Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1889-09-21
ON LAKE PEAK.


Last week Mr.. Mitchell and Mr. Dyer,
Of the U. S. geological survey, made
known to Gov. Prince and Mr.. Arthur
Boyle their desire to ascertain something
definite as to the situation and size OF the
lake reputed to be the source Of the Rio
de Santa Fe. They were referred by
these gentlemen to the Rev. Mr.. Smith,
who offered to guide the surveyors to the
object of their investigations. 1t was
supposed that the lake might be made
serviceable to the city OF Santa lie as an
auxiliary to its irrigating system. Mr.
Smith had already visited the head OF the
canon six times, and assured the young
men that the trail could be traversed i'll
one day and retraced on the next.
Mounted on horseback, with no unneces-
sary impedimenta, the explorers set out
at s o'clock on Wednesday morning,
September IL. They rode to the Tcsuque,
and up the canon OF that stream almost
to the foot Of the great mountains.
Turning them to the left, or north, by a
well known trail they crossed the first
watershed, and descended through an
open field to the Rito Chupadero. Where
it enters the field the party passed to the
right into the wood, Immediately crossed
the trickling stream, and. struck into the
trail by which they soon began to ascend
rapidly the tortuous way up that great
spur Of the lake mountain which rises
between the Chupadero and the Tecoote.
The ride here was very interesting.
Parts OF it took the explorers through
growth of young quaklng aspens which
stood almost as thick, dark and lmpene-
trable as q Louisiana canebrake. Having
crossed two or three transverse canadas
they came Mt last, by the trail, to q slight
depression in the ridge of the spur, and
there crossed northward and began very
crooked descent, by a trail that lay among
fallen trees, and came, at the foot OF the
hill, to the rolicking Tecoloto and its
tributaries-cold, clear mountain streams.
Crossing these, and still pursuing well
marked trail by which Mexican herders
Ike their sheep and goats to upland pas
lures, the SURVEYORS were conducted to
| that great spur over which Badly is seen
from Santa Fe. Through great forest OF
dead frs they carefully picked their way
to the ridge of this spur, before reaching
which they had got beyond all paths ex-
cepting game trails. Along the ridge
they rode until they passed above the
timber line and skirted it to the right
almost to the summit Of the main range
From the backbone of the Lake mountain
they looked down the declivity, toward
the southeast, and saw the new lake.
Their guide then led them to u spot
perhaps hundred rods south OF their
first point of observation and, dismount-
ing, babe the young men do the same
and follow him. Selling both bride
reins of his broncho close to the horses
under lip he began u descent SO precipi
tous and apparently dangerous that the
American horses of the surveyors made
unceasing protest against the headlone
proceeding, in despite OF which rebellion
they were coaxed and pulled, alternately
POGO POGO, at great risk to themselves
and their masters, from the top of the
mountain to the verge of the lake. This
descent is really dangerous and needs t,
be made with great care. The peri
comes from the reluctance OF the horses
and the likelihood of their treadng o.
. falling upon their masters, or plunginl
over the precipice which skirts the pass
At O'Clock p. IN. the travellers reste'
on the further bank OF the lake. Ate
| picketing their tired animals they care
= fully measured the distance around TIN
waters edge and found it about 1,GO
feet.
In shape the lake may be said to some
what resemble an Indian flint arrow
head of the broader kind, the point o
which has been squarely broken off ant
the edges OF which are jagged. In it
} rocky basin the water lies ut least six fee
5 below the level it must have had befor
= is was disturbed (perhaps twenty year
ago. by an attempt to drain it all into til
stream which it supplies. Its shores ar
similar to the "rip-rap' breakwaters OF
t the coast of the Atlantic. The water
, clear, but looks sea-green where it
deepest. Thousands of axolotls ARE see
swimming in it. The lake is on benc
of the Lake mountain. This bench, ev
IDENTITY, was formed by q land slide, south
east of the lake, from the brow OF tn
= rocky and tir-clothed eminence (Which
regarded as the rim OF the lakes basin,
There is q grand prospect down the cano
D and into its depths.
/ The mountains on both sides ar
adorned by living and magnificen
forest of frs. The head of the canon ha
width of at least half mile. Sewers
=. copious fountains burst from the rock
o base of the Lake mountain, east of tn
lake. These, and the stream from til
lake itself, meander through the ric
S meadow which is at the very head of tn
}. canon, cutting channels in the dark sol
!. and expanding little way down tn
canon into several lakelets. In June tn
y largest cowslips ever seen bespangle til
l. meadow, and grass, luxuriant ana greer
e gives park-like appearance to the lane
Il scape.
TN Thursday morning two fir logs wei
% launched into the lake and Mr.. Mltche
took a seat astride this primitive raft an(
d padding it over the crystal waters, a
10 certained the depth in many diflerel
- places, deepest sounding twenty-or
feet. In the shallowest place, not near
,e The shore, he found about thirteen fee
,e 1t is estimated by the party that from Il
10 level OF the lakes surface to the level
~ the mountains top the height is betwee
"a 800 and 100 feet. 1t may be less, it ms
al be considerably more. 1t is not easy
measure altitude with the unaded eye.
In conclusion, Mr.. Smith propos
names for the lake and for Badly.
seems to him that name so little d
n tinctive, one that is applied to score
other lofty mountains, ought to.
dropped, and he suggests that hencefor
ss citizens of Santa Fe call the monarch
re their grand cluster Crown Peak, and tn
ne the body OF water from which our strea
NJ issues be known as Arrowhead lake.