ROCKY MOUNTAIN Mountaineering in the Rocky Mountain National Park

PEAKS ACCESSIBLE FROM WILD BASIN.

This beautiful and seldom visited area incloses the head waters of the North St Vrain Creek. It is roughly circular in shape, 6 or 7 miles in diameter, and has an area of 30 or 40 square miles. It is uninhabited except for a few visitors during the summer.

Copeland Lake Lodge (8,300 feet) on North St. Vrain Creek and on the automobile road from Allens Park to Estes Park is located at the eastern portal of Wild Basin. It offers a good starting point for trips up the valley. One may also find hotel and cottage accommodations at Allens Park, some 2 miles farther south.

From a point a mile north of Copeland Lake Lodge, there is an old road that follows up the creek north of Copeland Moraine, crosses over the Moraine near its head, and leads to Sandbeach Lake, now a reservoir (elevation 10,300 feet). A trail runs from Copeland Lake Lodge up the south side of the Copeland Moraine and joins the wagon road, above referred to, at the head of the Moraine.

Longs Peak (14,255 feet) may be climbed from the south side, starting from Sandbeach Lake and going up Hunters Creek, and following the right-hand fork, finally going up the main trough that comes down from the Notch on Longs Peak. One should go about through the letter O in the word Pagoda on the map. From this trough one may reach the foot of the Home Stretch, which is the last section of the usual trail up Longs Peak. The route is not particularly difficult, but the best route must be carefully selected. The trip is a long one because of the absence of any horse-back trail up Hunters Creek to timberline.

One may climb Pagoda (13,491 feet) by taking the route above described, but, after reaching an elevation of about 11,500 feet, follow the line of the stream shown on the map, and pass about through the letter P in the word Pagoda on the map.

Mount Orton (11,682 feet) may be climbed from Sandbeach Lake in an hour and a half or two hours. Mount Orton is a ridge projecting into Wild Basin, from the crest of which a fine panorama is obtained of the surrounding country in Wild Basin, the row of peaks on the Continental Divide and the rugged south side of Longs Peak.

Chiefs Head may be reached by following the ridge from Mount Orton.

Mount Meeker (13,911 feet) may be climbed from Copeland Lake Lodge, though the trip is slightly longer than from Longs Peak post office.

Most of the trips to the peaks in Wild Basin are too long for one-day trips, if one starts from Copeland Lake Ledge, unless horses are taken as far as the end of the trails. Even then an early start should be made. If one is going on foot, it will be advisable to take a pack horse and make a two-day trip or longer if more than one peak is to be visited. Wild Basin is a splendid location for spending a week's outing.

A road leads from Copeland Lake Lodge about 2 miles up the creek and the lower part of this road is passable for automobiles. A horse-back trail, referred to as the North St. Vrain Creek trail, continues up the valley past some good camping sites, and then forks, one branch going to Ouzel Lake (9,900 feet) and another to Thunder Lake (10,500 feet).

The Thunder Lake trail gives access to several peaks. One may climb the Mount Orton ridge (11,682 feet) and then follow up the ridge and reach Chiefs Head (13,579 feet). The Continental Divide comes well up on the western slope of Chiefs Head, though the actual summit of the peak is a quarter or a half of a mile east of the divide. The watersheds of the Thompson River, the St. Vrain River, and the Grand River come together on the ridge west of Chiefs Head.

PLATE XVIII. MOUNT COPELAND FROM COPELAND LAKE. Photograph by John King Sherman. OGALALLA FROM MOUNT COPELAND. Photograph by G. H. Harvey, jr. PEAKS OF THE WILD BASIN

Mount Alice (13,310 feet) may be reached from Thunder Lake by following up the stream west of the lake, or by going north from the lake and following up the ridge to the Continental Divide and then southwesterly up the steep slope and above the dizzy cliff to the top of the peak.

Tanima Peak (12,417 feet) may be reached from Thunder Lake by following up the west inlet of the lake to the Continental Divide, and thence swinging back to the east along the ridge and to the summit. It may be reached more directly by following the west inlet for half or three-quarters of a mile, and then climbing directly to the top of Tanima Peak, but this route is steep and not recommended.

