The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1898-07-21
THE GREAT DIVIDE.
LEO DESCRIBES INTERESTING
POINTS IN FAR WEST.
SCENES IN THE MOUNTAINS
Difficulties In Enjoying the Mountain
Scenery = Beauties Which Greet
the Pedestrians Leo Bids
All Fond Farewell.


cade range of mountains, said to be
the largest in the entire range. Other
attractions there are for those who have
a taste for the beautiful, grand or sub
lime. A Lake iE the Sky" as it is
called, requires some "getting up
stairs" to reach. 1t is beautiful lit
tie lakelet, covering several acres,
clear as crystal, rejecting the sky like
an inverted dome, while the entire
shores of rocks and bushes are mir
rored like fringe inverted beneath
the surface. And this spot with it's
romantic surroundings, more than
mile above tide water, is by no means
near the top of the mountains, whose
melting SHOWS supply it. On the sur
rounding heights snow banks and fir
trees seem to be in strife to determine
which shall hold the ground. Such
lakelets are a reminder of the Swiss
Alps.
A quarter Of mile away from the
hotel is seen railway ribbon stretch
ing down the mountain side, which
proves to be a cascade, or rather
series of cascades picturesque in the
extreme. From height of 1000 feet
the water comes leaping, bounding,
laundering, seething and foaming TO
milky whiteness and disappears down
the deep gorge among the tall trees 300
feet below the railroad track. A zig
gag foot path has been cut out among
the trees, which requires one hours
hard climbing to reach the height from
whence the stream seems to emenate.
But the shriIl screech of q locomotive
echOing through gorge indicates an
approaching train and our probation is
ended. A delay of few minutes only
is allowed-two engines are doing up
hill work. foot. toot," sounds the
leading engine, and "tOot, foot" re-
spends the rear one, indicating that
both are ready. A little groaning and
putting and the wheels move, and the
serpentine train crawls along the mar
row shelf Oh the mountain side two or
three miles, when third engine is at
tached. The Great Divide" is soon
reached, as may be known by large
sign to note it. 1t is the highest point
on tie Canadian Pacific road, being
5000 feet high, while snowy peaks
still mile above look down upon it.
Mount Donald is said to be 1000 feet
high. From this point the rivulets run
in both directions. Extra locomotives
are dismissed and awe are going down
hill.
Snow sheds are passed from time to
time. An advertising work mentions
them, but states that an antride track
is used for summer. thus permitting
travellers to observe the scenery with
out obstruction. This is but partially
true and the sheds are a great annoy
ance and the glimpses caught while
fitting over the short spaces between
the sections are only tantalizing.
Frightful gorges are crossed on bridges
looking like spider webs in the air, and
whenever the train stops the kodak
fiend is ever present. From the OBJ
servation car many grand sights may
be observed when our eyes are not
filed with cinders.
A fertile imagination may easily con-
ceive familiar objects among the fan
tastic shapes. One huge cliff is a re-
minder of the Mormon temple at Salt
Lake city. Another resembles the
pyramid of Cheopo with full outlines
one group Of conical peaks may be
called cluster of gigantic hay stacks,
and other crags resemble old castles
perched on mountain heights along the
Rhine.
Donald station is reached and here
the train again crosses the Columbia
river, and passengers live an hour in
the twinkling of an eye. Here they
bid adieu to Vancouver, or Pacific
time, on which they have been running
and turn their watches one hour for
ward adopting mountain time.
Banff Hot Springs, in the province of
Alberta, is another noted place of
resort. The railroad company has an
other hotel at $3.50 to SIS per day.
Here too is located Banff Sanitarium
and hotel, with a bountiful table and
at reasonable rates.
The little hamlet is situated in
delightful valley, more than two miles
in length and nearly a mile in breadth
with a dozen peaks of 5000 100000
feet in height surrounding it. The
vision is bounded on the east by an
isolated mountain rising from the valley
about $500 feet high which can be
climbed by zigzag trail to the summit.
In climbing the pedestrian thinks he
has about reached the summit, but,
s5raining his eyesight by an upward
glance he finds himself but half way.
He can proceed or rest himself on a
rustic seat, made and provided for such
occasions. A few moments of rest are