DENVER & RIO GRANDE WESTERN ROUTE. 



135 





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sheet of basalt, which is not visible from the train but which com- 

 pletely conceals the underlying rocks. A few miles north of the river 

 there is a break (fault) by which the beds on the north are raised 

 higher than those on the south. 



Below Shoshone the canyon is cut so deep in the granite core of 

 the great anticline that the sedimentary beds which overlie the gran- 

 ite can be seen only here and there. The trav- 

 eler may get occasional glimpses of the rim 

 of the canyon and may be surprised to see 

 that the country into which the river has 

 cut this deep gash is level or only gently roll- 

 ing. This region ma}'^ be regarded as the 

 southern part of the White River Plateau, 

 and the picturesque scenery of the narrow 

 canyon is due simply to the fact that the 

 plateau here is composed of hard rocks, 

 which wear back slowly into moderate and 

 subdued forms. If, however, the crust of the 

 earth remains stationary for a long time — 

 thousands. i)erhaps millions, of years — even 

 these . s- rocks will be worn into a broad 

 vallej^ bounded by the moderate slopes of 

 low hills. No rocks are hard enough to re- 

 sist erosion for all time, and it is evident 

 here that Nature has had abundant time at 

 her disposal, and there is no reason to sup- 

 pose that she will have less in the future or 

 that the future will be greatly different from 

 the past. 



The walls of the canyon are rough and 

 rocky, affording excellent feeding ground 

 for mountain sheep when the surface of the 

 plateau is deeply covered with snow. Bands 

 of 40 or 50 sheep are said to be frequently 

 seen in protected places, quietly feeding on 

 the grass and shrubs that grow in the crevices 

 of the rocks and also on the narrow benches 

 on the precipitous slopes. Plate LVII, A 

 (p. 132). shoAvs the leader of such a band standing guard at the edge 

 of the cliff. 



A short distance beyond milepost 353 is the hydroelectric plant of 

 the Central Colorado Power Co., with its great penstock through 

 which the water is dropped 175 feet to the turbine wheels beneath, 

 and also the spillway for the excess water to escape. Beyond the 

 plant may be seen the transmission line, strung on high steel towers, 



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