From Thunder Lake a trail runs around the eastern point of the Tanima Peak ridge to Eagle Lake (10,800 feet). Several of these small lakes, including Thunder Lake and Eagle Lake, are utilized as storage reservoirs for water to irrigate land east of Lyons.

From Eagle Lake one may reach Tanima Peak and Mahana Peak (12,629 feet). It is to be noted that the map shows an unnamed point over 13,000 feet in elevation a mile west of Mahana Peak. The trail to Ouzel Lake is marked by signs and easily followed. From Ouzel Lake one may visit the beautiful and interesting lakes named Bluebird, Pipit, and Junco, and may take trips to Mahana Peak, Ouzel Peak (12,600 feet), and Mount Copeland (13,176 feet).

Mount Copeland is probably the favorite climb in Wild Basin. This may be because it projects a mile or two east from the Continental Divide and when seen from the Valley below stands out prominently and appears to be even higher than it really is. Mount Alice, Chiefs Head, and Pagoda are all somewhat, higher than Mount Copeland, but are dwarfed by their proximity to Longs Peak and thereby lose some of the prestige that would otherwise be theirs. Mount Copeland is easily approached by the horseback trails to Ouzel Lake and Pear Reservoir. Because it projects east of the Continental Divide, the view of Wild Basin and its wall of peaks is unusually fine from the top of Mount Copeland. Prior to the publication of the United States Geological Survey map, Mount Copeland was known as Mount Clarence King, in honor of the eminent geologist who was the first director of the United States Geological Survey and the author of a classic entitled "Mountaineering in the Sierra Nevada." The change of name is regretted by most people who knew the peak as Mount Clarence King.

PLATE XIX. BLUEBIRD LAKE AT THE END OF BLUEBIRD TRAIL. Photograph by Wiswall Brothers. A GLIMPSE OF OUSEL LAKE AND OUSEL PEAK, 10 MILES DISTANT ON THE CONTINENTAL DIVIDE. Photograph by Wiswall Brothers. LAKES OF THE WILD BASIN

There is a trail from Allens Park to Pear Reservoir (10,500 feet), and from this point Mount Copeland is easily accessible. Ogalalla (13,147 feet) and the two unnamed peaks south of Mount Copeland, whose elevations are 12,381 and 11,546 feet, respectively, may also be reached from Pear Reservoir.

Meadow Mountain (11,634 feet) is easily climbed from Allens Park, or from the trail to Pear Reservoir, or from the North St. Vrain Creek trail. Finch Lake (9,900 feet) is not visible from the Pear Reservoir trail, though close to it. The trail at this point gives a close approach to Meadow Mountain or to Mount St. Vrain (12,162 feet). These two peaks can easily be included in one trip.

The southern boundary of the Rocky Mountain National Park is a straight township line, and includes within the park almost all of Wild Basin. The line runs just south of Meadow Mountain and just north of Ogalalla. Allens Park and Copeland Lake Lodge are not in the park, but a mile or so east of it.

PAGODA (13,491 FEET), LONGS PEAK (14,255 FEET), AND MOUNT MEEKER (13,911 FEET).

[Report furnished by Roger W. Toll, accompanied by Francis E. Bouck (Aug. 9 and 10, 1916).]

Started from the annual outing camp of the Colorado Mountain Club, located in Wild Basin on North St. Vrain Creek, about 4 miles above Copeland Lake Lodge. Left camp at 8.45 a. m. and walked to Copeland Lake Lodge, then started up the side of the Copeland Moraine back to the lodge, and soon struck a trail. Followed this trail to the upper end of the Copeland Moraine, where it ends on Meeker Ridge, and there met the disused road to Sandbeach Lake. Followed the road, which is now impassable for wagons, crossed the creek that comes down from the south slope of Mount Meeker, then Hunters Creek, and reached Sandbeach Lake at 1.20 p. m. The sand beaches, which give the name to the lake, are only visible when the reservoir is partially empty, as it was on this day. Walked around the reservoir and having some time to spare, started toward Mount Orton, reaching timber line at 2.30. Here I met the Mountain Club party, some 45 strong, returning from Mount Orton, and went with them back to Sandbeach Lake, where I met Francis E. Bouck by previous arrangement.

