The Idaho Springs siftings-news., 1912-02-17
Several Mountain Highways
One Route

llIS 1Slt VA ~ - -" ~ .
secretary of the Greater Color
ado Highways Association was
published recently in the News OF
Denver in reply to one pub
lished by H. D. Newby in refer
ence to Rainbow Route The OBJ
iect and purposes of the Greater
Colorado Highways Association
are cleanly set forth and coupled
with it is an intere sting and vivid
descri otion of the Idaho Springs
Berthoud Route.
The purpose OF the Greater Colorado
Highways association is to encourage
the building OF every feasible road IN
the state whether for transcontinental
or interstate purposes. 1t does not
desire the building of one first, to the
exclusion of all others. 1t is tor the
system of highwa 5 laid out by the
state highway commission and such ad-
ditional highways in inaccessible pof-
tions of the state as can be built.
A resolution to this effect was IN
animously agreed upon by the suo-
committee on resolutions at Pueblo. OF
which the writer had the honor to be
secretary. The Rainbow route dele
gates represented on that committee
agreed to it, and a majority OF the
delegates in the convention would
have voted for it mad they been given
an opportunity TO deliberate and TO
consider their own interests with an
enlightened selfisnness looking beyond
a mere path or traii'and to the general
welfare of the state of Colorado,
which in turn. IS bound to rehect the
best results to each locality.
The comparisons made between the
Rainbow route aud the Bsrtnold
Pass route By Nc. Neyoy are nus
leading. 1t is not a question of t"e
altitude of pass. The best ROAD
across the mountains is the one which
is the shortest, has the best grade,
can be Travelled the greater number of
DAYS in the year, and is the most at
tractive from a scenic standpoint.
The Hot Springs route is many miles
shorter than any other between Den
yer and Grand Junction. 1t IS now
travelled HIGHWAY and with very
little additional labor it can be re-
duced to a maximum grade OF per
cent. Leaving Denver over the Hot
Springs route, one begins to climb the
mountains at Golden aid the view
from Lookout mountain, over Denver
and the surrounding country is. with
out exception. the finest view that can
be had of that beautiful city and its
surroundings. Passing to the west
ward, one soon tas a view OF Clear
Creek canon. which is one of the finest
rocky canons in the world. A little
later and for some distance view Is
had of beautiful, verdant, Mount Vern-
on canon. Passing then over Floyd Hill
road. with with now maximum grade
of 6 per cent, one sees the snow capped
peaks of the main range. Then one
travels a few miles through the broad
ened Clear Creek canon, through laaho
Springs, Empire and then over Berth
oud pass. This pass has been used
since very early days every day in the
year by mail and passenger stage coach
es: and with short snow shed 1t couio
be used by automobiles all winter long.
On the other side of the range one pass
es through Grand county, touching Hot
Sulphur Springs and Kremmlipg, over
the state bridge, passing through Glen
wood Springs, and on water grade TO
Grand junction. There will never be
a more beautiful road over the mount
aims in Colorado than this Hot springs
route but the people of the Gem OF
the Mountasns' idaho Springs) are
not for one road, but for the entire
system of highways approved by
our state highway commission, and
as many more roads connecting what
are now inaccessible portions OF the
state as can be built. We are for har-
mony, but not the harmony which in
sists upon one trail or path over the
beautiful Rockies of Colorado.
But there is no longer any transcontl-
nential highway question before the
people of nhe state Of Colorado. we
are to have trans mountain highways;
we are to have system of interstate
highways and several roads which can
be used by the transcontinentiai tourist
when he crosses Colorado.
Let US, then, have long pull, strong
pull, and pull altogether for all the
roads.
That is the way in which the people of
Clear Creek county have, within
short time, changed the difficult Floyd