﻿438 
  EEPOET 
  UNITED 
  STATES 
  GEOLOGICAL 
  igURVEY. 
  

  

  amphitheater 
  a 
  few 
  miles 
  to 
  the 
  east 
  of 
  it, 
  and 
  the 
  Black 
  Canon 
  Creek 
  

   brings 
  turbulent 
  waters 
  through 
  a 
  black 
  gorge 
  from 
  the 
  lofty 
  peaks 
  to 
  

   the 
  north. 
  

  

  The 
  Big 
  Thompson, 
  as 
  its 
  united 
  headwaters 
  are 
  called, 
  flows 
  through 
  

   the 
  middle 
  of 
  Estes 
  Park, 
  which 
  lies 
  just 
  11 
  miles 
  directly 
  northeast 
  of 
  

   the 
  very 
  pinnacle 
  of 
  Long's 
  Peak. 
  The 
  park 
  does 
  not 
  consist 
  of 
  a 
  com- 
  

   pact 
  park 
  area, 
  but 
  lies 
  in 
  separate 
  portions 
  along 
  each 
  of 
  the 
  streams 
  

   the 
  largest 
  part 
  of 
  which 
  is 
  stretched 
  along 
  Fish 
  Creek 
  and 
  along 
  the 
  

   entrance 
  of 
  Black 
  Canon 
  Creek, 
  and 
  where 
  the 
  former 
  joins 
  the 
  Thomp- 
  

   son 
  Eiver. 
  Soon 
  after 
  the 
  junction 
  of 
  Fish 
  Creek 
  the 
  river 
  leaves 
  the 
  

   park 
  to 
  continue 
  its 
  journey 
  for 
  9 
  miles 
  through 
  a 
  rugged 
  canon, 
  v^here 
  

   It 
  becomes 
  augmented 
  by 
  another 
  powerful 
  stream, 
  the 
  North 
  Fork 
  

   coming 
  partly 
  from 
  along 
  the 
  slopes 
  of 
  Buckhora 
  Mountain 
  and 
  partly 
  

   from 
  the 
  mountains 
  to 
  the 
  west 
  of 
  it. 
  Between 
  the 
  two 
  branches, 
  and 
  

   for 
  many 
  miles 
  before 
  they 
  join, 
  rises 
  a 
  voluminous 
  granite 
  ridge, 
  with 
  

   Its 
  highest 
  points 
  2,000 
  feet 
  above 
  the 
  river-level. 
  To 
  the 
  south 
  of 
  the 
  

   ]S[ine 
  Mile 
  Canon 
  the 
  precipitous 
  slopes 
  of 
  that 
  level-topped 
  granite 
  

   ridge 
  is 
  upheaved, 
  which, 
  although 
  eroded 
  and 
  bisected 
  by 
  many 
  

   caiions, 
  stretches 
  on 
  pretty 
  much 
  the 
  same 
  level 
  for 
  many 
  miles 
  to 
  

   the 
  south, 
  and 
  crosses 
  even 
  the 
  Little 
  Thompson 
  11 
  miles 
  southward. 
  

  

  From 
  the 
  junction 
  of 
  the 
  two 
  branches 
  the 
  river 
  still 
  pursues 
  its 
  

   course 
  for 
  4 
  miles 
  in 
  a 
  caiion, 
  passing 
  on 
  its 
  way 
  the 
  Palisades, 
  2,200 
  

   feet 
  above 
  river-level. 
  Between 
  the 
  latter 
  the 
  river 
  is 
  somewhat 
  re- 
  

   lieved 
  from 
  its 
  rocky 
  inclosure 
  over 
  a 
  mile 
  in 
  distance, 
  passing 
  after 
  

   that 
  through 
  the 
  last 
  and 
  shortest 
  caiion, 
  and 
  meandering 
  from 
  about 
  

   6 
  to 
  8 
  miles 
  among 
  the 
  smallest 
  of 
  the 
  Foot 
  Hills 
  group 
  called 
  the 
  "Hog- 
  

   backs," 
  enters 
  the 
  plain 
  very 
  near 
  the 
  junction 
  of 
  Buckhorn 
  and 
  Big 
  

   Thompson 
  Elvers. 
  

  

  