146 



ing from there to Del ISTorte. Both branches have to coatend with the 

 great .sand-drifts which have accumulated on the eastern edge of the 

 San Luis Valley ; the one by way of Mosca Pass being probably the 

 shortest by some miles, but at the same time having more sand to 

 contend with. With the exception of the sand, this is a very good road. 

 I estimated the distance from Pueblo to Del JSTorte by Mosca Pass to 

 be one hundred and twenty miles. I merely mention briefly these dif- 

 ferent roads to Saguache and Del Norte to give the traveler some idea 

 how to reach these points, as they are the last places of any note on 

 the way. Saguache is located on a small stream of the same name^ 

 where it leaves the mountains and enters the San Luis Yalley. The 

 enterprising citizens of this place have already gone to considerable 

 expense in building a wagon-road which is to connect this place with 

 the San Juan mines. But I fear it will take more labor and money to 

 make it a good road than they at present can afford to expend on it. 

 This road is only approximately located on the accompanying map, 

 owing to its unfinished condition when we passed through that portion of 

 the country. The construction -party was, when we passed them, August 

 12, nearly up to the junction of Godwin Creek and Lake Fork. They had 

 brought their supplies over the road in wagons, but there were many 

 places where much labor would be required to make it practicable for 

 heavily loaded wagons. From this point on they will meet their great- 

 est obstacles. As I understood them, they intended following approx- 

 imately the course of the trail, that is up Lake Fork. By this route 

 they can get a very good grade, but only with considerable expense, 

 until nearing the pass, where the mountains rise quite abruptly, and it 

 will be very diflicult to construct a good road over this pass, as it is 

 quite steep on either side. This pass is 12,540 feet above sea-level. 



The trail over this pass strikes Animas River near its head, where 

 many silver-bearing lodes have already been located. From this 

 point it follows down the river to Howard ville, a distance of about nine 

 miles, a portion of the way being over very steep and loose debris slopes, 

 over which it will be difficult to construct a road. The distance by this 

 road from Saguache to Ilowardville will be about one hundred and 

 thirty miles. There is also a trail from Saguache, which is a much shorter 

 route for pack or riding animals than the road, but a small connecting 

 link is wanting, which any one can easily supply by taking the accom- 

 panying map on which the trail is indicated. 



From Los Pinos agency the trail follows up one of the branches of 

 Cochetopa Creek, thence crossing over to the White Earth, which it fol- 

 lows up until nearing the divide between it and the Rio Grande. Here it 

 turns to the south and descends to Antelope Park. But the traveler 

 wishing to go to San Juan must keep on in a westerly direction, and he 

 will soon strike a trail which leads him down to San Cristoval Lake, 

 where he will strike the Lake Fork trail, formerly described. The dis- 

 tance by this trail from Saguache to Howardville is about one hundred 

 and ten miles. 



Del Norte is located on the southern bank of the Rio Grande, near the 

 foot-hills on the west side of San Luis Valley, about thirty miles south 

 of Saguache. This being the nearest place to th-e mines, it is from here 

 that the miners i^rocure their supplies at present. The wagon-road from 

 Del Norte follows up the river along its southern bank, meeting with no 

 obstacles of note until reaching Wagon- Wheel Gap. Atthispoint,owingto 

 a loose slide, the owners of the road were compelled to change it by building 

 a bridge over the river. This bridge was nearly completed when we passed 

 there. The road only crosses to recross again very soon, and continue on 



