294 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



[April 28, 1887- 



My ar teW n jurist 



WINTER IN WONDERLAND. — IV. 



THROUGH THE YELLOWSTONE PARK ON SNOWSHOES. 



ON the morning of the 23d, with our packs on 

 our backs and a lunch tied to our belts, we 

 bade our kind friends good-bye. The sky was some- 

 what cloudy with indications of a storm in the south- 

 west. We followed the trail made on our return yestei'- 

 day to a little beyond Kepler's falls; from there we 

 turned off east and south. Soon after leaving the Fire- 

 Hole River it began to snow, hiding the sun, so that we 

 had to travel by guess work, as all signs of a trail and - 

 most of the land marks were hid. Our route was through 

 timber all the way to Heron Creek. Keeping our course 

 as near as possible, taking advantage of all the more open 

 timber, I made out to see the gap in the rocky ridge 

 .through which the trail passes. Just before reaching the 

 gap we came to Heron Creek waters, and crossed on to 

 the Pacific slope. Climbing through the gap we soon 

 came out on to a ridge, from which we got a glimpse of 

 Shoshone Lake through the falling snow. From here we 

 . had a run down of over five hundred feet to Heron Creek 

 and its open bottom which extends to the lake. Our run 

 down hill was through timber, preventing one's going 

 very fast, as there was danger of running into a tree. 

 We soon came out on the open country and again we got 

 a view of part of the lake. It was one field of white, 

 hard to distinguish from the rest of the open country; we 

 had been traveling very slowly. 



It was now almost 4 o'clock, and going down toward 

 the lake we . soon turned aside, and selected a place for 

 our camp, in a sheltered gulch with heavy timber all 

 around us. Cutting some green logs about 4ft. long we 

 bedded them in the snow for a fireplace, and building a 

 fire on this we melted snow in our cups, putting in the 

 tea and the sugar as soon as the water was hot and add- 

 ing snow until the cup was full. We returned the cup 

 to the fire as often as we drank the tea, adding snow, tea 

 or sugar as the tea got low, weak or wanted sweetening. 

 We made a hearty meal. After eating dinner we cut 

 lodge poles, and tying four together about 10ft. 8in. from 

 the butts we set these up over our fireplace; four other 

 poles were placed around in the crotches formed by the 

 first four and throwing the lodge around the poles so as 

 to bring the back of it to the wind, we tied it at the bot- 

 tom of the wings, then taking two small poles 15ft. long, 

 the small end was placed in the pockets on the wings, 

 the butts of the poles to the back of the lodge. Pushing 

 up on these poles we soon had the lodge in place, and 

 going inside we spaced the poles in a circle the size of 

 the lodge, pushing the ends down a few inches in the 

 snow so that they would stand firmly. Now with small 

 wooden pins we pegged the clotli down by the loops 

 around the bottom, pushing the pins well intb the snow. 

 Kicking a little snow over the edge we banked it up to 

 keep out the wind. Now we spread enough spruce 

 boughs in the back of the lodge for a good bed and cut 

 enough dry wood to keep the fire up all night if we wished 

 it. This was piled on each side of the entrance. Going 

 inside we tied up the lodge and were as comfortable in 

 our "tepee" as it was possible to be, camping out on 7ft. 

 of snow. We next spread the sleeping bag on the boughs, 

 and taking off our damp or wet garments, leggings and 

 overshoes, dried them on a line stretched over the fire. 

 Replacing them when thoroughly dry, we got into the 

 sleeping bag and were soon asleep. 



By 4 A. M. the green logs used for our fireplace had 

 burned in two, letting our "fire down into a hole in the 

 snow. I was first up, and, repairing the fireplace, I soon 

 had a fire going. This filled the lodge with smoke, but 

 going outside I corrected the draft by swinging the wings 

 around, as the wind had changed in the night. A fine 

 snow was falling, with a gale blowing outside from the 

 southwest. After breakfast we packed up what we could 

 inside the lodge, then dried that over the fire, making up 

 our packs on the bough bed. By 6 A. M. we were off, 

 traveling down Heron Creek with the wind in our faces 

 until we came out on Shoshone Lake. Over this we went, 

 for it was frozen over everywhere; not a drop of open 

 water did we see on it. The snow on the ice was from 

 one to two feet deep. After reaching the lake we trav- 

 eled southeast. This brought the storm to our right, 

 making it less imcomf or table to travel against. We had 

 started in the dark. It was daylight before we got to the 

 lake, but nothing of the surrounding country could be 

 seen only the shore and hills on our left. Every little 

 while I would try the snow with my pole, striking dry, 

 solid ice every time. Once I cleaned off a place with the 

 intention of cutting a hole to measure the thickness of 

 the ice, but from ths appearance of the ice I saw this 

 would be a to 'ng job, and besides the wind filled the hole 

 fast with drifting snow, so I gave it up. I think the ice 

 was about three feet thick. Had it been less, with the 

 strong wind blowing, I think there would have been 

 some movement of the ice, but not the least was noticed. 