Leaving Sandbeach Lake at 4.30 p. m., we followed up the valley of Hunters Creek and camped at timberline, a couple of hundred yards north of the small lake (not shown on map) at the junction of the two branches of Hunters Creek. It had rained two or three times during the day, but we dried out at a good fire and crawled into our sleeping bags which we had carried up with us from the Mountain Club camp. A short sleet storm at 3 o'clock in the morning ended the unfavorable weather, and the following day was clear and warm.

Pagoda.—We left camp at 6 a. m., leaving behind us bedding and all unnecessary impediments, and went up the rugged, lonesome, and impressive glacial gorge above which towered the peaks of Pagoda, Longs and Meeker. Followed the rock slide between Pagoda and Longs Peak, reaching the saddle between the two peaks without any difficulty, and started up Pagoda, keeping fairly close to the ridge, and reaching the top at 8.30 a. m. This is the easiest approach to Pagoda, and, so far as I know, it can be reached only from this north ridge; the other sides are quite precipitous. Pagoda is seldom climbed, and there was no cairn on top, so we built a small one.

Longs Peak.—On the southwest side of Longs Peak, facing Pagoda, is a long cliff of black rock, 50 to 100 feet high, but broken by gullies near the center of the cliff like stretch. We looked the ground over carefully and picked out the most promising break in the cliff. Followed the saddle ridge to the base of the cliff, going around the sharp gendarmes or sentinel rocks on the ridge. This saddle, by the way, can also be reached from Glacier Gorge by following up one of the several long draws leading to the saddle from the west side. Going easterly from the ridge and ascending but slightly, we reached the break in the cliff and had no trouble in getting up on the rock-covered slope above. It would be somewhat more difficult to go from Longs Peak to Pagoda, than from Pagoda to Longs Peak, since the break in the cliff would be harder to find from above than from below, but anyone going in that direction should descend on the south slope of Longs Peak until the most prominent sentinel rock on the ridge is in line with the saddle north of McHenrys Peak, and then, by going toward the sentinel rock, the break in the cliff will be found. The ridge from Longs Peak toward Pagoda is very ragged and we stayed on the rock-covered slope below until nearly under the Narrows, then, turning west, reached the crest of the ridge not over 200 feet from the head of the Trough. From there we followed the ridge, which is rather dizzy, to the head of the Trough, and thence over the usual trail along the Narrows and Home Stretch, reaching the top of Longs. Peak at 10.50 a. m. We probably could have reached the Home Stretch more easily without going over the Narrows, but we wanted to take in that part of the trail which, to my mind, is the most spectacular part of the regular trail up Longs Peak.

We left the top of Longs Peak after signing in the register book, and descended the Home Stretch nearly to the Narrows, and then turned easterly, passing at the foot of some cliffs, and so reached the draw coming from the Notch. The only precaution to be taken on this part of the route is to follow the Home Stretch far enough, and not try to keep close to the foot of the cliffs all the way. I followed up the draw to the Notch and tried to look through, but the Notch is full of big broken rocks, and though I could see the more distant part of Estes Park, I could not squeeze through the last opening between the rocks far enough to look down into Chasm Lake. No doubt a fine view could be obtained from a point in the Notch a few feet westerly from where I was, but the whole pile of rock in the Notch gave such an impression of being loose and treacherous that I tried no more experiments.

We then descended the draw for a short distance, and I have no doubt at all that this main draw affords an easy way of descent into Wild Basin. In fact, the route up or down Longs Peak, by means of this draw, does not, I feel sure, offer any greater difficulties than the usual route through the Keyhole. A party would have to be careful not to start rocks rolling down the draw, but this is also true of the Trough, and the danger of rocks falling from the cliffs towering above is probably more imaginary than real.

