The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1920-09-01
DESCRIPTION OF
YELLOWSTONE
Frank Pfarr, Recently Returned From
Trip to Yellowstone National Park,
Tells of Trip
LOWER FALLS MOST STRIKING
Visit to Park Drives Home the Lesson
Of Our lnsignifcance as Compared
to the Universe

1t is an epoch in anyone's life to wit
ness the unique in beauty and strange
phenomena in this place in our country
Strange enough that people go abroad
to see the Alps Of Switzerland or the
artificial castles on the Rhine, when af
ter seeing both they declare to a man
that this surpasses it in grandeur. mag
nitude or existing activity of glacial
forces.
For the sake of a correct setting OF
the picture l want to present lin words
which are feeble): it will be necessary
for you to adjust the kodak in your
head for the various snaps to follow. TO
begin with. get the size of the park, Ga
miles north and south. So miles east and
west; contains $500 square miles or over
100000 acres; three times as large
as Rhode Island; half as large as Con-
nccticut. and covers about six Iowa
counties. Next, l would like to have
you visualize a bit in this fashion: This
part of North America is and always
was the highest in altitude, as is evil
denced from the divides; water flowing
simultaneously to the Atlantic and Pa
cific and the gulf. Being so elevated it
follows that the crust OF the earth is
thinner than any other portion. In
fact in the springs and geyser districts
your foot steps sound as If you were
on a roof. The contending forces Of
fire and water vying with each other in
depths of the earth find here a place
of lesser resistance and manifest them.
selves on the surface. Yet only mere
playthings to what they have been in
the past. There is Il profile in the SUI.
perntendent's office of thirteen differ
ent layers of forests that We're buried
successfully at an estimated duration
of $4,000 years. In the lower ones are
tropical trees, magnolia and palm, fig.
It would be venturing rather far afield
for one of unscientitic eye and mind to
attempt any forecasts of events of that
nature to take place in future ages.
when the geoligist is often baffled in
his calculations and is about as sure of
his ground as the long range weather
prophet. We will not speculate then
as to the causes of these spectacles but
rather, dwell on The effects, Like all
laws of nature, MAN supposes and God
dispOses."
may travel to Cody. .Wyo., the western
terminal of the Burlington railroad in
Wyoming. If you have your own trans
pOrtation you may start in the morning
and go SIS miles west through the Sho-
shOne canyon and famous Shoshone
dam about 10 miles, where the road
is literally chiseled out of the north
slope of the canyon of almost solid
granite rock, going through six tun-
nels. After passing through the park,
on our way back. its fascination is as
gripping as ever and a fitting farewell
of this wonderland.
Past this imposing scenery you see
fantastic formations, good prototypes
Of the things they are named after. viz.
Laughing Pig. Elephants Head Chin.
ney Rock, Holy City and many others
until you reach PahaSka Teepee. a half
way house between the first junction in
the park and Cody. and a place for your
midday meal, within three miles of the
east boundary. Reacing it you are en-
countered by a ranger for Il permit at
a cost of $3.50 for your car. Shortly
then you cross the Sylvan pass. ascend.
ing 5000 feet in a short distance up
Corkscrew Hill-a good introduction of
what you may expect in the line of
mountain climbing. Soon then you en-
ter the Loop highway. $50 miles in
length and In the shape of Il fire eight
and all tourist travel goes opposite to
the hands of the clock and one way.
This highway covers the main. fea
lures Of the park and in places is in it.
self a wonder. being built on shelves
cut out of the bold eScapements of the
mountain sides with its numerous
horseshoe and hairpin curves. but a
splendid bed of gravel and macadem.
At the base of Obsidian cliff: it's Of pure
volcanic glass, perhaps the only piece
of road of glass. This immense cliff of
glass, black and transparent streakcd
with orange and white. projected to the
waters edge of a lake. its hardness de.
flying the best tools Finally it was
ascertained that intense heat. dashed
over with cold water. crumbled it easily
into small pieces. hence this road. This
material was almost wOrshiped by the
Indians for arrow heads that may he
found in all parts of the union.
There are many steep grades in the
loop, some at an angle of As degrees,
notably over the top of Mt. Washburn.
10000 feet. A panoramic view of the
entire park. Birdseye impressions of
the confer family. the only trees grow
ing in the park. at an altitude of 5000
feet, looking like vast Iowa corn fields.
with an arrdescent sheen below. Here
you may experience the novelty of max
ing snowballs and picking flowers at
the same time. Our party experienced
none of the physical diScomforts so
widely heralded about high attitudes.
Following the loop we reached ROOse.
welt camp, one of minor importance as
to novel features. being a place of re-
pose and perhaps more primitive than
any other. having more wild life in evil
dence, chiefly bear. who are quite tame |
and Chamber into automobiles for !
sweets A few hours ride from here
takes you to Mammoth springs. near
the main entrance from the north, and |
five miles south of Gardiner. Mont. |
Here most magnificent sight of exuu-
sitely colored terraces covering 200 |
acres. These terraces are formed by |
the boiling springs, the waters carrying |
with them pure carbonate OF lime from |
the depths of the earth and depoSiting |
it in huge steplike benches as much as
six. inches annually. The coloring is |
due to algous growth "a low form of !
plant life) which thrives in any hot or
tepid water. If l should want to de-
scribe this feature in few words. |
would say it was a carnival of Dame
Nature. with her two gladiators pitted !
against one another on the surface.
The terraces are the arena and man
can only be a silent spectator, but has
no part in it.