The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1877-01-06
UNCOMPAHGRE.


est Point on the Continental Splendid
Panorama Of Beauty
Lake City Correspondence Denver Tribune.
This will, some day, be part Of the
grand rounds of the tourists, for it is
right in the line of travel to tie top of
Uncompahgre Peak, the highest of the
Rocky Mountain peaks, its altitude
being IA, 40 feet above the sea. From
the crystal beds to the base of Uncom-
pahgre Is but three miles by a very easy
line of travel. Upon the morning of
the 29th of September, after having
gathered some four or five hundred
pounds of crystals, we broke camp, ana
in company with three of my COM
panions | started for the top of the
peak.
Arriving at the base which rests upon
the tops Of mountains 1900 to 5000
feet above the bed of Henson Creek,
we started up. For about one hour we
had very easy climbing, and to within
about 500 feet of the top, when it be-
came more precipitous. One of my
companions gave out at this point
lungs too weak to stand the lightness
OF the air. The others, G. G. Lynd and
A. Strssburg, continued with me to the
top. | have given the names of these
parties as witnesses, for it is continual
ly asserted in Lake City, by parties who
pretend to have been up to the top of
Uncompahgre, that the only means
of getting to the top is from the west
ern end of the mountain" whereas it
Is exactly the reverse.
Around the western face of the peak
Is a square-cut, perpendicular wall.
over which one looks with horror into
depths so deep that the thought of a
view into the Grand Canyon of the
Arkansas pales into insignifcance.
Could one be satisfied that the outer
edge would not crumble with the $50
pounds weight, we would perhaps get
accustomed to lying over the brink;
but having no such assurance, one nat
urally recoils with horror, and secures
more respectful distance to take in
the grandeur of the scene presented to
the view. We are standing upon a
table of brown traprock, of some five
to SIX acres In extent, sloping gently to
the northeast-over in which direction
we see the high peaks of Chalk Creek,
and the mountains beyond, and d.
rectiy east of those, of the Sangre de
Cristo range, $50 miles away. Directly
to the north, two long and straight riv-
ers put out from the low mountains at
our feet, and strike out for the Gum
nison River, which circles completely
around this grand old mountain chain.
rising to the southwest of where we
stand, it flows east, and north, and
west, and thence to the Colorado River
which continues in a southwesterly
course until it loses itself in the broad
Gulf of California, SO that the waters
of this highest point in Colorado branch
out to all points of the compass, and
are gathered again by the Gunnison
River in q circuit of fifteen to fifty
miles from this grand old mountain.
And still over and beyond all this
broad expanse of mountain and valley
can be seen the heights of the Elk
Mountain range, all rich in mineral and
coal
To the northwest and west the coun-
try breaks off more rolling, and among
the low mountains may be easily traced
the Valley of the Uncompahgra River.
whhe still beyond great plains and roll
ing lands that extend away off into
otah, until one thinks the whole West
and Northwest is panoramaed before
the view. 1t does not take a verv great
stretch OF the Imagination to hear the
whistle of the locomotive unon tbe
Utah Southern Railroad. althougb ON
miles away In an air line. But to tbs
south and southwest lies the nictnra .,
greatest loneliness; no, of glory. From
the time the eye first catches a glimps,
of it, to the last moment Of leaving tn.
mountain top, it seems as though on