Gilpin observer., 1912-12-19

| say the Rockies are not sight;
they are an experience. You climb a
six-story mountain, thinking it is the
top, and, behold. when you arrive,
there stands a History one that de-
ceives in the same way, until one ex-
claims at sight of 25-story one be-
yond It. With accumulated astonish-
ment your next climb reveals 40
story one beyond that, and-but an
ticipate.
Accompanying these experiences are
the foaming, roaring torrents of purest
marbly water, tumbling over gray and
pink granite, quartz of white with its
loads of silver. lead and gold, greenish
cliffs of periphery of all imaginable
shapes and sizes; beautiful cedars
growing out of the rocks, and mosts of
mountain flowers like great rugs;
wondrous, changing scenes. indeed.
until it seems as though one might be
overcome by such a food of new ex-
periences.
the last day of July-a party Of three
ladies and escorts mounted horses for
trip to the highest wagon road in
the world, the one that crosses the
roof gable Of America at Argentine
pass. was one of the party.
Caught in Storm.
1t was about twelve miles up the
left gulch of the canyon and nearly
5000 feet above Georgetown, 13,2O0
feet, to be exact. Winding slowly up
the road along the base of mountains
on either side, we crossed and re-
crossed the roaring waters. A pocket
barometer registered our ascent in
feet Mines and concentrating works
were passed, and glorious patches OF
mountain flowers, wonderful in their
purity of color and vast variety-a
very fur of flowers, often growing
right on the rocks from little cups OF
soil. Now and then we got dwarf
mountain strawberry which exceeded
the ordinary one in richness as much
as the dwarf gooseberry exceeded the
lowland puckerer in sourness-which
is saying much.
Up and on we go, until $4,000 feet II
registered. on there is Pixies peak. half
way across the state, with a storm on
one side. the upper half Of which II
plainly snow and the lower half rain.
on back Of US, beyond many q noun
tain. lie the plains of eastern Colorado
in the sunshine. while up the valley
come rain clouds. shedding their
brush-like rain below-far back just
above Georgetown. on to our left. a.
we look back, the rain" is showing
on the top Of the range miles away.
It is wonderful! But, bark! It thun-
ders above us just over the range! It
is SO cold we add a raincoat to our
overcoat, for plainly we are in for q
snowstorm; for be 1t remembered =
thunderstorm up here Is always q
snowstorm.
Up. up. only little farther. More
thunder. Look" cries one. the
storm is coming this way!s Up, up
$4,000 feet-only 200 feet more. 20
90! but it is cold" exclaims another
tenderfoot. The electricity begins to
snap on the ears Of our horses and my
horse distinctly doesn't like 1t.
The first to reach the pass" and be-
hold the view beyond was Mr.. l..
and his cry OF Wonderful" spurred
us on. The horses gathered about
him. showed great fear. and shook
their heads vigorously. and their hair
actually stood on end-a funny sight.
Look at Mr. LIS head!" some one
called out, and to our amazement his
hair was on end. too! Miss is
hair raised her hat fully an inch in its
efforts to stand up! From the point of
every horses ears came sound like
a singing flame. AS the rest OF US
came up we all had the same expert
ences amid gales Of laughter that was
suddenly stilled by the marvellous
sight that we beheld beyond the
range.