Idaho Springs siftings., 1902-08-09
ON THE CREST OF THE coNTI-
NENT.
CONTINUED from First Page.)


depth. No one knows. Its age is
more of a mystery than that of woman.
1t is perpetual. No other glacier in the
world bears the same characteristics.
1t is accessible-as a matter of fact
easy of access. 1t is located on the
south side of James peak. Here, in
constant battle with the sun, it main
tains its size and the SHOWS of each
recurring fai; and winter find that it
has not diminished percepdbly in area
or depth. 1t is the only known glacier
on the sunny side of a mountain in the
world.
But let us return to the trip. We
have not ascended the first incline as
yet and upward we go on the snow and
ice. The little sure-footed burros upon
which the ladies are mounted know
how to climb. With their massive ears
cooked forward they watch carefully
before a foot is planted forward. a
couple of hundred feet takes us up the
first climb and then the grade of the
glacier for n mile will not exceed four
per cent. At no point is it less than
a quarter of a mile in width and the
surface is about half snow and half
ice. The refuse dirt from the mount
aims is blown across its surface in
pidCtS " dtSliOy lue pure Nullt. bul
it seems as if the fates were generous
in this, for, were it not so, the eye
could not stand the binding glare of
the snow. A little burnt cork placed
under the eyes seems to deaden the
reflective force and aids materially in
comfort, although it does not add to
the appearance of the personnel of the
party.
Now you have crossed the great
glacier and another strange panorama
meets your eye. You step from the
snow, hesitatingly upon the great
mesa. l say hesitatingly for one dis
likes to tread ruthlessly upon the pret-
ty flowers that fringe the snow. What
a feast for the eyes beyond \ great.
almost level table land two miles in
length and a mile in width stretches
before the eye. This is garden of
wild flowers. The columbine mods to
the mountain daisy. Hundreds of
curious kinds seem to grow in clusters
and bouquets and singly. The entire
mesa is vari-colored and fragrant with
the beautiful blossoms of nature The
view is ever-changing and fascinating.
A settlement of posies. Beautiful,
delicate, fragrant and charming. The
women are delighted. Here nature fur
hAHht7 int bphAdtNo hioit
than those of the hot house. Her per
fume is more fragrant than 'the cedars
of Lebanon"
Two miles through this garden of
flowers and then the kaleidoscope
changes. From the sublime to the sub
lime-this is paradoXical but it is the
only way to express it. The summit
of the peak looms up before the vision
in magnificent splendor You ask
what is there beyond?" The question
is a natural one for you are hedged in
by granite on every side. Upward you
climb over the rugged boulders for
perhaps 500 feet and you are nearing
the crest of the continent. Expecta-
tion and anticipation spur you on. Step
by step you mount the rocks until you
see the horizon beyond. The next step
or two and you stand on the crest.
1t seems that the world is before you
and that the heavens are below you.
You have passed above the clouds. You
turn to view the garden of flowers
through which you have passed and
a cloud is lowering over it as if to
protect the delicate vegetation from
view. You look again to the north
and there grandeur in its sublimest
sense is portrayed Before you is Mid
die Park. You see Grand lake like a
shining piece of silver. You see the
rivers that have been spun as silken
threads through the surface of the
park. You see thousands and thous-
ands of acres of forests. On beyond
you can see the Medicine Bow mount
aims of Wyoming. Then to the east
where the plains of eastern Colorado
and Nebraska join. Again to the south
and the cloud has lifted so that you
can feast your eyes upon the vast area
of beauty on the mesa. One hundred
and fifty miles from you is Pixies
Peak. Fifty miles from you is Den
yer. You can see Elitch's Gardens and
the captive balloon that rises from
them. Then to the west and another
stretch of weird grandeur as you look
along the crest of the continent and
see the Indian mountains in Utah
There is no other view to equal it in
the world. You can see for $50 miles
in either direction on a clear day. You
look at your watch and it is nearly s
O'clock Tired but inspired you begin
the descent. But l had forgotten
From the peaks summit you can count
twenty-five lakes nesting below you
We will see some of these lakes as we
go back to earth.