Northward Over the John Muir Trail 



45 



ver Pass properly belongs to that crossing. But inasmuch as 

 they are so close together and as they both are on the Silver 

 Divide, it is perhaps just as well to include both crossings un- 

 der the name of Silver Pass. The view is equally inspiring to 

 the north and to the south. Behind are Volcanic Knob, Seven 

 Gables, and, closing the horizon, Seldon Pass. Ahead lies the 

 tremendous canon of Fish Creek, sweeping in a noble curve, 

 and far beyond stand Mount Ritter and Banner Peak, flanked 

 by the Merced group on the left hand and the boundary peaks 

 of the Yosemite National Park on the right. Thus suddenly 

 comes the realization that the end of the journey is in sight. 

 Yet it is not to be accomplished in a day, nor even two, for it 

 is farther than one would at first suppose. 



From Silver Pass (10,700 feet) the trail descends to a series 

 of benches, each with its own little lake, and by successive 

 stages reaches the head of Upper Cascade Valley in Fish 

 Canon. It is not a smooth trail ; in fact, it requires constant 

 attention on the part of both man and beast. In some places 

 it is as steep as a trail can be without qualifying as a ladder. 

 Nevertheless, considering the ruggedness of the country, it is 

 quite surprising that there should be a trail there at all, and its 

 steepness is no discredit to the builders. It can stand improve- 

 ment, however, and is one of the urgent reasons for continuing 

 the John Muir Trail appropriations. 



Camp would ordinarily be made in Lower Cascade Valley. 

 There is everything there to recommend it, provided that the 

 cattle have not devoured all the feed. Last summer Fish 

 Canon was crowded with cows, and by the time we reached it 

 there was nothing left but starvation rations. In fact, we were 

 forced to continue all the way to Fish Valley, in order to find 

 feed for our beasts, making camp at nine o'clock at night. Pre- 

 sumably, conditions will not be so bad another year, and the 

 traveler may reasonably count on making camp in Cascade Val- 

 ley. Before leaving the high mountains of the upper Fish 

 Creek region I want to speak of a particularly beautiful peak 

 that towers above the head of the cafion like another Matter- 

 horn. It is of white granite, shattered and spHntered at the 

 top. It is the culminating point of a spur that juts out at right 

 angles from the Silver Divide. No one who goes to the head 



