Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1905-12-06
/ WEEK IN THE ROCKIES.
CLIMBING THE MOUNTAINS OF COLORADO

Notes OF Few Days Spent Among the
Mountains and Canyons Adjacent to
Denver and Colorado Springs.
Upon no state of the American con-
tinent has nature more lavishly be.
slowed her bounsies than Colorado !;
Tor here from the field is produced in
sustenance for mankind,
and from the mine the silver and gold
used the world over as the medium
with which to procure the necessities
aud Injuries of life. And not alone
in these has nature been generous to
Colorado. Her greatest attraction lies
In her balmy, exhilarating atmosphere
and in the transcendent grandeur Of
her natural scenery.
The writer departed few days ago
for Colorado Springs, to attend the
National Conclave Of the Brother
hood Of American Yeomen, and in.
cidently to catch glimpses Of some Of
thu more famous scenic spots Of that
section. We left Des Moines ON a
special Yeomen train Of seven Pull
mans, adiner and observation car and
the trip was made in night and q
day without special incident. Speed
ing rapidly across the productive
prairies of Iowa, southern Nebraska
and northwestern Kansas. the first
thing to especially attract our at
tention was view OF Pixies Peak,
sixty miles in the distance, a mighty
its pointed peak piercing
she western horizon. q majestic
sentinel standing guard over the
cities which nestle among
the hills at it's base.
We pulled into Colorado Springs
just as the evening shadows were fad.
ing behind the rugged peaks of the
Rocky Mountains, and were met
bv large committee Of citizens with
and escorted to the elegant
Alamo hotel. where headquarters were
established, and in the few days that
we spent In that city we embraced
every opportunity to get out among
the many places of magnificent
natural scenery with which that part
Of Colorado abounds. s
! Colorado Springs is q beautiful city,
and is made up of the homes uf men
Of wealth and prominence in state
affairs. It is called the ''millionaife
city" for here resides more million
aires in proportion to the population
that any other city in the country.
1t was originally laid ont as resort
citv, and consequently the streets are
wide and regular, kept in excellent
and bordered on either side
by large shade trees. The CITY has q
population of about 50, 200 and is
located at an altitude Of 5000 feet
above sea level.
Surrounding Colorado Springs are
to be found innumerable scenes of
natural grandeur. No other area Of
like dimensions in any land affords as
many, and of such bewitching and
versatile character, as repose within
the shadows of Pixies Peak. It is
here that one finds the famous Garden
of the Gods, the beautiful Glen Eyrie,
the mystifyinR Grand Caverns, and
the refreshing and health giving
mineral springs of Manitou. Then.
too, there is that climb to the top of
the noted Pixies Peak, to view the
charming sunrise or sunset. and many
other sights OF scarcely less interest.
The famous Cheyenne canyons are
among the first places to be visited
by the sight.seer. An electric car
takes you direct to the entrance.
Entering the south canvon by the
burro or carriage route, one soon sees
perpendicular walls on either eide
towering skvward hundreds of feet,
which narrows the canyon down to
only few feet in width and forms
the Pillars of Hercules. Following
the swiftly running mountain stream
which dashes through this passage
towards it's source one 10 lead to the
famous Seven Falls. Here the water
forms beautiful cascade, descending
five hundred feet in seven leaps. AT
the side OF the falling water are steps.
and after firing climb Of ave hundred
feet, one comes to the spot, or grave
where have lain the remains Of Helen
Hunt jackson. tine authoress and poet.
The place is beautiful. siren-like in
attractiveness. hut with no sound save
the falling water near by, it il
indeed lonely and wierd, and it seems
that only q dreamer would select sucl,
. place for her last long rest.
On the hack of q faithfnl mountain
hurro we made the ascent Of the other
or north canyon, beside swiftly run
ming mountain streams of crystal
water, past great rugged cliffs and
huge pillars Of rock piercing the air
hundreds OF feet above us. and MP a
st0eD. winding trail to the ton Of Mt