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Show 103 summit far below timber- line the east fork of the same stream- the Rio Los Pinos. This flat summit of the Los Pinos Pass is strewn, especially just above the head of its caTion, with immense bowlders of granite, sometimes ' 20 feet in diameter. The pass resembles in this respect, over very limired areas, however, the areas of drift in some of our Eastern States. Along the headwaters of this stream, indeed, are the only granite rocks encountered in this whole group of mighty mountains, save a few exposures upon the Piedra headwaters. Ten miles below its head the East Fork canons, and for 14 miles flows through a caTion with bluff- like sides, the stream choked with granite bowlders and the banks with fallen trees. Below the cation the stream is joined by its West Fork, before mentioned, which, emerging from its quartzite gorge, flows in a beautiful little valley several miles in length above the junction, and averaging a half to two miles in width, the latter being the diameter of the valley at the junction of the streams. Below this point the valley is narrow ; in places covered with magnificent yellow pines, and at others with a few grassy valleys. The stream is alive with the finest and largest of mountain trout. In its cafion the Los Pinos is joined by two quite large tributaries flowing down from the easternmost of the quartzite crags; but from the east side, where there is near the border of the stream a thin range of mountains reaching 12,000 feet, the tributaries are very short and insignificant. The Rio Los Pinos below the junction of the two forks is 80 feet in width- a bold, deep, and pure stream of sparkling snow- water. Quite extensive strips of land along its banks are susceptible of irrigation. The Florida, between the Los Pinos and Animas, is of nearly the same character. It is about 35 feet in width and 3 feet maximum depth, rises in the southernmost of the " Needles," and drains the sloping ridges above timber- line between the West Los Pinos and Animas Rivers. Its valley is similar to that of the Los Pinos, but there is above the boundary of the reservation but comparatively little arable land upon its border, the upper portion of the valley above the bend of the stream being narrow and high. South of the junction of the two main forks of the Los Pinos, and drained by the two streams mentioned and those east of them, and within atlas- sheet 61C, the country is rolling, the high lands averaging 8,500 feet, eroded by water, exhibiting along the stream frequent low bluffs of sandstone of Cretaceous age. It is well timbered with large yellow pines, oftentimes 3 feet in diameter, and for 50 or 60 feet without a branch or knot. Everywhere is fine grass. We made the first trail through the Los Pinos Cafion. The TJtes, and whites after them, avoid the canon by turning to the left above its head, and then following along the eastern slopes of the divide between the Los Pinos and Piedra, near the summit of the ridge, and come down again to the Los Pinos at the beautiful little park above the junction of its two forks. If the bogs were cut out of the trail the cafion would offer better grades, a harder surface, and a shorter route than the trail above it, which is generally execrable; as it is, however, the cafion can only be passed by work. The stream is well peopled with beaver colonies, and on the small flats bordering it within its cafion many deer were seen. On the Florida and elsewhere in the San Juan area, coal has been discovered, and is said to have good coking qualities. If it be as represented, it will prove of great economical importance in the smelting of the ores of the mines in this area, especially i f the route via the Animas Cafion is ever opened. The mines of this, the most important part of the area surveyed, will be briefly noticed hereafter in this paper. 3d. FROM THE LOS PINOS PASS TO THE SUMMIT MIKING DISTRICT. This division of the Rio Grande loup was only partially visited by my party, but otber parties of the expedition during the past two seasons completed its survey. From the pass mentioned to the headwaters of the west fork of the Rio San Juan t b e range is of less height, but more broken and cut by canons than the opposite or first division, while at the same time exhibiting the plateau- like aspect in many of its masses. With the exception of a few peaks near the headwaters of the western branch of tbe Piedra, there are no marked and dominating peaks, but a great number of small mountains, with ridge- like, rounded, or flat summits along the divide, in some instances peaked and reaching 1,000 feet above timber- line, but as a rule not exceeding 12,200 feet. The passes from the Rio Grande to the heads of the Piedra are all below timber-line, and, except at a few places where bluffs prevent, the dividing- line between the waters of the Rio Grande and Piedra can be followed on horseback from the head of tbe Los Pinos as far as to the head of the eastern tributary of the Piedra. This was done by me the past season without great difficulty. On each side of the divide, vertebral ribs between the streams flowing into the Rio Grande and Piedra, separated on the southern side by very steep, rough cafions, make travel nearly impossible, and the attainment of the divide from the valleys of the Piedra area a very difficult undertaking. |
