Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1896-10-27
CAMPING IN COLORADO.
Something About "A Very Pleasant Out
ing EniOvcd This Fall.


ing Enioved This Fall.
Whoever would enjoy the pleasure or
existence: whoever would extend the
power for such enjoyment; whoever
would continue his life and seek to les
sen the remembrances of the burdens
going hand in hand with that pleasure,
must break away from desk and the
grinds of modern Office life, and seek
rest and health in the rougher yet kind
lier environments of Nature. Among
the cloud-capped mountains and In the
canons which separate them, men live
to be grizzled and brawny, with appe-
tites which devour all food with avidity
and relish, and which the city man, af-
f1lcted with indigestion, envies when
ever chance affords the opportunity for
self comparison, more than anything
else. l speak from personal knowl-
edge OF the fact, for these reflections
were induced by recent visit TO the
heart of the Rocky Mountains in Col
orado. The Denver & Rio Grande
Railroad takes the traveller at
Denver and carries him amidst
the splendor of scenery on every
hand, TO the confines of the wilderness.
high up in the clouds, where birds and
beasts and fishes are free. but where
men have also encroached. and are
spending their lives in digging and
blasting for the precious minerals
which the mountains hide behind their
rocky fronts. Camping outfits which
belong to city people, out for good
time, 'roughing it," are to be seen in
many of the beautiful parks, made by
the rush Of waters and left when they
receded to their newly esta blished beds.
It's the thing to do, they hold, to spend
portion OF the year away from bust
ness, and the theory that ten or eleven
months of good work makes up for the
time spent in regaining health, and il
all that anybody ought to do, is gain
ing many converts. In the summer the
mountains and the canons are lovely.
but not more so, think, than when in
the Autumn they assume their royal
colors and when the air has snap in
it, and the red rOsebuds are fragrant
as apples, and the grass which Drowned
under the hot sun, has been refreshed
by the later rains and is green, vieing
with the cedars and pines which tower
above, reaching the clouds.
mere are SUlile uuc lanes III LILO
mountains west of the San Luis valley,
and he who enjoys piscatorial sport
may have his feast. The trout ara
those delicious spotted beauties which
wear your patience when you are ang-
ling and give you such an opportunity
to edify your friends on your return
home. The enterprising Denver & Rio
Grande road has reached the vicinity
Of the fishing resorts, as we'll as the
mining camps, and the traveller can go
as comfortably as he wishes to, until
he reaches the point from which the
way must be gone by wagon or on
horseback. Alamosa is a good outfit
ting point-so is Monte Vista or Del
Norte, or any of the many bustlins
towns which are passed. The weather
is delightful until as late as January,
and no inconvenience will be expert
enced at night il you do have to lie
with the sky for ceiling. We camped
one night at Lake Fork, on the other
side of mountain 5000 feet high,
about six miles from the practically
deserted village of Platora, and the old
hero of Gettysburg. who had lost his
right arm and his hearing at the same
moment. and is now mining, with the
help of his son, told us that across the
lake there were plenty of bear and deer
and mountain lions and other big game.
1t was so plenty that the ranch men
and the cowboys gave it wide berth,
and relinquished the idea of sending
cattle over there to Craze, as they were
sure to find fewer brands when they
rounded them up later. The locality
affords such variety of amusement that
1t is an ideal one for any company OF
friends, no matter how varied their
tastes or their object in making the
trip. Let me suggest to my readers
that they try it, if not this Fall. then
next Summer.
F. p. BAKER.