The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1920-12-10

nation has been m active volcanic
eruption less than 100 years ago.
The ares covered by the craters ID
about eight square miles.
The ground thruout this area IL
covered with -cinders to an unknown
depth, which lie loosely underfoot,
30 loosely that horse travelling
across them in some parts sink IN al
most to the knees. At intervals
mounds and hills OF these cinders
rise above the plains and most OF
these have been found to consist Of
cinders alone. Two OF these fOrma-
tions known as the "Cinder Hills
are veritable mountains In size. The
road from Arco to HALEY runs di-
rectly over the shoulder Of one OF
these hills, and upon this road the
cinders have been packed and altho q
comparatively steep grade is one of
the best parts OF the road between
Arco and HALEY. One Of the most
striking features OF this volcanic dis
trict which has been remarked is
the peculiar lava formation known as
Volcanic Bombs" These are scat
tered widely over the area and lie
upon the surface Of the cinders. They
are masses Of lava globular In shape
which vary In size from small peb-
bles the size of a marble to immense
b0ulders as large as a house. They
have been formed, so biologists say,
by molten masses Of lava being
hurled into the air during volcanic
eruptions and cooling as they fell,
have been formed into round shapes
in the same way that shot forms
when dropped from a shot tower.
Some of these masses are almost
perfect globes; others are irregular
in shape and some have been broken /
open showing a hollow inside.
Occasionally thruout the area are
deep crevices showing where the
earth has cracked open under in
tense heat. These crevices run for
miles in length and vary from few
feet in depth to distances which have
not been determined. In the sum-
mer large ferns grow In the crevices
Of great beauty and considerable size.
In places where the conformation of
the ground protects the floor OF the
crevice from the rays of the sun, ice
which has formed during the winter
remains until the late months Of the
autumn, and some seasons turnout
the whole year. Up until very re-
Gently this RECON was the alternating
place OF numerous bears, which came
across from the mountains in their
and were commonly
found by hunters in the spring. Cat
,lemen Of the vicinity have suffered
loss from these animals
md report that bears still use the
,raters for shelter during the winter
ind early spring of the year.
Scattered sparsely thru this dis
riot Is a growth Of scrub timber OF
he nut-pine variety. The trees bear
evidence Of the difficulty Of vegetable
growth in such an un-favored spot,
md the branches are gnarled and
visited by the wind and storms into
TRANCE and fantastic shapes. y
This locality has been prospected
Extensively by people looking for
old, and theory prevails that if
he core of one of these volcanic
raters were followed to the bottom,
lasses of metal would be found, al
eady reduced by the volcanic pro-
ess. AS to the correctness of this
aeory, am not able to Judge. Int
let, no one has entered the region
18th the machinery or the means to
kplore it fully.
On the way to the National Park
on the way back, visit to this
stinct volcanic formation completes
le travellers experience, for while
sees in the park an active volcanic
upton in the form Of geysers, hot
rings and boiling mud, he can see
ere the way such district looks
ter the volcanic fires have sub
ded and the lavas have cooled. And
can see it so soon after the vol
mic activity has ceased that the
usion of wind and rain have not
'stroyed the effect of the fire itself. =
One of the chief natural advant- \
es of seeing this place lies in the
ct that it can be reached without OF
aking any considerable detour is
0m the main road M in
The distance from Arco to HALEY hi
ninety-two miles. For about thirty b,
les of this distance the road tn
nds around the base of the hills. til
e detour leading to the craters is er
out two and one-half miles from CT
main road. With the exception / m