Mount Meeker.—We soon left the main draw (the one leading to the Notch) and kept fairly close to the base of the cliffs, descending all the time, but working toward Mount Meeker. At 12.30 p. m. we turned up a small draw or gorge, and, after a little rock scrambling, reached the top of the draw and thence over open ground to the saddle between Mount Meeker and Longs Peak. We had intended to go farther down the slope of Longs Peak, and then up the rock slide leading to the Mount Meeker saddle, and I believe such a route would be easier going, though it would have a few hundred feet more rise and fall.

The top of Mount Meeker was reached without event at 1.35 p. m. For a mountain that gives such an appearance of smooth, even slopes and easy walking as Meeker does from the east, the top ridge is quite a surprise. For several hundred feet this ridge is a narrow rock crest with steep, almost precipitous slopes on either side. There are two points of practically equal elevation toward the westerly end of the ridge. At 2 p. m. we started down and followed the southwesterly ridge of Mount Meeker, going around several jagged knobs, and reached our camp at timberline at 4.15 p. m. Enjoyed a rest until 5 p. m.; then, carrying our sleeping bags, we started for the Mountain Club camp, going to Sandbeach Lake, thence down the outlet to the meadow below, thence across a saddle to the south and along a faint trail in a southwesterly direction to two small lakes not shown on the map, where we lost the trail and struck down hill to the Thunder Lake trail. Reached the camp at 8.15 p. m.

Pagoda is very rarely climbed, because of its inaccessibility from ordinary starting points. Few people go from Longs Peak to Mount Meeker, or vice versa, because either one alone is usually considered to be a full day's trip. The principal reason more people do not climb Longs Peak from the south is that there is as yet no horse trail near the peak on that side, Sandbeach Lake being the nearest point of approach by horseback in that direction. Also the route is not so well known as the usual Keyhole trail.

Log of trip to Pagoda, Longs Peak, and Mount Meeker.

MOUNT ORTON (11,682 FEET) AND CHIEFS HEAD (13,579 FEET).

[Report furnished by Roger W. Toll, accompanied by Carle Whitehead (July 7, 1916).]

Chiefs Head is the third highest peak in that part of the Front Range lying north of Berthoud Pass; Longs Peak and Mount Meeker take first and second place. On account of its proximity to Longs Peak, Chiefs Head does not appear to be as high as some of the more isolated peaks farther south. It is at the junction of the ridge connecting Longs Peak with the Continental Divide. The top of the peak is probably a quarter of a mile to the east of the divide. Chiefs Head is on the ridge separating the watersheds of the Thompson and the St. Vrain Rivers, while the watershed of the Grand River comes well up on the side of the peak. The peak affords an extensive view of plains, parks, and peaks. It overlooks Glacier Gorge and Wild Basin and gives a good view of the steep southern sides of Longs Peak, 2 miles distant.

Mount Orton is the southeasterly point of a high ridge and this ridge affords an excellent panorama of the rugged peaks encircling Wild Basin.

The following is the report of a scouting trip, preliminary to the 1916 annual outing of the Colorado Mountain Club:

The preceding night had been spent in a temporary camp at Ouzel Lake (9,900 feet). We left camp at 7.30 in the morning and followed the trail across North St. Vrain Creek (9,400 feet) to the trail leading to Thunder Lake. Followed this trail to a point where there are small log bridges across four branches of the creek, all within 150 feet of each other. This is not far from the point on the map where the creek from Thunder Lake joins the main stream. Followed the main stream northerly from this point, passing beautiful cascades and waterfalls to a small lake on a high bench near timberline. Left the creek and climbed Orton ridge, reaching the crest of the ridge at a point half a mile northwest of Mount Orton. About a mile of the ridge is nearly level, having half a dozen small knobs of nearly the same elevation. We did not go to the Mount Orton end of the ridge, but northwest along the ridge and up the slope to the top of Chiefs Head. The day was warm and the air was mild, even on the summit.

We then went to the saddle southwest of Pagoda. At this point a long steep trough leads down into Glacier Gorge and forms a feasible method of getting into this gorge from Wild Basin. The ridge up Pagoda from this saddle is steep and ragged. The south side of Pagoda is flanked with precipitous cliffs. On the west side of Pagoda there are ledges that can be followed for some distance, but we did not go far enough to determine whether or not Pagoda can he reached from its west side.