Keeping well out on the lake we followed the shore 

 about four miles to the point where we were to leave the 

 lake. Not a sign of game was to be seen, notlung but 

 white rabbits and now and then a squirrel track. The 

 snow was drifted into the timber along shore in immense 

 piles, fifteen and twenty feet deep. 



Leaving the lake we Avent into a grove of timber, made 

 a fire and lunched. The snow here was very deep. I 

 could not reach bottom with my 7-foot pole. The absence 

 of all game, the impossibility of seeing anything— for the 

 falling snow shut out the mountains — made this a very 

 desolate country. Shouldering our packs we struck out 

 in an easterly direction, until we found a water course 

 which I wished to follow up to the summit of the divide. 

 At length we reached the top— a high country, somewhat 

 level with groves and openings. Here for the first time 

 I had to use the compass; the wind and snow came from 

 so many ways at once. I could have gone through with- 

 out the compass, but believed it was best to be sure of our 

 course, for I wished to strike the head of Sand Creek, 

 which empties its waters into the west arm of the lake a 

 mile above and south of the "Lake Shore Geysers," and a 

 place known as 'Warm Spring Camp." We traveled on 

 for a while, and now and then I saw a grove that looked 

 familiar, though I had been through here but once, in 1884. 

 The storm increased every horn, and by 2 o'clock Jack 

 wished to camp. I wanted to get to the Yellowstone 

 Lake before dark, but 1 saw it was impossible, as we were 

 not making over a mile and a quarter in an hour. Select- 



ing a well-sheltered place in a grove, a short distance 

 over on the Atlantic slope, we soon had the lodge up. 

 This time we made a better fireplace, and cutting boughs 

 we were soon comfortable in our "tepee," although it 

 was snowing and blowing furiously outside all the time. 



This night we concluded to keep up the fire, and take 

 turns sleeping two hours each. This we did, though I 

 think I slept most when it was my turn to keep up the 

 fire, which was not neglected at all. 



We were up by 5:30. The lodge was covered witli snow 

 and ice, and would weigh 201bs. unless I could get it dry. 

 How to do this with the snow falling fast I could not tell, 

 but after breakfast the storm ended, and we soon had 

 everything in shape and were on the road again. Get- 

 ting out of the timber we found the sky clearing, and saw 

 Mt. Sheridan close at hand. It looked but a mile or two 

 off, the air was so clear. We could not see any other 

 mountain peaks from here. Keeping our course I soon 

 saw familiar ground, and descending a sharp pitch we 

 were on the head of Sand Creek. This we followed to the 

 Yellowstone Lake. On our way we saw a very few rab- 

 bit trails, and one or two lynx sign. As we came out to 

 the lake we found it frozen over and covered with snow. 

 Again we saw Mt. Sheridan, and the mountains on the 

 south and east side of the lake, all under snow, their 

 white peaks far above the dark green forest, and all 

 white except where the wind had swept the snow off 

 their rocky ridges. 



Following the shore of the lake for a mile we came to 

 Warm Spring Camp and the Lake Shore Geysers. Along 

 here there was a little open water, but in no place did it 

 extend over 50ft. from the shore, and that only in 

 one place, where a hot spring comes up out of the 



THE LODGE. 



bed of the lake. At this place we lunched, mixing some 

 of our condensed soup or extract of meat with the hot 

 geyser water, we had hot soup or beef tea to order, and 

 that without a fire. Here the water in the lake was at 

 least a foot lower than I had ever seen it before. 



After resting we traveled along the lake shore past the 

 Paint Pots and many interesting springs and geysers. At 

 one place where the steam from a great white pool 

 drifted to a grove of trees, we saw two women standing 

 on a white mound, one looking into the pool, the other 

 out on the lake, their backs to each other. From their posi- 

 tion and attitude they had been quarreling, for they had 

 gathered then* dresses away from each other. They were 

 very life-like even when we passed close by. Bidding 

 them good day we traveled on land until we had passed 

 the Hot Springs. I did not like to trust myself out on the 

 lake along here. % tried twice as we went along shore; 

 would find a little ice under the snow, then again the 

 pole would go through into the water. As soon as I f ound 

 enough ice to support us we struck out for Bluff Point. 

