Knapsacking in the Kings-San Joaquin Region 295 



below Helen Lake. Ice had to be broken before we could get 

 water for cooking. 



We were up next morning while it was yet dark, and got 

 breakfast as the alpenglow lit up the mountain side. Then fol- 

 lowed a great climb over the snow, where little ice-chunks made 

 a curious tinkling sound when kicked off by our shoes. One 

 ice-cave with some fine stalactites was seen. Reaching Muir 

 Pass (12,059 feet), we crossed into the Evolution Creek re- 

 gion, then found a way directly opposite the middle of Wanda 

 Lake over into North Goddard Creek. We dubbed this "Lag- 

 gard Pass," the name telling how we felt. Trudging onward 

 down the creek, we passed one fine lake and camped at the first 

 scrubby timber near another. This was our highest camp — 11,- 

 000 feet. Leaving the left bank of the creek about a mile above 

 where it enters the South Fork of the San Joaquin, we worked 

 over into the canon of the main stream. Here at short intervals 

 the river leaps gleefully in most beautiful waterfalls. 



A good place to ford was found about a hundred and fifty 

 yards above where North Goddard Creek comes in, and H. H. 

 spoke "full and free" concerning the coldness of the water, the 

 swiftness of the stream and the roughness of the stones on the 

 bottom. The trail led on along the bank of the clear, rushing 

 river. We missed the Hell-For-Sure trail and camped on the 

 very brink of a fine fall, whose roar lulled us to sleep. It was 

 the most romantic of all our camps. Up at dawn, we "hit the 

 side of the canon." Using the map, also the note of Mr. Le 

 Conte's party,* we came up near Red Mountain. Here we had 

 to go down hill some distance, and bearing to the left, were 

 forced to cross a mile or more of slide-rock, but we finally 

 reached the pass with the appropriate name (11,300 feet). A 

 great contrast was offered by the views to the east and to the 

 west. The former was one of a country smothered in snow, 

 the latter of lakes in their natural blue color, some bare earth, 

 and in the distance trees and green meadow. 



This point marked this portion of the trip into two parts, the 

 remainder being in what seemed low country. After some 

 tramping over granite, we came to forest country and again 



* See Sierra Club Bulletin^ vol. II, no. 5, page 260. 



