KHOPA.] GEOGRAPHY MOUNTAIN CLIMBING. 483 



between ns and camp, we found that with our utmost endeavors we 

 could not hope to get into camp till long after dark. On the other hand, 

 we knew that we could not travel any considerable distance over the 

 debris after dark, so we struck for the timber with all our speed. When 

 darkness came on we found ourselves in a mixture of vegetation and 

 loose rock, and had to pick our way with the utmost care. Our long- 

 continued exertions were at last crowned with success, and we had 

 the i^leasure of sitting down to a supper which tasted to us far better 

 than the most costly meals of civilization, served up in the most expen- 

 sive hotels. We reached camp at eight o'clock in the eyeoing, haviug 

 been fourteen hours from camp, twelve of which had been occupied in 

 steady climbing, and two in work on the summit of the peak. During 

 those twelve hours we had climbed up 7,000 feet, and down an equal dis- 

 tance, beside traveling a horizontal distance of six mdes, the whole over 

 loose rock. 



The next day, which was September 11, we retraced our steps down 

 the creek, and turning to the right followed up the west branch of the 

 same stream. We made station 34, whose elevation is 12,997 feet, on a 

 peak at the head of this creek. It is the most western of the great group 

 of mountains of which Mount Sneffels is the highest point. From here 

 Lizard's Head, east of Mount Wilson, stood up like a high monument on 

 the top of a mountain-peak. From this view the width of the base bears 

 about the same relation to the height as in the great artificial monu- 

 ments. The height of the column is 290 feet, and the elevation of the 

 summit above the sea 13,160 feet. From this point it is fourteen miles 

 distant in a straight line, yet it loomed up fiuely. On our way to camp, 

 which we found located at the junction of the two creeks, we saw a black 

 bear, the first we had yet come across, but he disappeared so suddenly 

 that it was impossible to get a shot. 



We were well satisfied with having finished this part of the mountain 

 country. Only one peak of which we had any dread remained yet 

 to be ascended, and that was Mount Wilson. From various circum- 

 stances we had reason to believe that this was higher than any station 

 we had yet made, and from its rugged appearance we dreaded its 

 ascent not a little. We returned to Lake San Miguel by the same trail 

 we had come. On our way we saw a few cranes, which, with their long 

 legs and unearthly noises, only served to add to the funereal aspect 

 of the scenery. At the lake Dr. Endlich and I stopped to make a de- 

 tailed sketch of statio-n 30. From here the peak, with the lake in the • 

 foreground, and the rich groups of pine and aspen, separated by spaces 

 covered with a rank growth of grass for a middle distance, presented a 

 beautiful appearance. Crossing over the divide between the San Mig- 

 uel and Dolores, at an elevation of about 10,200 feet, we turned oif to 

 the right and camped on a stream which flows down from the southeast 

 side of Mount Wilson. On the way Mr. W^ilson succeeded in killing a 

 fair-sized male grizzly with his Springfield needle-gnn. 



September 13 was devoted to climbing the great mountain. Riding 

 to the timber-line, we sent our mules back to camp by one of the pack- 

 ers, and commenced the ascent. At first we had a low bluff of slate to 

 get over. The plates of the stone were remarkable for their great size 

 and freedom from cracks. Above this the climb was qnite easy for a 

 considerable distance, being nothing more than plain slopes of loose 

 debris. When we had reached an elevation of about 13,000 feet, we 

 noticed three mountain-sheep on the top of a high ridge to the north of 

 us, and about 1,000 feet above us. We could scarcely see how they got 

 up there, such was the ruggedness of the ridge. They watched our 



