The Nakimu Caves, Glacier Dominion Park, B. C.Canada. National Parks Branch
Science
The Nakimu Caves, Glacier Dominion Park, B. C.
Canada. National Parks Branch
Nakimu Caves (B.C.)
“Up to this time, only the Gopher Bridge series and the Mill Bridge
series (see map) had been explored. It was not until a day or two before
the close of the survey, August 4, that an attempt was made to penetrate
the huge opening seen at the north end of the bottom of the gorge. On
the date named, the writer descended by means of a knotted rope, and was
followed by Deutschman. The stream was then at high water, and pouring
into the opening with a tremendous rush and swirl of waters. Although
the creek was crossed by wading waist deep in the icy torrent, it was
found impossible to penetrate more than a couple of hundred feet into
the depth. Later in the month Deutschman, alone and unaided, penetrated
this opening and worked his way across the stream, discovering what is
now referred to as the Gorge series, or the series of passageways
reached by the opening from the Gorge. And here the writer begs to say a
word or two concerning this remarkable man. The work of exploration he
has done without assistance, shows a character utterly devoid of fear.
The descent into depths of blackest darkness, lighted only by the dim
rays of a tallow dip, without a rope or other aid except in a case of
direst necessity, requires more than courage; it requires strength of
purpose and power of will far beyond the ordinary degree. For, added to
the thick darkness, there was always the fierce vibrating roar of
subterranean torrents, a sound most nerve shaking in a position
sufficiently uncanny and demoralizing without it. Huge cracks had to be
crossed, and precipitous descents made in pitch darkness, where, it is
safe to say, a misstep would have instant death, either suddenly or
through disablement. Now that ladders are placed and ropes set, and the
sure path pointed out by this intrepid guide, it is difficult to realize
how in the first place the passage could possibly have been made
without.
[Illustration: Typical Alpland—On Mt. Abbott about 1 mile south of
Glacier.]
“The first visitor after Deutschman to the Gorge series was a Mr. Lang,
of Golden, B.C., who very nearly met with a serious accident when
climbing up the rope from the bottom of the gorge to the floor of the
valley, 80 feet above. He had nearly reached the top when his strength
gave out, and he slid back down the rope, arriving at the bottom in a
much bruised condition, but fortunately with no bones broken.”
Mr. Wheeler furnishes a splendid detail description of the various
series of caves, and it is thought well to reproduce this description
_in extenso_:—
Gopher Bridge Series.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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