Red Lodge daily news combined with Carbon County news., 1933-02-15
FIRST PRIZE WINNING
ESSAY
NOVA VIA
BY ELIzAeETH eLAsKEvlcH

approximately fifty years ago,
when there was a inconsiderable
amount of prospecting in the ele-
waited lands of Red Lodge and
Cooke City, the prospectors would
have trains of ideas in their rev.
cries and drifting fancies and an
ticipations that some day there
would be a thoro-Shfare going by
their claims. These prospectors
had many romantic histories
which they related to some of the
people. of today. Many thought
they were somewhat distracted or
in their dotage. Now that some of
these prospectors have departed,
only some have been fortunate to
await their r~everies come true.
1t was in 1927 when the road
was first surveyed under the skill
full engineer, H. E. Mitchell, and
his of young engineers. A
second survey of the road under
the same management took place
in 1880.
AT last! Red Lodge has become
one golden west gateway to the
Yellowstone National Park. Much
credit is due to several disting-
uished men of the city of Red
Lodge, and these are none other
than Doctor Siegfreidt and o. H.
P. Shelley. 1t was Doc. who first
approached the plans for the road,
but because of financial mean he
was unable to carry out the plans.
He called upon the Honorable
Shelley to assist, and funds were
raised by the people of Red Lodge
and vicinity to send him to Wash
ington to put forth a bill for the
road. After many fruitless at
tempts, with the help of Montana
Senators and Representatives, as
well as those from other states,
the bill was finally put through.
The new road has the distinc-
ton of being one of the most
beautiful and scenic in the world.
Let us take a pleasure trip from
the beginning of the road to the
end. We shall leave Red Lodge
and after a few minutes ride we
come to the ranch of John Dunn,
the pioneer of Red Lodge. Riding
for a few minutes longer we pass
Ben Greenough's ranch house to
the left of the road and south of
Red Lodge. The farther away we
get the smoother the road until
we at last reach Richel's Lodge.
We have travelled twelve miles.
Another four miles drive and we
approach the point of the new
road.
One begins to feel the differ
ence as he approaches the new
road. Looking to each side of the
road n sees many flowers that
look as if the rainbow had colored
them and now and then we sniffIe
some pine. All this makes one
feel inclined to leave the filthy
cities forever.
We are nov getting ready to
view the country below us Just as
we come to the first switch-back
of the road. Going over five levels
of the road and five switch-backs
we finally reach the top of the
mountain or plateau. Looking
down ahead of us we see many
lakes with fish a-plenty, namely,
Lake Mirror, Twin Lakes and
others.
For several smooth miles we
reach the dude camp of Mr.. and
Mrs. Hicox. Roy and Ida greet
you and treat you in the most
gratifying way. Camp Eeartooth
is situated right by side of the
road. On the other side is Lake
Beartoovh, below Beartooth Butte.
Overlooking is also Lonesome
northwest of the Bear
tooth Plateau.
Leaving Camp Beartooth we en-
the Clark's Fork Valley reg
No artist could paint a more
beautiful scene than there is in
this valley. In the distance as
one stands in a certain direction
are seen Pilot and Index. Index
said to have an elevation of
feet. Pilot once had a
peak like Index but it was struck
by the first earthquake in Mon
5ana about as years ago.
In the level of the valley is sit
lated the dude ranch, 1T. LII,
IS owned and operated by Mr.. and
Mrs. L. w. Nordquist. If ever you
to spend a vacation, spend it
the 1T with Olive and Law I
renee. Anything your heart de-
will surely be obtained at
The 1t. Take a trip by pack
train from the ranch into the ]
GRANTEES, where there are number {
ess lakes unnamed. In the Gran
ties is Granite Peak, the highest