COASTING 9 



dwarfed and storm-battered trees at timberline 

 with here and there a forest lake or a grassy open- 

 ing showing down in the woods. There were 

 only a few snowdrifts. Far out to the east 

 about one hundred miles I could see the dry, 

 brown plains in eastern Colorado. 



But looking down the slope to the west every- 

 thing was white. From a few hundred feet be- 

 low where I was standing and westward for one 

 hundred miles, snow lay deep over everything; 

 forests, mountains, and valleys were all in white. 

 It frequently happens that while one mountain- 

 ous region is very wintry, another locality on 

 the opposite side of the same mountains may 

 be having mild weather. These conditions are 

 often found along opposite sides of the Conti- 

 nental Divide; occasionally there is a storm on the 

 eastern side and not on the western, and some- 

 times it is cold on the western side while there is 

 warm sunshine on the eastern. But I enjoy all 

 weather. 



I stood looking westward at this steep, snowy 

 slope down the very roof of the world. What a 

 place to coast! I at once wished for a dozen 

 other boys to try it with me. This would be the 

 place for speed steep places with long plunges 

 great rushes through the air. Hills and spe- 

 cial toboggan slides would be gentle and tame 

 compared with this steep, wild mountain side. 



