LADD.] MEANS OF COMMUNICATION. 665 



when it turns to the west and crosses the hills to Jones's ranch on the 

 Grand near the mouth of the Troublesome River. 



This covers all the roads and trails now open into the park from the" 

 east, the only other way of reaching it being from Montezuma or 

 Breckenridge by means of the valleys of the Snake and Blue Elvers. 



A good road is built down the valley of the Blue from Breckeuridge, 

 joined by the one from Montezuma down the Snake. It follows the 

 Blue to a point about three miles from its mouth, when it crosses the 

 hills lorming the divide between the Blue and Williams Rivers to 

 Jones's ranch on the Grand, and follows up the north side of the Grand 

 to the Hot Springs. A trail which joins this road passes up Ten-Mile 

 Creek and crosses over to the Eagle River, west of the Park range. 

 Another trail leaves this road on the east and crosses through Ute Pass 

 to the north of Ute Peak, goes almost straight to the Hot Springs, con- 

 siderably shortening the distance. Within the park communication 

 between the different portions is easy. 



A road passable for wagons leaves the Boulder road at a point 

 thirteen miles from the Hot Springs, and crosses to the Frazier below 

 the caiion, then to the Grand and up the Grand to Grand Lake. 



Berthoud's road to the White River agency and Utah crosses the 

 hills from the Hot Springs to a ford on the Troublesome, about four 

 miles from its mouth, then across to the Muddy and through Gore's 

 pass in the Park range to the headwaters of the Bear River. 



A trail leaves this road and runs north across the main divide from 

 the headwaters of the Muddy into North Park. 



The continental divide at this point between the Middle and North 

 Parks is only a low rolling country, about 9,400 feet in elevation, and 

 easily crossed at any point. 



A trail up the Troublesome River crosses to the west of Park View 

 Mountain into the North Park, and one up W^illow Creek crosses to the 

 east of Park View at an elevation of 9,683 feet. 



The heavy falls of snow which blockade the mountain-passes make 

 access or egress to and from the park in winter very difficult, and 

 almost impossible, except by the road up the valley of the Blue to 

 Breckenridge, with which communication is generally kept open during 

 the whole year. 



In Denver the average rain fall is 13 inches per annum, and probably 

 in the Middle Park 18 inches. Along the main crest of the mountains, 

 and for a distance of live miles on either side, the yearly rain-fall will 

 probably reach 25 inches. 



The time for the first heavy fall of snow is very variable and no pre- 



icise rule can be given. Often a heavy fall of snow comes late iu Octo- 



iber or early in November, sufficient to close the mountain-passes for the 



Winter; but if there is not a heavy snow-storm then, there will be none 



Vmtil the last of February or early in the spring. 



For about one-half of the winters a great deal of snow falls between 

 the 20th of October and the 15th of November, and for the remaining 

 years the greatest amount will fall between the 20th of February and 

 the 25th of March. One of the severest storms known was on the 24th 

 of March, when 3 feet of snow fell at Denver, and in the mountains the 

 fall was 5 feet. The greatest depth of snow that has fallen at one time 

 was on the 22d of October, 1860, when the tail on the Snake and Blue 

 Rivers was about C feet. 



The snow remains in the mountains until the first or middle of June. 

 The passes are not open generally until the last of May, and then they 



