The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1896-06-11


this trip demonstrated both his intelli-
gence and hardwood that could endure
all the trials and dangers his party SUI
| fered.
The Peak nearest the plains OF the
| large peaks and may be seen for hun
dreds OF miles before IL is rachel. No
daylight trip is made across the prairie
OF eastern Colorado but some enthusi-
asst grows rapturous over the sight OF
this peak. II stanks out and up against
The sky-the mighty mass Of earth that
il is. To look at it is one thing, 10 scale
it's height another. There is no way
TO ascend the peak that has the heroism
that walking has. A cog road winds its
course to the top, but 10 go by such
easy way as that would be TO take an
advantage and do a thing TOO easy 10
boast OF. This cog road may beat a
world as a curiosity. II was the first
Of its kind, If the writer is not mis-
taken In the midway between the
rail is q double cog rail, or, rather. two
cog rails Independent of each other. II
one should break the other would still
be firm. In the cogs Of these rails run
a double cog wheel The arrangement
for brakeing is exact and the cog train
runs up and down a grade Of l 900 feet
TO the mile with considerable speed and
perfect safety.
1t was o'clock a. m, June 4, 1896
that I set out from Manitou TO ascend
the peak Burdened with only a light
overcoat and lunch 1 took the cog
road for the ascent The day al the bot
tom was warm and the trip laborious
Tramp, tramp. tramp with hardly a rest
for five hours and ten minutes and the
journey was completed. II was trip
never 10 be forgotten. II was out of
the foothills into the mountains, and
out from the mountains up the mother
OF mountains. It is said TO be only
nine miles. but the longest nine miles
one will probably ever walk II IS like
an everlasting fight of stairs. One must
lift himself 5000 feet higher than his
starting point and in doing so passes
through all the change of climate from
summer 70 winter, passes from fields
arrayed in living green 10 barren peaks
where vegetation cannot exist. Through
this scene one is carried back TO the
time when the earths crust was in
thores, when IL trembled, broke. unfold
ed upon itself leaving evidence of an
almost unlimited force wherein great
massive granite, ten thousand feet
milestone. Again one is a witness 10
the action Of the elements. The earth.
'rock-rBbbed and ancient as the SUM-"
with all its apparent permanence has
yielded 10 the action OF wind, water and
heat These permanent rocks in many
places have been conquered by the ele-
ments and lay mass OF ruins at the
foot Of crags. Again the gulches and
coveS attest the action of water. Slow
ly for some million years the water has
been conquered and has quilted and can
yonized the eternal mountains. When
the rock showed resistfble surface the
elements found an easier place and thus
cutting here and yonder, left devious
forms, undermining huge, solitary
standing masses or narrow spire-like
projections. The constant dropping
wore the rock.
At last. foot weary, the top is reached.
How often one feels like giving up the
effort need not be told. Many reach
Windy Point, only two miles off and
turn back never to see the top. Not so
with Us. We kept right on, at about
snails pace, putting on account Of light
air, till We came to the goal of our
journey and the whole earth seemed
10 lay at our feet The earth seemed
10 rise in every direction while we were
on a great COMO protruberance in the
center. The surrounding mountains
looked insignificant. like pillows and
breakers upon great earth sea. Mt.
Pisga had almost lost it's significance,
the Sangrede Christie range was only an
earth wave while the vast stretch OF
prairie rose to hide itself in the mists OF
the horizon. The day was not so clear
as could be wished, but the scene was
stupendous.
That the walk Is a hard one will be
easily believed. That it is harder on !
thise whose lungs are less elastic, less |
able to accommodate themselve TO the |
ADDITIONAL amount Of light air needed |
N respiration is not difficult to see. |
found no one who had made the ascent |
N SO short a time as l. DOubt tess the |
ascent has been made in less than five |
hours and ten minutes on foot, but the |
usual time is much longer. One per-
son has left his opinion painted on the |
broken granite of the Peak attesting 1
MS view OF the walk in more forcf5la |
han elegant English and is as follows: !
1t is h TO walk 70 the Peak. Try. |
DOL, like did. Yours in blue" The |
signature is not legible.
The TOP OF the Peak il one great mass !
II broken granite mass OF fragments. |
Il would seem 10 resist the action or |
he elements for all time
The temperature is not so cold as We
Ire sometimes led TO believe. 1t was
ust about the freezing point aud snow
ID little. There was but a small
mount Of snow on the Peak and that
vas melting. except right at the top
md on the north slope. II is said the
Try wind (air) takes up the snow by alb
'orptlon quite as much as the sun by
melting.
Coming down the Peak IS easier e1-
'ept up on the muscles Of the legs. One
hould keep off the railroad track as the
endency is 10 stove and sprain the
muscles by the jar OF the solid step upon
he track One. may walk Up on the
rack. but should. in returning. keep 10
and or gravel of the track Z possible.
)ne may expect IN making this trip 20 /
e tired-to be a little sore IN muscles
nd from blistered toes. II is ten hours
Z pretty hard work. Personally We !
we're less than eight and half hours .
n the going and return trip. counting
ut the time on the Peak But this Is
'elow the average. Remember IL IS
OF play dut down right hard wOrk-so !
ard that when one Is once on the Peak
e sets no time to retura-ra ther swes-s
ie viii never do II again. Il certainly
you'd be a hard trip 10 make the second
ine on foot
Much has been written in praise OF
Ianitou-in fact Il IS the custom 70 find
othing wanting IN the Gem OF the
fountains. Here. situated i've miles
rom Colorado Springs. with the noun
aims and Pixies Peak FOR the back
round. within easy reach Of Williams
'annon- Cheyenne Cannon. the Cave
Z the Winds. the Grand Cavers Of the
iarden OF the Code and N the midst Of
he mineral springs. associated IN ira
ftiOn with the famous cities OF the past.