Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1882-01-11
Climbing Pixies Peak.

Col, correspondent says: l sheol
the sand Of Pueblo of my feet and tool
a train tor this charming retreat
charming, at least, compared with the
other places that | have seen 10 Colora
do. 1t Is located at the nearest poin
to tie base OF the mountains, where th'
country stretches off into loug leve
plain. The town Is laid out iu squares
and the straight streets are bordered
with shade trees and ,ippllng streams
in iIrigating bitches. Public and pri
vate fountains are continually playing
and the dust is kept from ueing whirled
into clouds by tie prevailing high sind;
through the free use Of sprinkllng carts.
The town neslles at the foot of the giant
| Pike's Peak. which tower 1885 teei
above the level Of the sea. One does
not realize the height Of this great dome
at a glance on a clear day. The eye
must frat rest ON The top OF each lower
peak, as one rises above another hori-
zontal distance of twelve miles. Then
as the great peak is seen lowering above
all the rest the spectator appreciates it's
enormous elevation. When clouds rest
upon the lover peaks, while the gray
giaut raises lis head into the blue sky
above. tie subIimity Of the scene is
| heightened.
But full realization Of the grandeur
Of this mountain is reserved for the man
or woman who is willing to sit on the
back OF a twelve-hand.hgh mountain
pony Tor eleven or twelve hours while
he lazily lrsyerses twenty .f0ur miles oi
the very rOughest kind Of road. /, With
party, tiled it. We went through
narrow canODs and gorges, where the
little mountain streams rushed and
tumbled ard roared over the broken
rocks, aud climbed the mountain sides
where the trail was not a foot wide.
and the sides IN places were 50 nearly
peldendcular that great shelving rocKs
1000 feet above seemed ready to dash
themselves upon onr defenceless heads.
At lines it seemed az if we would sure
ly be crowded of the narrow pathway
by the projecting aud hurled into the
chasm 900 or 1900 feet below US. at
any one ofa hundred different points
our llv,s depended upon the sure-fOo.-
edness Of the ponies, not al all IN any
skill 10 horesmanship. Our guides
special instruction was TO give tie pony
his head and hang on 10 The pOmnel.
Here and there great promeutimes Of
rock, with 1900 feet of perpendicular
walls stood out like huge sentineis on
our march. aud many OF them mad their
title, of Major, Or Captain, or Sergeant
Gradually the lall, stately pines OF the
ravlEes gave way 20 less aud less
tbnfty g,owth as approached the TIM
ber lile. Finally there remained only
short. stumpy trees, hardly thirty feet
high, though probably 100 or 200 years
old. After we left The timber line we
had vet four miles uf rocks TO climb.
aud a. looked up that long steep accent
and back over the eight miles Of rayine
from which we had just emerged. NV
courage. Ike that OF Bob Acres's began
to rapidly o08e away. Twelve hours
of da, light seemed hardly enough to
enable Us 10 complete the ascent and
to make the return trip; but thanks to
the faithful ponies and 10 our persis-
tence 10 clingiDg to the pommels, we at
last reached the summit and sat down.
If drunken man can stand while chairs
and furniture seom rushing around him,
then might possibly have steod in that
highly raried air. But Ike The drum
ken man, found it easier to sit down.
As l dismounted, or, rather, stepped
of, The slight exertion threw my heart
into violent palpltation. My ears felt
as if they we're being beaten upon BY
mufled trip.hammers, aud my respira-
ton was so rapid that l thought l must
stop breathing just TOR rest, Alter
staggering about five feet TO the door OF
the United States signal service station,
where we were entertained with lunch
aud a cup or coffee, yeuiured out
again. but the ratified air and the great
wide " orld below bewildered the senses
and my muscles refused to do even tati. |
que duty. So sat and gazed III almost |
stupid wonder. l learned that nearly |
all who visit the Peak experience simi'
lar sensations. 1t is kind Of seasick.
ness, accom- panied sometimes with |
hemorrhage from the nose or mouth.
Many women faint, and some cannot be
restore until they are carried below the
timber line. 1t is an exceedingly dan-
gerous trip for anybody who has any
disease OF the heart. The two men at
the signal station though strong aud
hearty, have to be relieved alternately
every month to get the air OF the plains,
aud as they grow irritable and quarrel
-....... 80. .hnra and ouen nat In GnhNnr |