Returning to the saddle, we went easterly, slid down a snow bank (avoiding a small projecting ledge) to a beautiful ice lake, and then followed Hunters Creek to its junction with the creek from Longs Peak. Half a mile farther climbed over the shoulder of Mount Orton and descended to Sandbeach Lake. This is in a typical moraine formation, with a tract of burned and fallen timber to the north of it. Wild Basin has large tracts of splendid timber and this is one of the few burned districts.

From the lake we followed the road, which is now only a fair horseback trail, to a point where the road crosses Meeker ridge, and went down from there to the scouting party's camp, about 1-1/2 miles west of Copeland Lake Lodge. There are a number of small lakes in addition to those shown on the map, particularly on the west side of Mount Orton.

Log of trip.

CHIEFS HEAD (13,579 FEET).

[Report furnished by Miss Agnes W. Vaille, accompanied by Miss Edna Smith (Sept. 4, 1915).]

We left camp at Thunder Lake about noon and climbed northwest to a long ridge which brought us on to the Continental Divide between Chiefs Head and Mount Alice, rather nearer Mount Alice. From there we went along the top of the Divide to the top of Chiefs Head and returned by the same route. It would have been easy to climb Mount Alice also from the point where we reached the Continental Divide, and both Mount Alice and Chiefs Head could easily be done in a day. We did not climb Mount Alice, however, because the rain and clouds would have shut off all the view, and we had rather too late a start. We reached Thunder Lake again about 6 o'clock.

MOUNT ALICE (13,310 FEET), LAKE NANITA, AND TANIMA PEAK (12,417 FEET).

[Report furnished by Roger W. Toll, accompanied by Thurlow Lacy and Thee. K. Bushnell* (Aug. 11 and 12, 1916).]

*Theo. K. Bushnell was mortally wounded, in action, and died in France, October 9, 1918.

After dinner, we left the Colorado Mountain Club camp, on North St. Vrain Creek, and with our sleeping bags, walked up the trail toward Thunder Lake for two hours or more, and then unrolled the bags and crawled in. The object of this night trip was to get an early start the next morning. We got down at dawn (4.30) and after caching our sleeping bags under a rock, passed Thunder Lake and struck northward up the timbered slope, brilliant with flowers of many varieties. The large yellow lily, known as the "dog-toothed violet," worthy companion of the columbine, grows in profusion in this region, and during the blossoming season (July and early August) would well repay a long trip. They are abundant in many parts of Wild Basin but nowhere more plentiful than here. The slope led to a timberline plateau, and from there we started up the ridge between Mount Alice and Chiefs Head. Came in sight of a lake on the north side of the ridge with a large snow field running into it and terminating in a snow cliff 20 or 30 feet high at the edge of the lake. We waited while Lacy went down to get some photographs, and then went on up the ridge to the Continental Divide.

The crest of the Divide north of Mount Alice is quite narrow in places, but presents no difficulties. The north side of Mount Alice, as seen from the ridge below, appears very steep and the loose rock on it looks as though it might, on the slightest provocation, go sliding over the cliff into the abyss below. This feeling gives one rather a nervous sensation while on the north side of the peak; but actually most of the rock is firmly lodged and gives good footing, though a large party would find the south side of the peak a better way of approach. After resting a few minutes, we started west, descending gradually on the south side of the ridge, hoping to get a view of Lake Nanita. One ridge after another hid our view, and we had gone a mile before we could see into the lake.

