8 



Sierra Club Bulletin. 



led toward the west into the canon of the North Fork 

 of Mono Creek, and not toward Mount Abbott and the 

 head of the main Mono Creek, so we decided to use the 

 Lone Indian trail, as first planned. 



This was accordingly followed next morning, and after 

 losing some time hunting out the trail near a large lake, 

 we crossed the divide between Fish and Mono creeks 

 by a good pass at about 11,500 feet. A fine, broad 

 valley dotted with meadows and sprinkled with thin 

 timber led away to the south. This we followed mile 

 after mile, till about noon. Threatening thunderstorms 

 delayed us after lunch, and while staking the animals the 

 discovery was made that our creek pitched over a 1,000- 

 foot cliff at the end of the meadow into a deep canon 

 below. The trail was soon found, climbing over a low 

 ridge to the left, and then it led us by many windings 

 and zig-zags down that tremendous canon wall to a 

 splendid green meadow below, where we made one of 

 our most delightful camps at its lower end in a fine 

 grove of tamarack pine. 



We were now on the North Fork of Mono Creek, the 

 same which we would have reached had we crossed the 

 rough pass near Red-and-White Peak. A good trail 

 was blazed down its east side to Mono Creek, where we 

 struck into the main Mono trail early next morning. 

 This we followed up Mono Creek till noon, finally camp- 

 ing in a wretched place near the mouth of the Third 

 Recess. The country was overrun with cattle, and much 

 overstocked. All the feed was eaten down to the roots, 

 and our poor mules fared badly. 



We intended to make a try at Mount Abbott next 

 morning, and as the weather was threatening and as 

 many cattle were about we put ud our little tent to pro- 

 tect our outfit. After a hasty luncn Vv'c started up the 

 creek with the intention of locating Mount Abbott, if 

 possible. Two or three miles above camp the Fourth 

 Recess was reached, a splendid, rocky gorge extending 

 back into the very heart of the wildest mountains. Just 



