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The National Geographic Magazine 



Flathead Valley. Mission Range in background 



The Flathead Valley is of consider- 

 able area — open, grassy, and rolling, 

 dotted by ponds and lakes, the largest 

 being Flathead Lake, which is about 30 

 miles long, 5 to 12 miles wide, and about 

 2,900 feet above the sea. 



This region is one of the best in the 

 state for raising grains and the hardier 

 fruits ; it requires little or no irrigation, 

 as there is an abundant rainfall. It is 

 largely within the Flathead Indian Res- 

 ervation, through which we pass en 

 route to the mountains beyond. The 

 Indians, gathering from all directions to ' 

 celebrate the holiday of the Fourth of 

 July in dancing and horse-racing, call 

 to us to stay and pitch our tents in the 

 circle and " have some fun;" but on we 

 go, the mountains to the west and 

 south — rolling and beautiful — straight 

 up the narrowing canyon toward the 

 Mission Range, which rises to the east, 

 directly in front of us. Here are blos- 

 soms and grass in profusion, stately 

 trees, and grateful shade. 



The summits of the Mission Range 

 gradually increase in height toward the 

 south and culminate in McDonald Peak, 

 which is about 10,000 feet above the 

 sea. This peak wears perennial snow, 

 has several glacial remnants, and is dif- 



ficult of ascent late in the season after 

 heavy snows. The peak is one of the 

 triangulation stations of the Geological 

 Survey, and I have attempted to climb 

 it on four occasions, the first and the last 

 being successful. The unsuccessful at- 

 tempts were made in October and No- 

 vember ; the successful ones in July and 

 August. 



As we ascend we cross many snow 

 banks, and eventually make our camp 

 high in the range at the most available 

 spot, where there is only five feet of 

 snow — a sharp contrast to the valley be- 

 hind us. Our horses and mules are fed 

 a few handfuls of grain — ' ' to keep them 

 cheerful," as the packer says — and we 

 start for the pass and peak (McDonald) 

 by the easiest route, a wearying one at 

 best. We skirt the cliffs, have superb- 

 views on every hand, the problem al- 

 ways in front of us white and forbid- 

 ding. After many hours of steady but 

 not dangerous climbing, we at last stand 

 on the summit, gazing from the midst 

 of winter to the sunny plains of sum- 

 mer, miles away and thousands of feet 

 below. We are wet to the skin, and 

 the wind penetrates all the clothing we- 

 can wear, so that the return is begun, 

 as soon as possible. 



