The Penn's Grove record., 1882-09-30
LETTER FROM COLORADO


GEoResToWN, Col, SEPT. 2S, 1882.
Colorado has often been called the
'~SwitZerland Of America" and cred
tied with the climate of Italy. OF the
climate characteristics and their eff
fects, | may be able to give the reader
something pertinent in another letter,
while this one refers more 10 what VIZ
have seen since my last, and to what
may be seen in this part of tho world.
BY the concurrent testimony of travel
ers, the scenery Of the Rocky Noun
tains has been pronouced not inferior
to that of the world-famed Alpine re-
gion of Europe. In the Alps great
abundance Of sne is encounted at al
titudes where none IS found here-a
popularity often remarked upon by
the traveler-and there is a charm
there IN the plen.ituds Of vegetation
and veDdure all around. almost up to
the snowiine. But this is atoned for
in the surprising holiness and grand
err Of thee immense rockies, while
the wonderful and fantastic formations
Of Colorado are unequal any
where in the universe. There are no
less than fifteen peaks in this State,
each with an altitude but little beloH
that of NJ. Blanc; al in extent of sur
face enc o. these great peaks exceeds
she entire area Of Switzerland. To
gain some idea Of the extent Of Color
ado scenery, let the render bear in mind
that The State is larger than Great Brit
ain, comprising an area Of 81, 4z0, COO
acres, OF which one-third only is good
grazing or agricultural territory, while
the remainder is the vast u~phsaval
known as the Rocky Mountains.
Situated lively We miles from George
toSn is Gray Peak, 200 feet higher
than Pixies, and N Of the four high
est Of the whole range. Its cold, stormy
snrlnits points up through the
elosds, 1884 feet above the sea le'. a.,
leaving vegetation and timber In far
below. We made the ascent or iorse.
back, and a hard climb il W, Our
hersss had.been thore manyt ne before
and followed the narrs winding
trail up the steep mount3i.. side where
to look back made me cad swim, and
where q miss step OK stumble would
precipitate horse and rider down the
terrible rocky iso'.n to almost certain
destruction. Eat the magnificence OF
the scene rer aid, many times oyer, the
labor AM disk of reaching it. As W.
neared .he top VIC could look down hun
DIRE as of feet below us upon Immense
snow banks which the summer SUI had
failed to dissolve. 1t was n bright,
clear morning, and with o~vercoats apd
wraps we were able 10 meet the chill
ing breeze without discomfort. Resting
over the tops of lower mountains We
saw immense white clouds, which from
above, with the sunlight shining on
them, looked like great sheets OF snow
below US. For hundreds Of miles In
every direction mountain peak after
mountain peak met u view, ssow
capped and rock bound, grand, gloomy
and peculiar 1t was tie sight of a
life time. In the clear, raliiied stmos-
phere there il almost 10 limit to ones
vision with q good glass. Denver lays
fffy miles to tie south of US. Pixies
Peak 40 miles distant, looks as though
il was scarcely a gun-shot away. South
Park. an elevated, fertile plain Will an
q of many thousands of acres, Was
ain ost at our feet, while ranges of
mountains in Wyoming and New Mex
leo were plainly visable. Victor Hugo
tells us that every condition has its
instip CT - and he who finds himself for
the first time face to face with tie
Rocky Mountaiss-God's eternal senti-
nels-has an appealing sense that he
has not only over-rated bis individual
importance in Natures economy, bat
has likewise nnderyalge9 the influence
of insrtieular nature upon himself,
Nothing can transcend the majesty OF
these snow capped mountainsl Yoa
gaze upon them in mute wonder until
you grow a~bstraeted and out Of self
into the idea Of perpetual greatness.
You d' rot think, only feel, and som