WILSON. 1 



ASCENT OF THE GRAND TETON. 



657 



ing the other parties to continue ni") the river, I crossed over to the west 

 side, thence by way of Teton Pass to Pierre's Hole, continuing" north- 

 ward until we reached Teton Creek; turniug short to the right, followed 

 up the stream some distance, camping near the head of the open valley, 

 which here extended two or three miles up the stream from the main 

 valley below. Here I left the train with two of the men. Taking one pack- 

 mule loaded with the instruments and sufQcient supplies to last three 

 or four days, started for the peak, accompanied by A. C. Ladd and 

 Harry Tount. We succeeded in reaching the plateau west of the peak, 

 which is considerably above timber-line, without any difficulty. We 

 traveled along until we were cut off by a deep and very abrupt canon. 

 We might have taken our animals down to the bottom of this canon if 

 the pass had not been blocked by a heavy bank of snow. Finding our- 

 selves blocked, we turned toward the south into a basin where we found 

 grass and timber enough to camp hj. Here we were delayed two or 

 three days by a heavy rain and snow storm which we found very disa- 

 greeable, camped as we were on the side of the mountain exposed to 

 the west winds. While we were thus delayed by the storm, I took ad- 

 vantage of a short lull by climbing to the edge of the plateau-like ridge 

 to the southeast of camp. I obtained a very fair view of the peak and 

 its approaches. While thus emploj^ed I looked down ui3on a bank of 

 snow just below me, and there saw four grizzlies playing "hide and go 

 seek " among the crevasses. Getting myself in a good position among 

 the rocks, so they could not see me, I fired three or four shots at them,, 

 killing two of them; but finding that I had but one cartridge left, and 

 two bears, I thought discretion the better part of valor, and slipping down 

 on the opposite side of the rocks, "lit out" for camp. 



On the morning of August 20, finding the weather very clear and 

 beautiful, with a bright moon shining, we were up and off before day- 

 light. Climbing to the top of the pass, we could then see what was be- 

 fore us. First, we had to cross a caiion that was some 1,500 feet deep, 

 and then cross a spur which juts out south of the main peak, before we 

 • could really begin the ascent of the peak proper. We soon scrambled 

 our way down to the bottom of the canon, but not so soon did we reach 

 the ridge beyond ; the slope being very steep and the debris which com- 

 posed it very fine and loose, it would slide from under our feet, making 

 it very tiresome, especially near the top of the ridge. Eeaching the top 

 in a deep notch, we soon climbed down over a bank of neve snow and 

 out on a small glacier, which filled the amphitheatre, or basin, at this 

 point. Crossing this quickly, we found ourselves face to face with the 

 peak itself, and it did look as if it would be almost impossible to climb 

 to any height on this peak. We halted a minute to examine the ground 

 ahead. I concluded to follow up a long slide which came from the south- 

 west side of the peak ; this would enable us to reach the saddle on the 

 main ridge. So we proceeded to scramble our way over this great loose 

 mass of angular boulders of granite, first giving strict orders that the 

 others were not to follow in line, as it would be impossible to prevent 

 the boulders rolling from under our feet with all the care that Avas pos- 

 sible. After about one hour's hard climbing over this debris slope, 

 we found ourselves on the saddle, where we halted again for a moment 

 to take a look at the peak Irom that side. I found that from this point 

 there was a sort of hall- way, leading nearly to the summit, with nearly 

 vertical walls of granite on either side. These walls extended below 

 the saddle on either side, thus comi^elling us to follow this path, although 

 very steep and in many places worn smooth by the snow slides which pass 

 down this channel every spring. Taking the lead, as before, I cHmbed 

 along, carrying my transit with but little difficulty for some distance,, 

 42as 



