It now becomes expedient to choose the most practicable route. Where now camped about ten miles from Monument & most impracticable peaks intervening. Capt. Cameron with a few men attempted to get to it some days ago. He tried the Kootanie pass but this going too much west he climbed a peak, about two miles from its entrance but could see no practicable route. He then went down to Waterton Lake, one of the streams flowing into which rises near the Monument. He could not reach the mouth of this stream except by raft & was beaten in attempting to ascend the valley by woods, windfall & brulÈ. Capt A. decided to attempt passage by a brook joining the main one about 21/2 miles up the pass & which was also supposed to rise near the Monument.

The old boundary trail to the Monument branched from the Kootanie trail at a place called ìThe forksî about 5 miles on the British Columbian side of the watershed, & from there ran S.E. down a branch valley. Thinking I would see as much of the country in that as any other way I volunteered to go over & see what condition the old trail was in.

Started with Duckworth, both mounted at 7.45 & followed the Kootanie trail S. Westward. The trail for about half a mile follows the axis of a gentle anticlinal which runs into the point separating the S.W. & W valleys already mentioned. It then turns to the left, & follows the N.W. side of the valley. Sometimes near the stream & sometimes climbing high up the mountain side