 The wind had been increasing all the morning, and was 

 now blowing a gale from the wesc-southwest. As this 

 was offshore, we did not feel it until well out on the lake. 

 Clouds of snow were flying in the air and along the sur- 

 face of the ice. We could see only a short distance ahead 

 in a horizontal line, but looking up we could see the bluffs 

 and timber for some distance. We had as yet seen no 

 game on the lake shore, except a few ducks in the warm 

 water. After passing Bluff Point we saw what we at first 

 took to be animals. They were 250yds. from the shore, 

 and the flying clouds of snow would make them come 

 and go, appear and disappear as though they were run- 

 ning around. We soon found they were stumps of up- 

 turned trees on a little rocky island. Owing to the storm 

 and the flying jjoudre, everything we saw changed thus. 

 We would see a point ahead, then it would be entirely hid 

 for a long time, then would suddenly show up again, now 

 near, and then would move off until out of sight again. 

 From Bluff Point we struck across the bay for some heavy 

 timber on a point about due east. This brought the wind 

 more behind us, and proved an assistance. Some blasts 

 were strong enough to move us ahead a little, so that at 

 every step we could gain a little extra distance by the aid 

 of the wind. Every few rods I sounded the depth of 

 snow, which was from Sin. to 2ft. When far out from 

 shore I once ran the pole into 6in. of water under 8in. of 

 dry snow. Going on further I struck more water. I had 

 not felt the ice under the water and did not like to stop 

 until I was off this kind of ground, so next time I tried 

 the snow I used considerable force and pushed the small 

 end of the pole' through a foot of dry snow and a foot of 

 water and snow down to solid ice. This was all I cared 

 for. I did not mind the water on the ice as long as there 

 was dry snow enough to keep my shoes out of it. Jack 

 was some distance behind me and had been watching my 

 movements, and was naturally somewhat interested. He 

 would try every hole I did with like results, and he said 

 his hah stood up when I did not strike ice through the 

 water. Soon the ice was again dry under the snow, then 

 it became again wet. When we wanted a drink of water 

 all we had to do was to feel down until we found it on the 

 ice, then clear a place away and dip it up. I think the 

 ice was broken into great cakes, the weight of snow sink-, 

 ing the cakes in places enough to h^ve the water come on 

 top. Before reaching shore I thought I noticed a motion 



to the ice under me rising and falling, but concluded it 

 was the waves of snow where it was deep or shallow on 

 the ice. 



We made across the bay and to the timber by 4 o'clock, 

 and selecting a camp, we were soon busy getting thin^ s 

 in shape for the night. At this camp we broke a great 

 piece out of our axe, taking over an inch out of the blade, 

 besides several smaller pieces. This was owing to the 

 frost in the axe and frozen timber. The accident made it 

 difficult to get our camp in shape for the night, but a 

 little after dark we had evervthing snug, and passed a 

 comfortable night. We both went to sleep in tbe bag, 

 letting the fire take care of itself. 



Next morning, Feb. 26, we started soon after daylight. 

 A gale was still blowing, but more from the southwest. 

 We made directly for the lake, as that was the best trav- 

 eling. Along the shore for over a mile, there were long, 

 narrow, open places made by hot springs, and all along 

 this open water we saw wild ducks. We soon rounded 

 this point, which I called Hot Spring Point, and then 

 turned north-northeast until we came to Rock Point, 

 where were a great many mounds of ice above the sur- 

 face of the lake. There I took to the rocks, over which 

 the water dashed and froze before the lake itself froze up. 



In all the open water I had been watching for fish, in- 

 tending to catch some, if possible, to see if they were as 

 wormy in the winter as in summer, but I did not see one 

 fish. In summer I have seen thousands of fish around 

 the hot springs on the shore of the lake, yet this trip J 

 saw none. 1 do not know where they are', unless out in 

 the deep water. 



