The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1906-03-28

OF all the Western cities 1 visited
last summer, Colorado Springs, struck
me as being surrounded by the most
scenic interest. do not include yell
lowstone Park, remind you. That
stands out as a world of nature in it.
self.
Denver, Seattle, Tacoma, Portland,
San Francisco, Santa Barbara, Los
Angeles, Riverside, Salt Lake City,
Greenwood and Hot Springs all have
their attractions, but with none of
these has Nature been quite so lavish
in her distribution of mountain ranges,
vast canons, waterfalls and natural
parks, as she has been to Colorado
Springs.
Perhaps NJ city on the American
continent may boast of greater nat
ural scenic attractions than those pos
sessed by Colorado Springs and vicinity,
Would you like to visit this wonder
land? If so, draw on your strongest
imagination for a short time.
Imagine yourself, if you can, rolling
into Colorado Springs about six o'clock
some afternoon in August. AS you
step from the train, looking westward
over the city, you see the s~now-capped
mountain, Pixies Peak, standing out
bold in the background. Only a glance
at this s%tupendous work of nature;
other things require your attention
first.
A dozen or more hotels are being
called out. However, if you belong to
the Texas Party, Mr.. Reedy has
already told you that the Playa Hotel
will be the headquarters during the few
days ~sojourn in Colorado Springs; so
just follow the "long-horns."
At the hotel you inquire for a
guide book. Now, what is to be seen
around this place? Here are some OF
the prominent attractions; Pixies Peak,
Garden of the Gods, Maniton, Glen
Eyaie, South Cheyenne Canon, Seven
Falls, Gar of the Winds, Rainbow
Falls, Ute Pass, Bear Creek Canon,
Williams Canon. Here one truly finds
IN embarrassment of riches. There are
too many places to be visited in so
short a time. One is at a loss which to
choose. The Reedy party must visit
Pixies Peak by all means; so as to
make u r of that, we GO there to-
morrow.
The morrow, tie 7th of August,
dawns clear and bright. After a good
nights sleep in a bed, not an upper
berth, one is filled with new life and
energy. The exhilerating air of an ele-
walton of 5000 feet has begun to make
you forget the weary and dusty traveller
of yesterday. No wonder this city is
praised as a resort for people subject to
tuberculosis.
The foot of Pixies Peak, six miles
distance, may be reached by trolley,
which runs from Colorado Springs
through Colorado City to Manitcn, the
picturesque little city at the very foot
of the mountain.
Pixies Peak was discovered in No
vember, 1906, by the colonial soldier,
Lieutenant Zebulon Montgomery Pike,
who made an unsuccessful attempt to
walk to the summit.
Pike, for whom the peak was after
wards named, went away believing it
impossible for any human being to as
cend to it's summit. He was mistaken,
however, many have reached the pima
Gle afoot. If you like, you may go up
on the lightning EXPRESS" the burro.
All you have to do, is to sit calmly on
his back while the guide applies the
GGfo,x1tJ -, t1n ,LaDo &c n oo,r Lsla
The most popular way for tourists to
make the ascent is on the cog-road.
Comfortably seated in an observation
car, you are at leisure to watch the
picturesque mountain scenery, the
changes in the vegetable growth, and
to feel the changes in the temperature,
while you are being pushed slowly, but
surely, up this nine miles of wonderful
stairway. Vegetation ceases to appear,
the timber line is passed, then there
is nothing but rocks, rocks, rocks!
After two hours, the nine-mile ride
is over, and you are now H., LAT feet
above the sea level. Only the sky is
over head, all the earth beneath you!
To the north are Longs Peak, Gray's
Peak and the Continental Divide; on the
South are the Spanish Peaks. At your
feet lie Maniton, Colorado Springs, and
Colorado City, which, viewed with the
naked eye, remind one of truck farms;
the broad streets of one hundred feet or
more having the appearance of rows.
To me looking through a telescope,
they appear quite different.
Although it is said to have showed on
the peak every day up to August the
ground is not covered with snow, but
only in c~revices and on the sides where
the sun does not shine directly, is there
any snow to be seen. Even a little,
however, is a novelty to one on the
7th of August. At any rate, heavy
winter clothing is very comfortable;
and even then, it is a little shock to
ones nerves to be transferred to such
an airy place in summer.
A telegraph station, the highest ir
the world, is situated on the summit OF
the peak; so, if you wish, you may
send a message to your home, where
very probably, the temperature il
quite different.