Las Vegas optic., 1914-08-24
ANIMALS
INHABIT HIGH
MOUNTAINS
FOREST SERVICE MAN TELLS OF
LIFE IN THE PECoS
FOREST


The average person, unaccustomed
to the high mountain country above
timber line, imagines it an untenated
wilderness of rocks and crags with
no form of life other than an occa-
SIGNAL aerie in possession of eagles.
A trip to the summit of Jicarita peak,
forest service fire lookout station
On the northern part of the Pecos ma
tional forest, would dispel this i'm
preston. The station can hardly be
occupied before the middle of June,
owing to huge snowdrifts that remain
practically impossible until that time,
and it is even then necessary to ride
OF climb over packed drifts many
feet in depth.
The trail, built by the forest service,
climbs through dense stands of spruce
along turbulent streams of cold snow
water, and then along ridges where
it is almost impossible to see for over
one hundred feet in any direction un-
less one looks up the avenue hewed
out for the trail by forest guards. An
occasional mountain meadow covered
knee deep with grass and starred with
myriads of wild flowers, however, af
fords distant views of other mountain
ranges against the far skyline.
Following is brief description of
his trip given by a recent visitor to
the summit.
GAS the summit is approached small
patches of snow appear, the air grows
cooler and the horses splash through
pure clear water ankle deep in every
depression. Hundreds of flowers ap-
pear. the blossoms just clearing the
surface of the pools, others grow i'm
mediately alongside the drifts of snow.
Traces of deer now appear where they
have followed the retreating snow
line for the new tender herbage. An
occasional startled grouse whirs off to
some distant tree; the sound of a
woodpecker drumming against dead
tree reverberates through the still
forest with crash of sound.
"The drifts have now become too
deep for the horses to wade through
and it is necessary to make small de-
tours around, or if they are hard, ride
over them. Tracks of the snowshoe
rabbits are found in some soft snow
and a number of small birds fit
from limb to limb of the trees under
the dense green canopy. Suddenly,
without warning, timber line is reach
ed Still far above, the bare summit
OF the mountain appears. With the
exception of one huge drift protected
from the direct rays of the sun by a
cliff, the snow here disappears. The
trail disappears directly beneath this
huge bank almost 40 feet deep, but it
is so we'll packed that it easily bears
the horses weight.
"a number of small lakes are now
seen. One, owing to the slope of the
appears to have a decided
slant. Another has a narrow spit of
land almost bisecting it that has all
the appearances of huge snake. Ice
cold water gushes out in numerous
places from crevices in the bare rock.
"The patrolmen's registry box, now
to be used for the first time of the
present fire season, still stands as it
was left the preceding summer.
after another climb the trail
switching back and forth along the
steep ridge, the top is reached. A won
derful panorama is visible in all di-
rections. The whole northern part of
the forest seems to be directly under
the mountain. Other lookout stations
Of the fire protection system, miles
away, seem wonderfully near. Ranges
of mountains, far distant in Colorado,
are plainly visible. The Truchas Peaks,
near neighbors of Jicarita and little