The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1897-07-26
Enhancing Spot at Bull Lake,
Described BY j. F. Gibbs.
SCENE FROM THE BELNAP
MAGNIFICENT RELIEF MAP
SPREAD OUT TO VIEW.
Some Hints For Those Who Want an
Outing Away From the Beaten
Paths-Some Lessons From Nat
ure- An Interesting Letter.

Badly, July 18.-Nowhere on the cart
can there be found a spot more sui
timely grand and picturesquely beauti
ful than this wild and rugged gler
which holds within its mountain walIe
environment an emerald gem of linn
pa water so exquisitely lovely as [
battle just description Switzerlan
may boast of her Alpine lakes, an
Scotland of her Highland locks. hu
Utah has here a tiny sheet of waite
unsurpassed in all the world for beaut-
and the grandeur of its surroundings
AS this deep gorge (having the com
monplace name of the South Fork O
North creek) extends along the south
ern base of Mt. Badly, it wldens AM
forms small basin, the sides of which
rise Tar above timber line or nearly
l2,OOO feet above sea level Occupyins
| q portion OF the basin is the little shee
or pure mountain water known as Blu,
lake. 1t is, however, a MISSIONER, a:
us surface reflects the color of the
emerald, except where its crySta
! depths give back the phantom shad-
! oWs OF the lofty mountains and the
fringe OF forest trees which girt il
on every side, the high ridge which di-
Vldes this glen from Beaver canyon
IN which nesties another lovely sheet
OF water known as Puffer lake, rises
abruptly, bearing on its steep side an
almost impenetrable forest of pines. To
the east the glen it continues on mile
or SO, where it merges into the bald
ridge which divides MarySvale from
Beaver valley, and bending slightly to
the northwest becomes lost in the cast
ern base of Mt. BelknaD From the
lakelet's northern bank Mt. Baldy's
massive form rises into cloudland. his
yellowish sides of porphyry bearing
scars inflicted by the storm king dur
ing unnumbered ages of elemental war
rare, are so steep as to reDel the ris-
ing desire to reach his bald summit
from this direction. To the northeast
a couple of miles, the less massive but
more lofty form of Mt. Belknap rises
TO the highest altitude reached by any
mountain peaks in Utah. Belknap rests
on triangular base formed by three
great ridges, one of which runs south
westerly couple of miles, where it is
absorbed by the eastern portion of old
Badly; another reaches out northerly
and bends downward towards Gold
mountain, while the third ridge ex-
tends onward to the south, and forms
shed, not only of this region, but con-
tinues on to where the Colorado river
cuts the range in two and forms the
world renowned Grand canyon.
Because of his greater altitude and
more central position. we selected ct
Belknaps summit as the objective
point of our long and arduous efforts.
Editor Brunell of the Piute Pioneer
had become suddenly apprehensive re-
garding the Piute infants, and on the
previous afternoon committed himself
TO the care of providence and Tit OUT
for Marysvale. And for once provi-
dence had its hands full but finally
succeeded in keeping the Iowa tender
foot from killing himself and horse
among the cliffs at the head of Bullion
canyon But Ward Christian, the
trained mountaineer and guide, re-
and while providence was busy
looking after Brunell we were soundly
sleeping.
The following morning eve passed
along the south side of the lake, which
IS about one-qlarter of a mile long
and some 300 yards wide, and pro-
;eeded up TO the gorge to the east, and |
or half mile walked on the remnant |
II a snowslide. now 10 to 20 feet deep.
md which bridges, lengthwise, a tor |
'ent whose muffled roar under our feet |
vas often the only evidence of its pres
mes. When opposite Mt. Belknap. one {
branch of the snowslide gorge runs to
he north, and, in its sleeper ascent, is
merged into the mountain LOCO feet or
% below its summit. Although this
ranch of the gorge is often crossed by
lams of debris brought down by snow
lldes, 1t is the easiest trail from the
3eaVer side of the range. As we ascend
he pines and other trees become
mailer and more scrubby, until bent
own under the deep SHOWS of this To-
ality, they sprawl over the ground
nd assume the shape of large ever
reen umbrellas. The simple but beau
Iful flora found around Blue lake be-
ONES even more simple in structure
nd from comparatively complex leaves
the lake, the same variety of flow
RS are associated with tiny fronds so
of Alpine regions. Turn
lS to the eastward we mounted the
wide near the head of the north fork
Bullion creek and right at the head
the Little Beaver creek. both of
hich flow eastward to MarySvale.
When the Rio Grande Western i
tilway reaches Marysvale this part
Utah should become famous among
'urists and eXcursionists. From
arysvale UP Bullion to Webster ba-
n is fine wagon road, and from the
asin good trail leads up here to the
vide, and ladies could make the trip
five or six miles on horseback with
II discomfort, and amid the finest |
emery on the continent. Once on the I
vide the old government trail fur l
shes an easy ascent to the summit.
ne only unusual sensations expert 1
ICED are those of short breathing, 9
ore rapid puisations of the heart, a I
onotonous roaring in the ears, heav- ?
r feet and lighter heads. But those |
ghtly unpleasant sensations are for }
tten when, on reaching the summit b
e realizes he is nearer the ethereal L
ace called heaven than any other r
lien of Utah, and when for the first =
re he looks forth on the grandest 3
G NEST extensive panorama between f
e Atlantic and Pacific oceans. a
MT. BELNAP. a
Wherever exposed, the body of Mt :
lnap is of the same rich-looking red L
;phyry as that found at various :.
ices on Gold mountain, while Belnap
capped with dolomite, which is split {
o thin slabs and in the form of
des covers the mountain sides and
res to it greyish appearance Out :,
these slabs, covered with lovely "
latial markings. the walls of seven '.
all buildings have been erected and - -
ich are scattered along the summit =
the highest point is the circular u
II of an observatory, about 10 feet "
diameter, and in the center of ia
ich stands a small wooden tower, II
re the support OF telescope and &c
Ter instruments. Some ten years ago VI
sc stone huts were occupied by e
mbers of the geodetic survey, and n
mails were flashed to Jeff Davis and to
vernment peaks in Nevada to the al
nry mountains, to Mt. Nebo, to Fool IN
EEK peak in the Canyon range, and tn
er lofty elevations in Utah where 81
er signal stations had been al
cted. We
THE TOPOGRAPHY. til
detailed description of the topog- 10