This lake, which since has been made accessible by trail, from the Flattop trail, is on a bench 1,000 feet above the North Inlet. There was a story that the lake had never been visited, so we decided to make its acquaintance and followed the ridge down to the saddle between the North Inlet and East Inlet Creeks and from there into the head of a valley that we termed Boulder Pit. This is located just south of the letter E of the word Andrews on the map. This pit suggests recent glacial action, as the moraine has only a few young spruce growing on it, and the stream, a fairly good-sized one, is completely buried for a couple of hundred yards under a large pile of bowlders that make a sort of pocket out of the head of the valley. We then went up a saddle to the northwest and saw Lake Nanita below us. Three mountain sheep, not welcoming our visit, clambered with considerable difficulty up the clifflike face of Andrews Peak and nearly to the top of the peak. After enjoying the exhibition and envying their climbing ability we went down to the lake and made a small cairn at the inlet. The gorge on the northwest side of Andrews Peak, tributary to Lake Nanita, is extremely rugged, wild, lonesome, and impressive.

It had begun to rain and we had no time to explore the lake more thoroughly, so started back to camp, which was 7-1/2 miles in an air-line, while Grand Lake was not over 5-1/2 miles in a direct line from the lake. We reached the Continental Divide at the saddle between Mount Alice and Tanima Peak. As Tanima Peak is only 400 or 500 feet above this saddle, we decided to visit it on the return route. There was no difficulty except that at a narrow point in the ridge, 100 feet or so west of the top, all the rocks including some large ones, seemed anxious to slide when we stepped on them. We got on top shortly before 6 o'clock and gave up the plan of following the Tanima Ridge down to Thunder Lake, as the rain and clouds hid any distant view and made difficult the selection of the best route. So we returned to the narrow part of the ridge, above referred to, and went down the steep draw to the north.

This was the most difficult climbing of the day. The loose rocks started easily and went bounding down ahead of us at a high speed. Several times we had to work around small cliffs and were much relieved to get out of the shifting clouds and into the valley below. Returned to Thunder Lake and later picked up our sleeping bags and followed the trail, in a white mist, to camp which we reached at 9.15 in the evening. From start to finish it was a 16-hour trip, and a long one, too long for one day.

From the top of the Tanima Peak we caught a glimpse of an ice lake on the north side of Mahana Peak, west of Eagle Lake. The elevation of this lake is 11,800 feet, and the following day, August 13, George C. Barnard, Clifford S. Higby, and I visited it. In July many of the lakes above timberline are partly covered with ice. By the middle of August most of these lakes have lost their ice floes, but the one on Mahana is an exception, and I believe has snow on its banks and floating ice in the lake all through the summer.

The only comment on the map (which is excellent) is that there are about a dozen small lakes in the timberline region, east of Mount Alice, that are not shown. It should also be noted that the local names of the lakes differ from the map names and are given below to avoid the confusion that might result:

Thunder Lake is locally known as Green Lake.

Eagle Lake is locally known as Long Lake.

A lake not shown on the map, lying northeast of Thunder Lake, is locally known as Thunder Lake.

A log of the trip follows:

Log of trip to Mount Alice, Lake Nanita, and Tanima Peak.

MOUNT COPELAND (13,176 FEET).

[Report furnished by Henry F. Brooks (Aug. 10, 1916).]

Number in party, 41—16 men and 25 women.

Our party started at 7.15 a. m. from camp (elevation about 8,700 feet) on the North St. Vrain Creek, below the mouth of Cony Creek. We reached the point where the Ouzel Lake trail forks to the left from the Thunder Lake trail, at 7.45 a. m. and reached Ouzel Lake (9,900 feet) at 9.15 a. m.

PLATE XX. PAIUTE PEAK (LEFT) AND RIDGE FROM SHOULDER OF MOUNT AUDUBON. Photograph by G. H. Harvey, jr. SNOW CORNICE ON RIDGE BETWEEN THE ST. VRAIN GLACIERS. Photograph by G. H. Harvey, jr.

On a preceding trip, one member of the party had complained that the pace was much too slow to suit him, so he was promised a faster trip up Mount Copeland. Accordingly, our party divided at Ouzel Lake, nine of the "fire eaters," led by Reed A. Higby, starting ahead and the rest of the party following more leisurely. The leader of the fast party reached the top at 11.17 a. m., having climbed the 3,200 feet from Ouzel Lake to the summit in two hours and two minutes. The member for whose benefit the trip was speeded up, arriving among the last of this first party. Most of the main party reached the top at 12.45 p. m., or three hours and a half after leaving Ouzel Lake, although some did not arrive until two hours later, having taken five and a half hours for the climb. The above shows the widely varying lengths of time that different people require on a climb, and the difficulty of stating standard time schedules that will suit all needs.

