Canadian Alpine Journal/Volume 1/Number 1/The Ascents of Mts. Marpole and Amgadamo
THE ASCENTS OF MTS. MARPOLE AND AMGADAMO
By the Revs. A. M. Gordon, Alex. Dunn and A. O. McRae.
The last day of the camp was its climax. Some of the members had left toward the end of the week, others departed on Monday. But three of us remained to climb Mt. Marpole—Dr. A. O. McRae, Rev. Alex. Dunn, and Rev. A. M. Gordon.
We were richly rewarded. True, we had to rise at the unearthly hour of 3:45 in the morning, but even this had its compensations. After early breakfast, Dunn and Gordon set out from camp at five o'clock, in company of the guides, Edouard and Gottfried Feuz. Soon we were joined by Dr. McRae, and the party of five began to ascend the valley toward the mountain. It was weary work following the bed of the stream and then trekking up a long slope of slippery shale to the place where the actual climbing began. But, once we had to pick footholds and often handholds carefully, there was no more fatigue. Mt. Marpole is lower than the Vice-President, but gives more opportunity for actual climbing. Here we saw the real thing. First, the guides took us to the top of the unnamed mountain east of Mt. McMullen, and on its summit they built a cairn or "stone-man," to show that we had made the first ascent. Then they led us along the rocky ridge or arete, traversing the mountain from west to east. There were ascents and descents which no one but an expert or a fool would attempt alone. Thanks to the guides, however, these were made without difficulty.
At one point we had to cross a glacier between two peaks. The usual method would be for the foremost guide to cut steps, for the others on the rope to follow, steadying themselves with their ice-axes. But this takes time; so our guides clambered up the snow cornice at the edge of the glacier, and passed over to see how the snow lay. The guides decided to risk it; we crossed on the cornice; and breathed freely when we stood on solid rock again.
The only actual mishap was the loss of his hat by one member of the party. The breeze carried it gaily into the valley a couple of thousand feet below; even for this mishap the guides were prepared, Gottfried promptly produced from his rucksack a cloth cap, and the climber exchanged the hat of the cleric for that of the mountaineer. So on we went, over rock and glacier, until we came to a rock which would defy even a mountain goat. The upward slope of thirty or forty feet was steep, the ledges were all turned the wrong way. It looked as if nothing but a fly or a limpet could hold on. But in some wonderful fashion Gottfried made his way up, taking the rope with him, and then by means of the rope he pulled us up one by one. A few minutes more of easy work brought us to the summit. So far as we knew, we were the first to stand there. A second "stone-man" was erected to mark this event. It was now half-past two o'clock. All along we had had brilliant sunshine. After enjoying the superb view for three-quarters of an hour, we began the descent towards the glacier lying between Mt. Marpole and The President. From time to time Edouard would reconnoitre: standing on the edges of a cliff overhanging space, he picked out the route, and we got down as easily and safely as if we had been walking on prairie. Then came a walk over a snowcovered glacier and a delightful descent, with opportunity for "glissading." This part of the journey was made in quick time, as the weather had changed.
Sometimes on the mountains, one has the experience of standing in sunshine and looking down on a thunderstorm below. We were in the midst of the thunderstorm. Nowhere is the lightning so vivid or the reverberation of the thunder so stunning as among the hills. It is a fine experience to go through such a thunderstorm, but one not far from danger. The polished steel handles of the ice-axes attract the lightning. In this way several men in Switzerland have been killed. Our guides did not linger on the heights. They took no chances. They pushed down into the valley with all speed, pausing only to test the snow-bridges spanning the crevasses on the glacier. We reached the valley free from all harm. The one drawback was, that the hail and rain deluged us from head to foot. Yet this was a trifle, and we could look forward to a roaring fire, dry tents, dry clothes, and a good supper on our return. And that is a very different thing from returning to cold grub, wet blankets, no tents, and no fire. Finally, we came to the Upper Yoho trail, and we trudged along, a weird-loking, bedraggled company, rather tired, very hungry, and altogether happy. The arrival in camp at eight o'clock was all that we looked for, and an hour and a half later we were sleeping the sleep of the just. No more exhilarating or healthful day's sport could be imagined. We cannot speak too highly of the skill and care shown by our two young guides. Without them the expedition would have been impossible. Owing to them it was an unqualified success.
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