134 



Sierra Club Bulletin 



At three o'clock we started down, following the same chimney by 

 which we had ascended. This work was most trying and tiresome, 

 requiring greater care than the ascent. When we reached the point 

 where we had first entered the chimney, the question arose should we 

 again climb five or six hundred feet over the buttress to the west and 

 descend to camp by our morning's route, or should we continue down 

 into the cirque immediately below and south of us, past a snowbound 

 lake, around the southern end of the buttress, and down into the Big 

 Arroyo. We were tired of climbing, and so chose the latter course. 

 Then came some rockwork as dangerous as any we had thus far en- 

 countered. Our chimney ended in high and abrupt benches and 

 shelves, together making a drop of two or three hundred feet. It took 

 us many long, anxious moments to work our way down to the cirque. 

 At one place near the bottom the rope was used, but I am not at all 

 certain it was essential ; possibly there was a way around. The cirque 

 was reached at the top of a snow-field lying there in the form of a 

 huge wish-bone, pointing directly up toward our chimney. I mention 

 this wish-bone, as it may in the future identify our line of ascent. 

 Of course, a snow-field is apt to be a fleeting landmark. The Lake 

 of the Lone Indian near the divide between Fish and Mono creeks 

 was so named because of a perfect Indian head silhouette of snow in 

 the bluffs above the lake; but a few years later, when I was there 

 again, not the slightest trace of the Indian was left. However, with 

 the wish-bone it may be different, for a photograph of the Kaweahs 

 from Sawtooth, taken by Mr. Farquhar in 19 1 2, shows exactly the 

 same wish-bone to which we descended, and we all know that the 

 snow-cross on Mount Tallac persists from year to year. 



By the time we reached the cirque the sun had long since left it. 

 It was very cold and the snow was frozen and rough. Then came 

 jagged rocks and talus-slopes about the lake. Continuing in a south- 

 erly course, we finally struck some meadow-land and a fine grove of 

 trees on the edge of the Big Arroyo. Here would be a good place to 

 camp as a starting-point for the mountain, provided one could get up 

 the steep benches and shelves above the wish-bone. In some places 

 we had slid down where one could not possibly ascend, but probably 

 these places could be avoided. From the grove of trees referred to 

 we turned directly west around the end of the buttress, and after a 

 long, tiresome descent, part of the way over sharp rocks, we reached 

 camp just at dark, having been out fourteen hours. 



