Gold was found here in the 1880's in the valley below St. Mary's glacier. Alice was one of many camps on the Fall River that boomed and died just as quickly. About $50,000 was taken out of the mines in the first few months and by 1889, the town and mines closed. There are still ruins of the cabins scattered among the pines and the area is one of the few where there is enough snow to permit year round skiing. There has been a little activity in the area since the late 1890's, but not much.

On the saddle of the mountain across from the glacier was the town of Yankee Hill, a contemporary of Alice.  It had a population of2500 to 3000 people for several years.  This is approx. 12000 feet in elevation.