New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-08-18

freights which now cost at least 10 cents per 100
pounds from Canon CITY, will then be reduced. and
the time between the East and this camp will be
twenty-four hours less than now.
THE sAvGRE DE cRIsro RANGE.
The great charm about Silver Cliff is the view OF
the SanGre dc Cristo range, about fifteen miles dis
tant across the valley to which | have referred
several times in my letters from this place. No
other portion of the Rocky Mountain chain that
have ever approaches this range In beauty and
grandeur. The altitude of its highest peak is no
greater than that of Mount Ebert. Mount Massive.
CT La Plata Peak in the Saguache pronounced ST.
watch range, opposite Leadyiie. although several
OF them more than 1900 feet high. But the
Wet Mountain Valley is nearly 5000 feet lower
thar that Of the upper Arkansas 50 that in reality.
Humboldt. Horn, Gibson and silcsia Peaks rise
at least 2 600 feet higher above the intervening
country than do the monarchs of the continental
divide mentioned above.
Most of the high peaks in the Sangre dc Cristo
range seem. from this distance to have sharp clean
cut SUBMITS of dark-colorct granite, which are in
marked contras, with the rounded, light gray ap-
pearanco of Pixies Peak when viewed from Col
OradO Springs Mainton, and they look five times
high the latter because there no intervening
foothills TO hide all but the summit from view There
foot hills Of course. but they begin ten miles
away from here, the other side OF the valley.
where they cannot be distin -uished from part OF
the mountains themselves. The canons between
the higher foothills and the gorgcs in the mountain
sides half way to their SUBMITS. are covered
with heavy growth OF pine. and its dark color in
tensidcs the deep shadows which fail upon this side
of the range in the afternoon, making the ray ines
look rs though they were OF understandable depth.
the mysterious home perhaps, OF the genii Of the
mountains
Timber-line that is the upper limit at which trees
viii grow. on the Sangre de Crsto range. is about
II 900 feet above the aud from that point for
8 600 feet to the summit Of the higher peaks the
dead granite rock is bare except where a great patch
Of snow. the accumulation of many winters. shines
dazzingy in the morning sun, and seems by con-
trast TO give the face of the ArchPan rock backer
hue.
A WONDERFUL v1Kw
But tie range is ever changing in its appearance.
When first caught a glimpse of it, dark. angry
clouds seemed 10 be moving down the canon IN the
Wet Mountains which we had Just left ike IN ire
sistible army; sharp HeltninGs were darling
through them. and we heard the low mutter OF
the distant thunder and felt the cold breath from
their icy discharge Of hail. But the great range
stood mp against a clear Sky wonderfully blue and
the sun. Just rast the meridian. was beginning TO
turn the shadows Of the highest peaks upon their
eastern cTcsts Taat SANE evening at sunset. long
strata OF distant clouds lag behind and above the
range and were tinged with the most delicate
shades Of crimson and pink while the sun, which
had passed ont Of sight shot M, half way TO the
zenith. the most gorgeous corona ever saw. Some
times the storn-clouls shut down upon the noun
tains for hours hiding all but the lower foothills,
and them when they left1 light sprinkling of snow,
ike a thin veil covers the barron granite rock.
Again long bank Of cloud lies their face hid
ing neither the foot noI the summit of the range,
but seeming to cut oil all communication between
them and then at other times. the feahery vapor
winds IN and ont among the peaks in the most con-
fusing manner. The same effects are never seen
twice and I am never tired of watching the con-
! stantly changing picture which they present.
The southern portion of the Sangre de Cristo
range has already been made easily accessible by
the extension of the Denver and Rio Grande Rail-
ROAD over the Veta Pass TO AlamOsa and many
tourists make the journey to that place In order to
see some of the grandest mountain scenery in the
State. When the same company completes its
branch to this place. have no doubt that Grape
Creek Canon WI be as popular as that of Clear
Creek and that hundreds of pleasure seekers will
come to this place every summer to visit the beau
tiful Wet Mountain Valley, and to admire at a dis
lance the finest range Of mountains in Colorado
if not to climb Its rugged peaks and visit ito crystal
lanes above the clouds. L. L. W.