BECHtEE.! RAWLINS SPRINGS TO WHITE RIVER AGENCY. 363 



is called Milk Creek, and runs directly into the Tampa River. Each of 

 these creeks has carved a canon in the ridge, of which the eastern one, 

 Waddel Creek, is the broadest. From Waddel Creek westward the 

 ridge has lost all form of a well-defined crest, and an absolute plateau 

 form predominates. This plateau is therefore separated by Milk Creek 

 and Waddel Creek Canons into two distinct portions. The eastern one 

 has been named Junction Plateau, from the fact of its close proximity to 

 the junction of Williams Fork and Yarapa Eiver. It contains about 24 

 square miles of area, and the drainage arising therefrom heads close 

 to the southern rim of the plateau and drains into the Yampa. The 

 western plateau is tongue-like in shape, and its western extremity ter- 

 minates in a sharp point, while from its being completely covered with 

 sage the name of Sage Plateau was given to it to facilitate the descrip- 

 tion of the country and to assist in an easier comprehension of the map 

 relating to it. The latter contains some 12 square miles of area. The 

 first ridge, lying between Yampa Biver and Williams Fork, is 600 feet 

 higher than the second one, including the Junction and Sage Plateaus. 



The northern slope angle of the first ridge which occupies the area 

 between Yampa River and Williams Fork is moderate and gentle nearly 

 up to the brink of the ridge. This, however, refers only to the general 

 ascent, for erosion has caused many steep gulches and ravines in that 

 undoubtedly once very uniform slope. From the summit of this ridge 

 almost the same level continues for four miles in a southward direction; 

 when in close proximity to Williams Fork the ridge shows steep sides 

 and falls off abruptly into Williams Fork Valley, thereby causing its 

 canon like shape. 



The evidence is clear that before the powerful action of erosion had 

 worked upon its surface, the plateau character of this ridge was uni- 

 form. The remaining spurs show clearly the original level close to the 

 walls which front Williams Fork. The drainage, however, descending 

 from the plateau for ages has gashed the southern side into deep caQons, 

 all entering Williams River Valley at right angles to the river. In one 

 one of these deeply eroded caQou -gulches the road descends to Williams 

 Fork. 



In one respect Junction Plateau as well as Sage Plateau is analogous 

 to the ridge or plateau just described. A gentle slope on the north side 

 characterizes them all; their highest points resting on the southern 

 rim, or nearly so, after which the plateaus show almost vertical faces 

 with very little debris slope at their bases. 



The road after leaving this canon-valley meanders for six miles 

 again between gently ascending hill-spurs in dales and gulches all be- 

 longing to that portion of the second ridge where the carion form is not 

 yet expressed, and the backbone of the ridge resembles more or less 

 that of a regular crest of ordinary hills. 



After six miles of moderate ascent we come within a few miles of the 

 brink of this second ridge, which fronts the axial basin* on its northern 

 side and also partly on its eastern side ; while in the higher remain- 

 ing portion of these hills the road has steep grades to overcome, and in 

 dodging the numerous abrupt places its course is far from straight. 



Having descended from the second ridge, we cross Waddel Creek, or 

 at least one of its main branches, which runs close to the flank of the 

 ridge. We traverse afterward for several miles a district of mixed topo- 

 graphical features, for it is not altogether devoid of the characteristics 

 of a basin, nor is the resemblance to it of a very definite character. It 

 has, however, the tendency to be one in future ages. 



* Called thus by Dr. C. A. White to facilitate geological description. 



