Arizona republican., 1921-04-24
,A TRAP GUN. ..ROD
ASS BY ~
 TOM MARSHALL

of no mean ability.
 We had been shooting in a Denver tournament At the close we planned trip covering some of Colorado's noted trout streams. We fished for trout in the classic Gunnison and Trout lake, above the clouds, meet ing with phenomenal success at both places. After fishing in Trout lake a couple of days We decided to work out another expedition on Dolores river. We boarded a D. & R. G. mar row gauge train, which had the ap- pearance of child's toy IS it came puffing up the mountain side taking those switch back curves, disappear ing through tunnels, but landing at Trout lake on time. Leaving Trout lake this turquoise mirror of water in which we had enjoyed such won- derful sport, we crossed the San Mi | guel range of mountains via Lizard Head pass, at an elevation of 1O,250 | feet. An exact contour of reclining lizard is silhuoetted against the sky line, the body resting on the summit of the mountain, it's head and nose | uplifted pointing skyward. The Liz ard has become the adopted trade | wark of the Rio Grande railway. The pass has acquired it's fame from this imagined image of stone. Grazing on | leased lands of Uncle Sam. we saw
 immense flocks of sheep. One hun 1 dred thousand sheep annually pas | ture on this range, which is mean dered by mesas, canyons. creeks and
 rivers San Miguel mountains and
 foothills extend along Dolores. river,
 back into Paradox valley, the home
 of carnotite, from which radium is obtained in such infinitesimal quan- titles This range is covered with nutritious bunch grass, headed with most nutritious grain, which is unex-
 celled for sheep fattening, evidenced by fall herds when rounded up, ready 1 for market
 We stopped at Rico, village Of 300 people. During the mining ex- citement in 1906 over 5000 citizens called this mining camp home. The i camp was then without lid and gambling ran riot. Judge Lynch operated the. only court. Saloons and i gambling dens never closed their doors: it was a whirlwind western village. One mine only is now
 worked, by an aggregation of Mex i ican labor, with scant returns. Prec- 1 ipices of sandstone were passed, col | ored in kaleidoscopic combinations
 by nature. accentuated autumn and l fall shadings in the foliage were in duced by the chilly breath of Jack l It. shaped animals, by a line of erosion l to be pointed out and featured by | fertile imaginations until every ami nal in a first class zoo was present. Many openings were cut through cliffs at dizzy heights. resembling
 mammoth mirrors, encompassed by rustic frames of rock.
 Red Rock Ranche was our destina- ton. Buildings were constructed 1 -AA | against a red background of sand 1 stone Houses were surrounded by trees, their green foliage as yet un- touched by frost mading an attrac- tive setting. Dolores river ran by their door-a rapid mountail- stream, dashing against and around those huge boulders where mountain trout are wont to finger awaiting the ar rival of a crippled grasshopper or un- fortunate fly by the current route Ranks of the Dolores were lined with willow. cottonwood and aspen, shad ing sheltered hooks or pools where
 the scaled beauties love to loaf or daily.
 Gilbert was dressed for his fishing bout before leaving the train hence no time was wasted in getting to the
 river. old Hank, our guide, and myself. pitched the camp, erected 1 tent. gathered WOOU, Hldue 1 for the night, prior to Gilbert's ar
 rival with string of trout, which
 was more than the necessary amount
 for both supper and breakfast. At
 this point l will say it was no small
 catch, three hungry fishermen are
 usually blessed with coracious appe-
 tites. We had seen several parties i fishing in the river. We were camped
 near a bunch of live wires, as could
 be imagined by the sounds of hilar-
 ity, issuing from their tents After
 supper, we were visited by Bob Mil i Ter of Durango, Colorado, who proved
 to be an old friend of the writer. | That was an ice breaker, he took us 1 over to their apartments" We
 were introduced and a real party was
 put on" which extended until the
 wee small hours. In the morning
 we "girded up our loins' and sal l lied forth after those filmed beau 1 ties. We all made d liberal catch of ! fish, Gilbert as usual was especially | fortunate in landing some ''big ones'' His ability to shoot his fly" to