Page:Canadian Alpine Journal I, 1.djvu/106

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Camping in the Rockies
67

CAMPING IN THE CANADIAN ROCKIES


By Mary M. Vaux

We may take Laggan as a starting point, as more good trips are available from there than from any other point in the mountains. The trip may be either long or short, varying from a day's ride to Moraine lake or Paradise valley, a three-day excursion to Lake O'Hara and McArthur lake, to a week or more as far as the Pipestone pass, returning by the Bow. On any of these trips, it is well to make an elastic arrangement, so that one can stay a day or two longer than the actual time required; for there is much delight in a quiet day in camp, when you do not have to do your twelve miles on foot, or your fifteen miles on horseback, and can sleep as long in the morning as you wish, get acquainted with the flowers and birds, and enjoy the delights of a quiet walk; where there is really time to receive deep mental impressions.

For a four-days' trip, there is no place more delightful than Lake O'Hara—a lovely clear sheet of water, filtered through the rock slide at its head. Its banks are carpeted with flowers; in front are seen, in succession, Mts. Biddle, Hungabee, Yukness, Lefroy, Victoria, Huber, and Wiwaxy peaks, while behind come Cathedral, Stephen and Oderay; so that one is almost bewildered by the number and grandeur of them all. Then, a short walk of three miles brings you to Lake McArthur, a true alpine lake, with glaciers from the slopes of Mt. Biddle breaking off in miniature icebergs; and where the grassy moss-grown slopes are a favorite feeding ground of the mountain goat. Their beds and