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Show 104 The peaks retain for 6 or 7 miles sonth from the divide a nearly uniform height, and then in a very abrupt fashion break down in nearly vertical slopes to the level of the streams which flow through narrow gateways in these outer bluffs to the open country to the south of them. The ribs between the streams to the northward, or on the Rio Grande side, are wider and with more unbroken and rounded summits, presenting between the Los Pinos and Macomb's Peak smooth crests or I ench- like tops, bounded by steep walls or slopes toward the streams. Between the San Juan and Piedra Rivers is a very decided spur, or a serrated range of mountains, varying in height from 12,560 to 13,150 feet, which, trending 15° east of north, continues from the Pagosa Peak, the most southerly of this range, nearly to the Rio Grande. On the north side this range forms the divide between Thunder Creek, heading under Macomb's Peak, and Hot Spring Creek, both tributary to the Rio Grande. Its extremities are more gradual slopes than usual in these mountains, on one side sloping from below timber- line on Pagosa Peak gradually down to the oak- covered hills of the Piedra and San Juan basin, and on the northern ending in large, massive, rounded mountains, sloping with smooth \ slopes to the Rio Grande between Bristol Head and Wagon- wheel Gap. Around its northern end the Rio Grande describes a great curve before cutting the oa& on at Wagon- wheel Gap. Six miles east of Macomb's Peak is another quite high rib from the continental divide, serrated to the south, and drained by the San Juan west fork, but to north showing round, flat tops between the western tributaries of the south fork of the Rio Grande and Hot Spring Creek. From this rib to the north and west to the summit mines the country is mostly below timber- line and cut by steep canon of the tributaries of the south York of the Rio Grande, and quite heavily timbered. Between the south fork and the San Luis Valley the mountains again rise above timber- line and extend from the rounded, dome- like mass southwest of Del Norte to the west of south, rising to a high sierra about the heads of the eastern fork of the San Juan. These mountains were not visited by me, but were surveyed by the party of Lieutenant Morrison. They were also visited by your party in 1874. From the head of the Piedra to the summit mines there is no traveled trail crossing the divide, but at the head of the west fork of the Rio Grande, which empties into this stream below Antelope Park, I crossed a trail on the summit which at one time seems to have been well traveled by the Utes. It follows up the middle fork of the Piedra and crosses the divide below timber- line. It will never be available as a wagon- route. Another trail of the same character leads across the headwaters of the south fork Rio Grande. However, all mountains can be crossed by pack- trains with a little work, and this division is not naturally as impassable as the first. The divide can be reached in many places, but the canons are rocky and steep. The prevailing rock being still the brown trachytes met with throughout the Rio Grande loop; a coarse- grained, red feldspathic granite is occasionally seen. As soon as they leave the mountains the tributaries of the Piedra flow through valleys, of greater or less width, similar to those on the Los Pines and Florida, all of which are splendid cattle- ranges, and in great part sufficiently low for agricultural purposes. The Piedra, however, canons up a few miles north of the southern boundary of atlas-sheet 61c, ( 37° 20',) and the agricultural lands are limited thereby. Between the streams are low hills, covered with great pines and undergrown with scrub- oak, the acorns of which attract in the fall many deer, making this a favorite hunting- ground of the Utes at this season. The San Juan for 15 miles of its course above Pagosa hot springs is bordered by similar valleys, ranging in altitude from 7,057 feet at Pagosa to 7,700 feet at the poiut the trail to the head of the south fork of the Rio Grande leaves its western tributary. On the south fork of the Rio Grande are no valleys, save one too high for agriculture on its eastern branch, and another more narrow on the upper portion of the middle fork. The western tributary is in a canon its entire length. The valley of the Rio Grande itself, above Del Norte, has already been well described in the reports of Lieutenant Ruffner and Prof. J. J. Stevenson, and needs no extended description here. From the head of Antelope Peak to Del Norte the river flows in a succession of narrow valleys well grassed, but too high ' or agricultural purposes, until the mouth of the south fork is reached, where potatoes succeed in maturing. In this distance the stream is inclosed by canons for about 6 miles of its course at Wagon-wheel Gap and below. From the mouth of the south fork to Del Norte is quite a wide valley, ( averaging 1£ miles,) much of which may be easily irrigated. At Del Norte the Cerritos of basalt close in, forming a comparatively narrow gateway in which Del Norte is situated, and through which the river flows out into the San Luis Valley. At Del Norte the work of the season was practically brought to a close by snow. MINES. No special examination was made by me in person, but the following general information was gained from miners and others interested in the mines, and from the observations of myself and party made at random while pursuing our topographical work. |