Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1877-12-01
A ENT oF IT - :. ~

\ clear day and sharp ey" AZ" n"er--
ssry t. discern Pixies Peak tI"m First
View" the Kansas Pacific staten, 100
miles east of Denver, and considerably
more than 100 in an air line FROM the
mountain, at which the Westward travel
er is told he may get his first glimpse Of
this lofty summit of "the Continental di.
vide" We saw it, however, 100 miles
away from Denver-a dimly defined tri-
angle of white against the clear sky; and
from the city itself it looms up, grand
and distinct, by far the most conspicuous
object in the Southern horizon. For
three days we had gazed upon the Peak
from afar off, and when the order came
yesterday to leave for Manitou, the ascent
of Pixies Peak seemed to be the fixed
purpose and highest ambition of the
greater number Of our entire party of
thirty. Once at Manitou, apparently at
the base of the mountain, yet eighteen
miles from its summit, weakening along
the whole line became painfully evident.
The Instructions thrown in the way of
the youth "who through the Alpine vii
gage passed, "were not more numerous and
insuperable than those which the local
guides and gossips cast in the way OF our
proposed ascent of the mountain. The
distance was twenty-five miles; the snow
was six feet deep; the trail had not been
shovelled out; one party tried it last week
and failed; the halfway house was not
opened, and no food or comfort could be
had during the night, which we should
be compelled to spend on the mountain,
and much more Of the same sort, all con-
Trajectory and much untrue. Whatever
may be said of guide-books and newspa-
per letters, experience has taught me that
the most untrustwortLy and misleading
of all information is that volunteered by
the local oraclcs and residents.
The mountain party numbered six and
the boy. -Four Of these were newspaper
men, and the other two Boston law yers.
The ascent was to be made on horseback
as far as possible, and the remainder of
the distance on foot. Our plan was to
reach the halfway house, two.thirds of
the distance and One-half the elevation
to the summit, before dark, and complete
the journey as early as possible the next
morning. Our "mount" was rather in
different, but at last we were all of, amid
the cheers and jeers of the pruden: ma
jority of the party, who from the hotel
piazza bade US goodbye. The first three
miles of the route lay along the main
highway to Colorado Springs-an excel
lent road, as they all are in this country
and at the deserted village, once the ter.
ritorisl capital, Colorado City, turned off
sharply into the fields, and skirted along
the range of foothills-"hogback" in the
vernacular ITO the gate of Bear Creek
canyon. At the canyon We struck for the
first time the trail proper, and leaving the
wagon road lost in the under brush, fol-
Low ed the path, Just wide enough for our
bo-ses in single file. The canyon is per-
iaps three miles long, and includes the
acepest ard most dangerous part Of the
.iaire ascent Lofty walls OF red and
distorted granite rise on either side. aad
. many y ace the t-&il, SCARCELY visible.
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