Exploration in the Canadian Rockies 



87 



lakes which Tom said he had seen at the 

 end of our valley. Though I went on 

 for another half hour, I could not see 

 the other lake, owing to an exasperating 

 ridge which remained in the way. It 

 was now so late that I was forced to re- 

 turn by way of the valley. The lake is 

 apparently very beautiful, as four high 

 connected peaks lie behind it and are 

 flanked by glaciers at their bases. The 



dogs." It seems remarkable that the 

 mountain plants and delicate flowers 

 are not injured by temperatures below 

 the actual freezing point, not only here, 

 at altitudes of 6,ooo feet, but even 2,500 

 feet higher, at the upper limit of plant 

 life, where the cold is far more severe. 

 For the first time on our trip a retreat 

 was necessary, and we marched rapidly 

 back to the junction of the two streams. 



Pliotu by Wilcox 



Camping in the Elk Valley 



lake is surrounded by woods and cliffs, 

 which on the north side rise out of the 

 water abruptly. I regretted that it was 

 impossible to visit that interesting spot, 

 but it was now so late that I had to re- 

 turn to camp on account of darkness. 

 The atmosphere was so clear in the 

 night that three satellites of Jupiter 

 could be seen with our field-glasses. In 

 the morning there was much frost and 

 ice and a conspicuous absence of " bull- 



Shortly beyond this the flat, meadowy 

 character of the valley ends, and the 

 trail ascends one of two curious moraine- 

 like ridges which descend into the val- 

 ley on either side and seem to make a 

 kind of dam. Crossing this, we were 

 soon in a wild gorge, with a roaring tor- 

 rent below us and magnificent spruce 

 trees of great height on every side. 

 This change from the quiet stream and 

 open meadows was one of those sudden 



