The Manama Club Outing to Glacier Peak. 179 



though the flowers of the brief summer were scarcely yet 

 in bloom. But there is perhaps no day quite so perfect 

 as that which holds this hint of coming change. Even a 

 sunny April morning with all its wealth of blossoms and 

 riot of bird songs lacks something of the charm of that 

 hour when winter's hold is first loosened and the coming 

 of spring heralded. For change and growth are intrinsic 

 parts of the beauty of nature, and one secret of its deep 

 appeal to us is this abounding promise of new life ever 

 hastening to succeed the old, this radiant spirit of eternal 

 youth that touches most closely the strongest, deepest in- 

 stincts of our race. 



Soon we had left the stream and were following the 

 blazed way through the woods. A hot, dusty strip of 

 burned timber separated the upland forest from the more 

 luxuriant growth of the lower levels, markedly different 

 in character, for we had to drop to 3,400 feet before reach- 

 ing the Suiattle River. Half a mile up that stream a 

 fallen log put us on the western side. So far the way had 

 been clear enough, but beyond the Suiattle blazes became 

 rarer and also more erratic as the trail makers of the pre- 

 vious year had marked several different courses over to 

 Chocolate Creek. But with considerable brush fighting 

 and a sharp eye ahead for blazes we soon made the creek 

 and paused for an early lunch. A straight climb of three 

 thousand feet lay ahead so we were quickly on the march 

 again. 



The crest of the first hill south of the creek formed an 

 ascending route that led us out, some two miles above, on 

 the rim of the Chocolate Glacier. Straight down, nearly 

 a thousand feet below, lay the terminal moraine. Looking 

 down the canon and across the Suiattle we could see 

 Buck Creek Pass, Chiwawa and Red Mountains, and far 

 teyond them the ragged line of the Chelan Ranges. A 

 goat trail followed close to the edge of the glacial canon 

 and for more than a mile we took our course along it, a 

 picturesque way leading across heather slopes, under low- 

 branching firs, and along rocky points, but never losing 



