The Idaho Springs siftings-news., 1912-02-17
Over the Rockies From Denver
Idaho Springs and Bsrthsud Pass
c. A. Woodward in "Mot or Field


Denver has many miles Of hol levarcs
Out into the foothills there are numer-
iety Of scenery, and many interes' ing
side trips through the irrigated agricu
tural sections Denver, with a popula
ton of 5000, is said to have more
than $500 mobiles and 1000 motor
cycles. In addition it is the Rocky
Mountain district headquarters for
automobiles, supple, and has full
complement OF garages, and expert me
chanics. The civic center will add to
the notion wide knowledge of the "City
of Lights" Climatic conditions includ-
ing the sunshine and dry atmosphere
are magnets which not only draw, but
hold, many victim of wand erlust.
Denver automobile owners have
heretofore been liminted in their out-of-
town excursions; they go to Coloraco
Springs. Manitou and the Garden of the
Gods; they drive to Estes park and n
| the foothills, but they have not had a
/ suitable outlet where within couple OF
hours they could enjoy the mountain
scenery at their doors. 1t is only recen-
| tly that serious efforts have been made
| towards building automobile highways
| in the mountain section directly west
nearest to Denver. The old wagon
roads, or trails. built by the pioneers,
and over which the early day OK teams
Travelled to reach the gold mines on
Clear Creek, We're not suitable for mot or
car traffic.
One of these old trails WAS known as
the Floyd hill' road having as high as
a - per cent grade, which was dreaded
even by the early day freighter, and
which limited the amount of his load.
With the advent OF railroad up Clear
Creek canon. this road was abandoned
except by the mountain ranchmen aud
truck gardeners Of the valley, but it was
maintained in a passable condition by
the county for many years.
Not so many months ago it was asser-
ted that automobiles could not get owe r
this road, not because Of its grade, but
because of its condition. Notwithstand-
ing, number of powerful machines
were able to make the trip. TIL s
stretch of road was the only bad place
between Idaho Springs and the Capital
city.
| Popular interest was aroused and the
citizens of Idaho Springs took the init
ative. A state Appropriation has been
promised by the Highway Commission,
but became unavailable. Tie citizens
of Idaho Springs thereupon called a
mass meeting and subscriptions of labor
4 cash and material were raised by which
IA new automobile road, laid out accord
ing to survey approved by the State
| Highway Commission, was constructed
and which eliminated the objectional
features Of the old wagon road.
The new piece of road has been design
mated state highway No. q by the State
| Highway Commission. The max mum
grade of the new road way is s per cent.
The achievement awakened Golden to
tha fact that a saving Of many miles
could be effected by building an auto
road up Mount Zion, or Lookout noun
tain, which lies directly west of that
town. A movement was started III Col
| den To puiid road 10 connect with the
eastern END vf the Idaho Springs oouie-
ward. This important short cut will
soon DE completed.
The distance from the Denver post
Office TO ldalo Springs ia 81 miles. With
the completion of the Mount Zion road
the distance will be reduced to approx
mately % miles.
With this portion Of the roadway com
| pieted, the automobile road over the
/ continental divide by the way of Ber-
thoud Pass Will be open for traffic. One
of the advantages claimed for tins
route is that it viii be lassable at least
/ ten months in the year. Berthoud Pass
is at an altitude OF II .5OG feet, and is
below tim Der line, SO situated that heavy
SHOWS do not drift upon the road.
The new trans state route for motor
cars by way OF Golden, Idaho Spr.ngs
and Berthoad Pass, is the route travelled
by the Indians on their way from the
plains, after buffalo hunting, to their
winter hunting grounds III Middle park.
The route takes IN several of the noted
hot springs of the state. Idaho Springs
for many years has been nown Tor It's
curative qualities. Hot Sulphur Springs
in Grand county aud Steamboat Springs
10 koutt county, both of which POSSESS
not mineral springs of every variety of
waters, are reached by the Hot Springs
route. The termination of the route is
Glenwood Springs, which also has min
eral Springs of known merit.
Idaho Springs, while primarily GOLD