Mount Copeland is a fairly easy mountain to climb, as there is grass and soft footing most of the way up. The top is rocky.

MEADOW MOUNTAIN (11,634 FEET), AND MOUNT ST. VRAIN (12,162 FEET).

[Report furnished by Roger W. Toll (Aug. 11, 1916).]

Number in party, 13—6 men and 7 women.

The party left camp on North St. Vrain Creek at 8.20 a. m., and followed the new trail up Cony Creek to the beautiful falls of that stream. The trail was uncompleted beyond that point. Our route lay through the Engelmann spruce, lodgepole and limber-pine forest that covers such a large portion of Wild Basin. We ate part of our lunch on Meadow Mountain and the rest on Mount St. Vrain. Had a short slide on one of the two snow fields on Mount St. Vrain and made the most of the drinking water below the snow field. The one canteen in the party was welcome on the summit. The view of Longs Peak and the range south to Mount Audubon was first class. We could see the trail over Buchanan Pass; also the St. Vrain glaciers and all of Wild Basin. Found Finch Lake on the return without difficulty, although it is not visible from the Allens Park-Pear Reservoir trail. The map shows no inlet to Finch Lake, but there is a small one on the southeasterly side.

At Finch Lake the party separated into two sections, one reaching camp at 6.15 and the other at 6.40 p. m.

The log of the trip is as follows:

Elevation climbed was 3,800 feet.

PEAKS ACCESSIBLE PROM MIDDLE ST. VRAIN CREEK.

The area forming the headwaters of the Middle St. Vrain Creek is reached through Ward or Allens Park. From the automobile road connecting these two places and about 4 miles north of Ward, a road turns off toward the west, bearing the sign Stapp Lake. This road is passable for automobiles. It crosses the dam of Beaver Reservoir, passes the forest ranger's station, and reaches Stapp Lake, where there is a hotel and outing resort. Visitors will be met at Ward, if such an arrangement has been previously made, and driven to Stapp's Hotel.

Mount Audubon (13,223 feet) is the principal peak in this region and lies a mile east of the Continental Divide. It can easily be climbed in a day from Stapp's Hotel.

The trail over Buchanan Pass (11,700 feet) runs from Stapp's Hotel to Monarch Lake, on the western slope. The distance is 16 miles and can be made in a day. This is the only horseback trail across the Continental Divide between Arapaho Pass on the south and the Flattop trail on the north, a distance of more than 25 miles, measured along the Divide.

Just south of Buchanan Pass is Sawtooth Mountain (12,304 feet), which gets its name from the profile of the peak, which has a perpendicular cliff on the south side and a rounded slope on the north side.

The other peaks whose slopes rise from the Middle St. Vrain Creek, and whose summits may be reached from this valley, are Mount St. Vrain (12,162 feet), Ogalalla (13,147 feet), and Paiute Peak (13,082 feet). There are several unnamed peaks on the Continental Divide between Mt. Audubon and Ogalalla.

MOUNT AUDUBON (13,223 FEET).

[Report furnished by George H. Harvey, jr. (July 2, 3, and 4, 1916).]

Number of persons on trip, 11; 8 men and 3 women.

We took the train to Ward. From there walked about 4 miles north on the regular Estes Park auto road, then turned off to the west and followed the road to within half a mile of Stapp's Hotel, where we made our camp (9,300 feet). Good camp site. Fine water, plenty of wood. To climb Mount Audubon, pass Stapp's Hotel and follow the stream to a sawmill half a mile beyond. Take the log road to the south, connecting with a well marked trail to the summit of Mount Audubon. The trail is good and there is plenty of water all the way. It is a pleasant climb, and the lower part of the trail leads through fine timber.

The approximate length of the round trip from Beaver Reservoir is 15 miles, and the elevation climbed is 4,000 feet. The actual walking time was about 9 hours, not including 2 hours spent on top of the peak.