The Ward County independent., 1922-11-09

Service, and William H. Walker, land
scape forester, for a trip to Rocky
Mountain National Park. We went by
the way of Boulder Canyon and Pleas
ant Valley. We experienced our
first mountain snow storm, several
inches falling the first night. We
stopped that night at hostelry kept
for foresters and woodsmen on the
Middle St. Vrain Creek. There were
number of U. S. Foresters there
that evening making a very pleasant
party.
The next day we proceeded to Rocky
Mountain National Park, passing
Longs Peak and the home of the late
we were met by Superintendent Roger
w. Toll who took US in his Buick for
ride to Fall River Pass, above tim
Der line to an elevation Of l,797 feet.
In the park we saw excellent timber
and some herds of elk and mule deer.
Superintendent Toll spent the day
with US being exceedingly courteous
in making it possible for US to pur-
sue our Investigations of the trans
portation and hotel questions which
have been interesting the public the
past year. Our return to Denver was
made by the way of Thompson Can
yOn.
On October 10, in company with En-
gineer Carhart, we left for an inves-
tigation of the recreational facilities
of the National Forests. The first
day we entered the Pike National For
est through Jarre Canyon and climb
ed to the top of "Devil's Head, where
we met Forest Ranger Depew in his
lookout at the top Of the mountain.
We then went to Colorado Springs by
the way Of Woodland Park and spent
the following day driving through
North Cheyenne Canyon and the Gar
den Of the Gods, with Suncrintcn-
dent G. Iennenhofcr, Of the Colorado
Springs park system. We also Wis
tied Superintendent Colby of the
Pueblo city parks later in the day.
Engineer Carhart then took us into
the San Isabel National Forest
through Squirrel Canyon and into the
Green Horn mountain range. Many
, places Of historical interest were seen
/ of 'Horsethicf Mace, the old Bassick
Querida and ancient mining town of
Silver Cliff, where we had an excel
lent view of the Sangre de Cristo
! (Blood Of Christi mountain range.
This range contains fifty-two peaks of
over $4,000 feet elevation, including
Mt. Albert, the second highest peak
; in the U. S.
On Saturday night we reached the
small town of Gardner, where we had
one of the finest suppers ever served
; to a hungry party, We had now
reached the land Of the pinion pine
and sage brush and many Mexicans
were living at Gardner. Sunday we
drove past the Spanish Peaks, which
were now white with snow and that
night we slept at the camp Of for
estry road construction party near
Stonewall Pass. 1t was necessary to-
have a team of mules pull US over
the Pass the next morning but we
were soon out Of the snow and had a
most beautiful trip down the canyon
to Trinidad. Here we left Mr.. Car
hart and drove to New Mexico.
On Tuesday we entered Carson Ma
tional Forest and drove over Taos
Pass to the unique and ancient town
Of Taos. In the forest we met Il
party of six young Indian men on
horseback. They were Apaches from
a neighboring reservation and were
! the first "blanket Indians we had
seen. Taos is formed almost entire
ly Of adobe buildings and is inhabited
principally by Indians, Mexicans and
Spanish. 1t is much more interesting
and representative of the old south
west than is Santa Fe, which is now
too largely constructed with the view
of attracting tourists. Taos is off
the main line of tourist travel and
has been but little touched by so call
ed civilization.
! On leaving Taos we drove for a
short distance over the plains of sage
brush and yucca and then plunged
suddenly into the immense rocky
gorge of the RiosGrande. In spite Of
almost impassablc roads was a charm
and interest to the country. Here
and there were the Mexican homes
with the small patches Of corn. apple
and peach orchards. and long strings
Of drying red chill peppers suspended
| from the roofs of the adobe houses.
| We spent but brief time at Santa
Fc and Albuquerque and then drove
to Gallup where we expected to enter
the Painted Desert by horseback and
with burros. We were unable to pro-
cure equipment at Gallup, however,
and left on the afternoon of Friday,
October 27, for the Petrifed Forest of
Arizona. About twenty miles from
| Holbrook This is now National
Monument and covers region Of ov"r
10000 acres containing extraordinary
specimens of huge petrifed logs Of the
most beautiful colors. Encountering
an unexDected snow storm we have