ON AND AROUND LAKE CHELAN. 



28t 



There is grand hunting in those moun- 

 tains, yet; and I sincerely hope the game 

 hog will keep out of them. 



With heavier packs than ever we struck 

 out for the cabin. The wind had turned 

 to the Northwest and was blowing a gale. 

 It tumbled the clouds with flurries of 

 snow over the peaks and down in the 

 canyon, making a wild sight, and then the 

 dull boom ! boom ! of falling timber on the 

 mountain rolled up among the rocks. 



As we reached the summit the view was 

 entirely changed. The mountains up Rail- 

 road creek and around Stehekin, at the 

 head of the lake, were half enveloped in 

 heavy snow squalls. Dumpkies and 

 Chelan lakes were well stirred up, too. We 

 dropped and slid down that 2 miles to 

 Dumpkies creek in good time; the packs 

 getting heavier all the while. 



The "Combination" on the lake had, to 

 our disgust, been torn to pieces by the 

 wind and the waves. We did not intend to 

 walk home. After a good deal of hard 

 work we got the raft fastened together, and 

 lashing everything fast we waited for the 

 wind to go down a little. Then we started. 

 That was the longest 2 miles I have ever 

 paddled. The raft was barely above water, 

 and everything went under the waves out ' 

 of sight. 



The moon was well up when we reached 

 the cabin and all nature became quiet. 

 From that- cabin I gazed on the finest 

 moonlight picture I ever saw. 



For the sportsman who wants to get 

 into a new country where deer, bear, goats, 

 cougar, marten, etc., are plentiful, I know 

 of no place better than the Cascades along 

 Lake Chelan. The more ambitious ones 

 who long for a reputation may run across 

 a silv:rtip away up in the sawteeth, that 

 will make them work for their laurels. 

 Everything is convenient. A boat runs 

 every other day from Chelan and Lake- 

 side, and it is not necessary to go far from 

 the lake to get into the most rugged and 

 the grandest of the Cascade mountains. 



The country is not overrun with hunters, 

 and is not likely to be in the near future. 

 Nothing but a job lot of game hogs can 

 deplete this new world of its game. 



A true lover of Nature in all her entic- 

 ing grandeur and wildness would be com- 

 pelled to spend many days in travel and 

 search to discover a more beautiful com- 

 bination of rocks, wood and water than is 

 found along each side of Railroad creek. 



This icy torrent comes tumbling down 

 from its origin in the glaciers, sometimes 

 running on edge and again broadening 

 out into a wide creek, until at last it ends 

 its wild, downward rush by wandering 

 across Railroad Creek bar and mingling 

 with the more quiet waters of Lake 

 Chelan, 45 miles from the foot of the lake. 



The sportsman with rod, gun or camera 



can find unlimited opportunities for their 

 use in this new country. The grandest 

 scenery in the Cascade range is found at 

 the headwaters of this creek. There are 

 mountains and glaciers which are equal 

 to those that travelers cross the oceans to 

 gaze on. The solid granite canyon walls 

 are thousands of feet high, and many of 

 them are almost perpendicular. 



Among the peaks stands one supreme. 

 It appears like a gigantic castle, and for 

 that similarity it is called Castle mountain. 

 Gazing through the forests at its base you 

 can see here and there thin, silvery cata- 

 racts; and far above, a mantle of freshly 

 fallen snow, and the more jagged and ir- 

 regular outlines of the glaciers. This new 

 paradise is easy of access to those who 

 care to investigate its wonders. Leaving 

 Railroad Creek bar the trail crosses the 

 stream and winds backward and forward 

 up along the mountain side about a mile 

 from the creek. The trail is excellent, but 

 it is a gradual ascent for about 3 miles, and 

 is likely to tire some muscles in those not 

 used to mountain climbing. The path then 

 becomes more level on up to 12 Mile 

 camp. Pack animals can be easily 

 landed from the boat, and as it is a pack 

 animal trail, no difficulty is experienced in 

 getting a camping outfit from the bar up 

 the creek. 



In some of the canyons branching oft" 

 from the creek, about 12 miles from the 

 lake, are rich deposits of ore, mostly a 

 low grade smelting ore, carrying copper, 

 galena and some iron; hence, not a poor 

 man's proposition or a poor man's coun- 

 try. The lack of good transportation fa- 

 cilities is holding the growth of the min- 

 ing industry in check; but from the 

 present indications this is to be changed 

 in a few months. The Northern Pacific 

 and the Great Northern railroads have had 

 surveying parties along the Columbia, and 

 all are looking forward to the advent of a 

 railroad. 



There are many camping places and 

 plenty of wood and water. In these can- 

 yons th£ nights are always chilly. The 

 wind is drawn down through them and 

 plenty of good blankets are never out of 

 place. On sunshiny days, where there is 

 climbing to be done, you will suspect that 

 the sun is hot. 



One should never fail to take a day's 

 fishing trip on the creek. It has a reputa- 

 tion throughout that country for the excel- 

 lence and gaminess of its trout. Brine: 

 your split bamboos, multiplying reels and 

 all the fancy flies known to the modern 

 disciple of Walton, if you want to; but the 

 knowing native will take his rifle and 

 neatly snip the head from a red squirrel 

 or one of the saucy chipmunks that are 

 so plentiful, and he has bait enough for the 

 day. Then he will go into a fir thicket and 



