14 



Sierra Club Bulletin. 



setting. Rixford and Gould, ascended by some of the 

 party, rise from the further side, while near by the Kear- 

 sarge Pinnacles form a giant stairway to University 

 Peak beyond. 



Impatient and less clever than our leader, failing to 

 land trout at Bullfrog, we kept on to Charlotte Lake, 

 equally attractive, and soon had a fair string of trout, a 

 threatening thunder-storm warning us against further 

 delay. 



Early the day following a fair-sized company left camp 

 and two hours' walk brought us to Center Basin, where 

 Center Peak apparently rises out of a perfect amphi- 

 theater, and after several hours' stiff climbing the summit 

 of University Peak was made, 13,588 feet elevation. An 

 hour slipped by as we revelled in the view, a most attrac- 

 tive combination of mountain and desert. On the plains 

 below we saw a narrow thread, where the life-giving fluid 

 would soon start on its long journey to supply Los An- 

 geles's thirst. The elements were in a fitful mood. Over 

 the mountains in front driving sheets of rain came down 

 from the leaden sky; clouds pouring through the gap 

 were laden with snow, and surrounded by snow we were 

 pelted now and then by hail-stones, while the lakes below 

 looked like silver sheen or inky cauldrons, as the strug- 

 gling sun would strike or miss them. 



Descending, we followed the Kearsarge Pinnacles, re- 

 warded by a glorious slide down a lengthy snow slope, 

 and then by the Kearsarge lakes down to Bullfrog and 

 home again, for where our sleeping-bags lie is home. 



The trip to the Vidette lakes made another day to 

 linger in one's memory. 



Following up the small creek through scattered foxtail 

 pine, whose reddish bark with dark polished limbs of 

 orange tint ofTered striking contrast with the green 

 foliage and rocks of quiet shades of gray. A chain of 

 lakes was passed, one above the other, until we climbed 

 into the upper basin at the base of Deerhorn Mountain. 

 Here we allowed several hours to go, watching the white 



