noon
A heavy fog , rolling in from the ocean in the night , submerged the valley in its dull , gray depths -- leaving to the eye no view but the view of the mountains before them , and forcing upon the artist 's mind the weird impression that the life he had always known was a fantastically unreal dream . And now , -- as they approached , -- the frowning entrance of Clear Creek Canyon grew more and more clearly defined . The higher peaks appeared to draw back and hide themselves behind the foothills , which -- as the men came closer under their immediate slopes and walls -- seemed to grow magically in height and bulk . A little before noon , they were in the rocky vestibule of the canyon . On either hand , the walls rose almost sheer , while their road , now , was but a narrow shelf under the overhanging cliffs , below which the white waters of the stream -- cold from the snows so far above -- tumbled impetuously over the boulders that obstructed their way -- filling the hall-like gorge with tumultuous melody . Soon , the canyon narrowed to less than a stone 's throw in width . The walls grew more grim and forbidding in their rocky nearness .