4:30 A.M.
Day after day was the same round of unflinching effort , under conditions that would daunt any but the stoutest hearts . The trail was in a terrible condition , sometimes well-nigh impassable , and many a time , but for the invincible spirit of the Prodigal , would I have turned back . He had a way of laughing at misfortune and heartening one when things seemed to have passed the limit of all endurance . Here is another day selected from my diary : `` Rose at 4:30 A.M. and started for summit with load . Trail all filled in with snow , and had dreadful time shovelling it out . Load upsets number of times . Got to summit at three o'clock .