694 REPORT UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY. 



This range, with the Absaroka Eidges to the soiTthward, is timbered 

 from the base, though nowhere heavily. In the high valleys there is 

 some large valuable timber, but the amount of this is limited. As we 

 proceed southward the timber decreases, and the country about the upper 

 AA'aters of Slate Creek and Ham's Fork is almost destitute of it. These 

 rolling hills and x^lateaus into which the Wyoming Eange has degener- 

 ated are covered with the best of grass for i)asturage. 



JOHN day's RIVER. 



This stream heads near the southern ends of the Wyoming and Salt 

 Eiver Eanges and tiows somewhat west of north to the Snake Eiver. 

 It is named from one of the early trappers of the region. Its valley is 

 narrow and caiaon-like throughout. At flood-height the stream is barely 

 fordable, and carries fully 3,000 cubic feet per second. Its low-water 

 flow is probably not more than one-third as much. 



The valley, or, more properly, the slopes of the mountains contain a 

 considerable quantity of excellent timber which can easily be trans- 

 ported by water to settlements on the Snake Eiver. 



THE SALT RIVER RANGE. 



This range stands west of the valley of John Day's Eiver, separating 

 it from the Salt Eiver Valley. It is a sparsely timbered, rugged range, 

 not as high as the Wyoming Eange by fully 1,000 feet. Its length 

 within the district is about 30 miles, or about 40 miles altogether, as it 

 is cut short on the north by the Snake Eiver, which here passes by its 

 northern end. Southward it runs out into meridional ridges part and 

 and parcel of the southern continuation of the Wyoming Eange. The 

 latter, however, are drained southward by the head streams of Smith's 

 Fork of Bear Eiver. 



Though this range can be crossed by animals in several x>lafiGS, 

 there is but one pass in the range proper which is in common use — 

 that known as McDougal's Pass. This McDougal, whose name figures 

 so prominently in this i)art of the country, was another leading charac- 

 ter in the days of the fur companies. This pass is quite high, leading 

 one nearly to the top of the range, but is not difiicult for pack animals. 

 Early in the season, indeed, throughout July even, there is a great 

 amount of snow in its approaches, especially on the western side of the 

 summit. It is impossible to avoid it, and the only way is to travel across 

 the great snow fields, doing so early in the morning before the sun has 

 softened the surface. When I crossed this pass, which was on the 17th 

 of July, there was, besides many large snow-banks east of the summit, 

 one immense field just west of the head of the pass, comi^letely filling 

 the caiion and extending down it fully three miles. Of its depth one 

 could form no idea, except that it must have been enormous. Whether 

 it is a glacier could not be determined, as snow completely covered 

 everything. 



THE SALT RIVER VALLEY. 



Salt Eiver is an important southern branch of the Snake, entering it 

 about three miles west of the mouth of John Day's Eiver. It heads far 

 to the south, opposite branches of Smith's and Thomas' Forks of Bear 

 Eiver, among bare, rollhi g hills. Collecting its branches at a point nearly 

 west of the south end of the Salt Eiver Mountains, it pursues a course 

 nearly north down a broad valley, of which it occupies the western mar- 



