74 



two or three long, prominent, well-defined ranges, with intervening 

 depressions, bearing from north to north 25° to west; then, in the next 

 seventy-five miles, shorter ranges and very elevated groups of moun- 

 tains and tables, which fall off to the Green Kiver basin. 



The chain may be considered at from one hundred and seventy-five 

 to tAvo hundred miles broad. 



Several cross-elevations connect the great ranges, and turn the conti- 

 nental divide or water-shed from one to another. 



The Front or Colorado Range, beginning about twenty-five miles south 

 of Pike's Peak, in latitude 38° 30', longitude lOoO, runs north 35° west 

 ninety miles to the Mount Evans and Gray's Peak group, thence north- 

 ward fifty miles to Long's Peak, and fifty mih>s farther to the Laramie 

 Plains. Between Pike's Peak and Mount Evans the range is depressed 

 and divided longitudinally, and the South Piatte River cuts it. It has 

 six peaks of the first order, that is, about 14,000 feet high. Tiie south- 

 ern end of the Medicine Row is spliced onto the north end of the Front 

 Range, overlapping it on the west side as far south as Long's Peak, where 

 the well-defined dividing depression disappears. The North Park and 

 the North Platte Park lie west of the Medicine Bow, between it and 

 the Park range; while the South and Middle Parks lie between the 

 Front and Park ranges. 



The Park Range commences in latitude 38° 35', longitude 105° 53'; runs 

 north 25° west thirty miles to Buffalo Peak, thence north twenty-five 

 miles to the Mount Lincoln group ; then north 20° west to Mount Pow- 

 ell in the Blue River group. Here it loses its serrated crest, and 

 falls off" to an elevation of about 2,000 feet above the Middle Park ; con- 

 tinuing north 17° west, with low, even outline (except at Rabbit-Ear's 

 Peak) about sixty miles, when it again rises into groups of lofty rugged 

 peaks overlooking the North and North Platte Parks at its eastern foot. 

 The range is cut in one place by the Grand River passing through in a 

 narrow canon. It has oidy four peaks of the first order, all in the Mount 

 Lincoln group ; but a large luimber that are about 13,000 feet high. Its 

 southern end is separated from the Saugre de Christo Range by the 

 depression of the Arkansas Valley. 



The axis of the Sangre de Christo is not a continuation of that of the 

 Park Range, but lies parallel with it, and about twelve miles off to the 

 southwest. Commencing in latitude 38° 2(!', longitude 106, it runs south 

 30° east, in a continuous line of high sharp peaks, forming the eastern 

 rim of the San Luis Valley. Between it and the plains on the east lies 

 the well-detineil, parallel, but lower Wet Mountain Range. Commeucing 

 in latitude 38° 22', longitude 105° 20', it runs south 30° east, with 

 roMuded outlines, for forty-five miles. The depression between it and 

 the Sangre de Christo Range is the Wet Mountain Valley and the 

 Huerfano Park. 



West of the San Luis, Arkansas, and Eagle River Valleys is the Sa- 

 watch Range, ending at the north in the Holy Cross group, whose granite 

 peaks burst abruptly through the surrounding sheets of sandstone. From 

 this point, latitude 39° 30', longitude 100° 33', it extends south 20° east, 

 a lofty precipitous range, having sixty to eighty miles of its crest ele- 

 vated to 13,000 feet and set with many'of the 14,000 ft. class. This high- 

 est part of the range rises directly from the Arkansas Valley 0,000 feet, 

 in a distance of six miles. 



On the west side of the Sawatch the depression parallel with it is 

 drained to the south by Taylor's Fork of the Gunnison, and to the north 

 by the Roaring Fork of the Grand River. 



West of these valleys, and connected with the Sawatch by a high 



