hours abandoned the attempt, reaching camp after sunset. 

 After some discussion that evening, we decided to attempt 

 to reach the goat-cliffs the next day by ascending the cafion 

 lower down on the slopes of the mountain. 



It was a very still, moonlight night, and for several hours 

 we were treated to a serenade from a pack of wolves which, 

 screened by the thick woods, came within several hundred 

 feet of the tent and did not leave the vicinity until near day- 

 light. At the first sign of dawn Dell and I started out through 

 the thickets back of the tent, dressed and equipped for light 

 travelling and hard climbing. For several hours we ascended 

 steadily through forests of spruce, occasionally flushing blue 

 grouse, which flew into near-by trees, and jumping numerous 

 deer, which we could hear but not see as they bounded away 

 through the thick bush. Then we reached the snow, and from 

 here on the travelling became more interesting, as the recent 

 history of the wild life of the woods was show^n by the numerous 

 signs of its inhabitants. The snow was tracked up by a net- 

 work of hare, grouse, and squirrel trails, among which zig- 

 17 243 



