Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1903-05-27
MANY DIFFICULTIES
The. Most Advantageous Course
Said to be BY Way Of
hermit's Peak.
RATE BEAUTY OF THE REGION

CHAIRMAN OF the SANTA re ocenls
Road Committee:
Sir--ln accordance with iEstruc-
tions issued to me by the board OF
commissioners of San Miguel county,
dated May .. 1908, at the request Of
your committee. have made an ex.
animation ol the ground over which
the Scenic Road is To be made from
Las Vegas over the Las Vegas mount
ain range through the Pecos forest re-
serve as far as the Pecos river, and
now make the following report:
Four routes were suggested. the most
southerly to run from Las Vegas to
the Tecolote river and thence up said
stream and over the main range near
Elk mountain and down the Pecos
river by some easy line. From what
| know of the country. this seems to
be too steep a route and too direct a
line to take in much scenery. So we
made no examination Of It.
The second route proposed was to
follow the Galinas ris er from Las We
gas up as far as A-rvey's carriage
house. and thence UP the south fork
Of the river to Its head, and over the
main range just north of Elk mount
ain. We examined this line and found
1t an easy matter TO locate good
road up as far as the Edwards ranch
At that point a small canyon comes
in from the north side, which would
necessi,ate keeping the road Low
enough to cross it, and then make The
whole rise OF over $500 feet in Less
than three miles, which is entirely toe
steep.
The third route was to run up the
Gallinas river from Las Vegas. pass
ing FL Porvenir and on to the moutn
of the Holenger canyon: thence fol
low up the canyon To the main range
We made a careful examination o,
this route and found il extremely
rough through the canyon above El
Foryenir To make an easY perma.
nent road through this canyon would
require at least 5000 cubic yards ol
rock blasting and perhaps twice that
amount of work with pick and bar
in loose rock. besides all the neces-
sary eartbwork The view In the can.
yon is truly grand, but we can see
Lothing except the canyon itself The
passage through this canyon at the
present time is merely rough bride
trail, scarcely ever travelled over ex.
ceot by the stock that ranges there
A road has been cleared about three
fourths OF mile above El Porvenir,
which can be extended further at
comparatively little cost, but will need
some repairs after every high water
In the river.
The fourth route suggested was to
follow UP the Gallinas river to some
convenient point above the Hot
Springs canyon and then turn across
northward TO the Sapello river and fol
low IL up to the main range. This
Is a practicable route, but is rather
long. A road could be made this way
with very easy grade and be substan
tial when done.
The route we have selected is tc
follow up the Gallinas river from Las
Vegas to near I'll Porvenir. and then
&turn north around the base
Of Hermit's peak and ascend
the northeast slope OF the
ridge and reach the top about
one and one-half miles from the south
east end Of the peak, then cross the
ridge and descend the southwest slope
to the north fork OF the Gallinas and
follow up the slope on the south side
Of this branch to the top OF the main
range, and cross little north Of Ell
mountain; then down the ridge be
tween Willow creek and Bear creel
as shown by the blue print made o.
the Pecos river forest reserve, to The
Pecos river. and thence connect will
whatever line may be chosen from
Santa Fe to that point.
The advantages Of this route are
that It is an easy grade. not exceeding