We soon came to Sand Point, and here the wind qui- 

 eted down a little, so that we could see Stevenson Island 

 and the Elephant's Back. Our course was to leave the 

 first to our right and the latter a little to our left. Had 

 the weather been clear we could have seen Mt. Wash- 

 burne, almost, due north. On the east we could now just 

 see the tops of the high peaks across the lake, and the 

 Hot Springs on Sulphur Hill to the northeast. Soon after 

 leaving tins point we were out on the lake again, and 

 exposed once more to the gale. As we had changed our 

 course, we had the wind more to our left, receiving no 

 help from it, as we had after leaving Hot Spring Point 

 on to Sand Point. We soon found that Stevenson's 

 Island was all we could see, and often that would be 

 hidden by the flying snow. Pushing on, we passed it, 

 going over a long, narrow point on the north end, then 

 turning for the outlet of the lake. Soon we were out in 

 the main part of the lake once more. Again I felt the 

 raising and falling I noticed on the west arin; the further 

 out we went the more I noticed it. I stopped and waited 

 until Jack came up, and asked him if he notiped the mo- 

 tion. He said he did, but at first thought it was some- 

 thing wrong with himself. Before getting to the outlet 

 I found the undulations increased still more. I expected 

 to hear some noise as the ice rose and fell, but the wind 

 drowned it if there was any. By 2 o'clock we were at 

 the old cabin at the outlet. This was filled with snow 

 and almost out of sight under high drifts. Crossing the 

 little creek back of the cabin, where there was a little 

 open water, we followed the wagon road. On a hill to 

 our left was the grave of a man struck by lightning 

 while out on the lake in a boat. He was connected with 

 the .Geological Survey. The wind had drifted the snow 

 away from the grave, leaving it in plain sight. We fol- 

 lowed the road for a while longer, then turned aside and 

 camped in some sheltered timber, about two miles below 

 the outlet. 



. We broke camp next morning at 6:45 A. M. Traveling 

 slowly, I soon noticed more life. Besides ducks we be- 

 gan to see more birds, and I heard one little fellow sing- 

 ing as though it were spring. At the Mud Geysers we 

 lunched; there was little here more interesting" than in 

 summer. As I expected to find game ahead I hurried on 

 to a high point overlooking the Alum Creek country, or 

 Hayden V alley. Far off I saw a few objects that I 

 thought were buffalo, but they were so distant that I was 

 not sure. Before reaching Trout Creek I saw a small 

 band of elk on the east side of the Yellowstone River — 

 14 cows and calves. At Trout Creek I saw a fresh trail 

 of a large animal and, following this up, I first noticed 

 coyote tracks both sides, and a lynx track. Soon I saw 

 the latter going over a hill ahead, and 200yds. further on 

 the trail, I saw a large six-point bull elk. He was less 

 than 100yds. off; he was lying down and did not notice 

 us for a moment or two. Not wishing to disturb him I 

 turned off and crossed the creek. When he first saw us 

 he did not get up at once, for he was evidently very much 

 surprised to see such looking things out there, our packs 

 and snowshoes makin.; it very difficult for him to make 

 us out. At last he got up. satisfied we were his old ene- 

 mies, men. He was quite poor, and when going through 

 the snow-drifts would sink in very deep, struggling 

 through and stopping to rest every little way. The 

 ridges and sidehills to the west were blown free from 

 snow, giving game a chance to get plenty of feed. The 

 elk soon disappeared over a hill. I saw 8 ravens in one 

 flock. As they are never far from game I was sure there 

 was more in the country. As I came in sight of the 

 Crater Hills I surprised two coyotes in a little draw. I 

 got within 50yds. of them before they saw me; they 

 were a dog and bitch. They ran off behind a hill, but 

 came up on top to have another look at me. I had left 

 Jack some distance beliind me, and seeing him thev 

 sneaked off. Crater Hill was as interesting as usual, 

 almost free from snow, its yellow sulphur vents very 

 bright, tilled with perfect crystals of pure sulphur ail 

 fresh and undisturbed by the "specimen fiend." As I was 

 now getting into a game country I did not care to linger 

 where there was no frost work noticeable. 



Alum Creek we crossed on the ice. Some distance 

 ahead I noticed the snow looked rough, as though horses 

 had been pawing it over, and going to the place saw that 

 a large band of elk had been feeding here. From the 

 trail made there must have been over 60 in the band. 

 The sign was from ten days to two weeks old. These elk 

 had gone up Alum Creek to the high ridges there, where 

 there is more feed. I regretted that I could not follow 

 them and learn how many there was in this section of 

 the country. Following the river down we entered the 

 timber below Alum Creek; here was more lynx sign; 

 they had run all over the country. I could see where 

 they evidently had then- quarters, as, from under over- 

 turned trees and other places, on the steep sidehills their 

 trails lead, the snow all patted down around them. These 

 lynxes are large enough to kill a young elk, which I am 

 quits sure they do, as there is a great number of them. 



