The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1906-08-16


mountains. Lofty peaks rise around us
and above us. Up we climb, but when
we have reached one summit another
still higher bursts upon the view. The
mountain sides are thickly studded with
evergreens, which softens their other
wise rugged outlines. Passing through
tunnel and rounding curve a wide
valley appears, hemmed in by snow
capped mountains, At one point a cone
shaped mountain was sighted which
was completely covered on all sides
with beautiful evergreens. Standing
out prominently in the valley it made a
lasting impression on the mind. We
named it Cedar Mountain"
THE GIANTS LADDER.
This is feature of the "Moffat" trip
not to be left out. Entering Boulder
Park at Tolland, forty-seven miles from
Denver, the road runs up the Canyon
toward the base of the mountains at
the farther end of the valley. With a
long curve it swings back "high up on
the opposite mountain wall" Three
times it girdles the mountain, each
time climbing higher, until finally
Boulder Park is lost to view behind
the mountain.we have just climbed.
Leaving Boulder Park the view
changes again. The mountains become
more rugged; the vegetation is scat
tered, and rocks take the place of trees
on the mountain sides. 1t has been
only two and one-half hours since our
train left Denver, but we have climbed
nearly mile in height, and We begin
to feel the chill from the snowy peaks
now in plain sight. Those who are
fortunate enough to have them don
their overcoats. In another hour we
shall be in the regions of perpetual
snow. But in our anxiety to reach
the top we have been looking up all the
time. Let us take just one glance back
down the way we have come. If it is a
grand sight to lift our eyes to the
peaks above it is awe-inspiring to look
below us. One can scarcely realize to
what dizzy heights he has climbed until
he gazes down upon the crags and
peaks and valleys beneath. One look,
however, is sufficient, and again we
turn our attention to things about us.
Here there is no earth to set telegraph
poles, and the wires are fastened to
iron brackets driven into the side of
the rock. In many places the road bed
has been cut from the rock just wide
enough for the track, so that on the one
side the mountain towers above and on
the other the chasm yawns below.
From the number of times one hears it
voiced it is quite evident that every
one is thinking of what would happen
if the train should leave the track and
rolling over and over down the steep
descent. But the scene is never the
same. 1t is grandeur, SURPRISING
grandeur, and as we climb higher and
the rugged beauty of the rocks and
boulders is softened by white mantle
of snow. Rounding another of the
numerous curves Yankee Doodle Lake
appears on our left. 1t is not a large
lake-just little pond up in the noun
tains, locked in semi-circular basin
with perpendicular wall rising hum
dreds Of feet behind it, and fed by the
melting snow, but it's beauty entities it
to better name. Even at this season
of the year the lake is covered with ice
and one can hardly believe his eyes.
Girdling the lake the train starts on
the last stage of it's long climb. Snow
banks are plentiful, and numerous snow
sheds have been built on this part of
the road to keep the track clear. No
trees are visible, and an occasional
stunted shrub is about all the vegeta-
ton to be seen. Acres and acres of
snow and this June! Soon the very
crest Of the great Continental Divide is
reached and here on the very summit
is little station called Corona, mean
ing crown. There is also a switch andsY''
at this point all protected by an i'm
mense snow shed. We have reached
the highest point on our trip, an alti-