APPENDIX SS. 1769 



THE RIO PIEDRA. 



The Eio Piedra or Stony River, is most aptly so named. From the junction of its 

 forks or the main tributaries in the plateau region to the north the distance by the 

 river is ahout 20 miles to the bridge-crossing on the road. In this, it descends from 

 7,800 to 6,400 feet and the land it drains is viewed in its agricultural economy wholly 

 barren and worthless. Its canon is steep and inaccessible. In the ascent from the 

 road over the steep mesas and rocks near and along the river to the plateau above, Col- 

 onel Pfeitfer accompanied by Indian guides was occupied over 5 days in going the dis- 

 tance of 20 miles by the river. The upper region we reached by avoiding these horri- 

 ble mesas, by a long detour to the east near the head of the Nutria. At the point 

 where the waters of the Piedra and affluents begin their erosion of the plateau result- 

 ing in the canon along its course, the descent is abrupt, the rocks eroded assuming fan- 

 tastic shapes, frequently chimney-like. 



The descent from the surface over the underlying strata to the harder formation 

 below is very rapid, and in a short distance the river has descended to 500 and 1,000 

 feet below its level on the plateau surface, the hills on its right bank being here some- 

 what higher than on the left. At the entrance of the canon it is very narrow, the 

 walls vertical, and occasionally overhanging stones dropped from above, falling into 

 the water below. The area above its canon, comprising the valley of the Weeminu- 

 che and the Middle and Southern Forks of the Piedra, with the plateau region to the 

 east, is of large extent, and not greatly protected by the gradual slopes to the summit 

 of the range on the north. They are only valuable in their relation to the grazing 

 interests of the region. In the aggregate there are over 40,000 acres on the water-shed 

 of this river that are of the highest value for the rearing of cattle and sheep, being 

 all superior summer and fall ranges. A dearth of water near the head of the Nutria 

 exists, where lies a large additional area. In the valley of the Weeminuche, the west- 

 ern tributary of the Piedra, a most lovely section, luxuriant grasses are passed over, 

 which were fully 3 feet in height. 



At the point where the road from the east reaches this river, altitude about 6,400 

 feet, it follows up its bank in a bottom for 3 miles, crossing above by a bridge ; upon 

 the opposite side the bottom continues for half a mile farther. 



This was the only place observed where a farm on even a small scale could be located. 

 It has already been taken up by several ranchmen j no land was cultivated, cabins 

 only erected. 



Descending the river the mesa formation continues, and the bottom is occupied wholly 

 by the stream, its bed, and the thickly-grown underbrush along its course from wall 

 to wall of the out-cropping sandstone which could but very rarely be ascended, it being 

 in general vertical. 



The valley of the Nutria, where it empties into the Piedra, is the longest noted upon 

 the former stream, being 200 yards in width, and about 800 yards in length, with fair 

 grazing, beyond which, on rising land, is sage-brush. The Piedra side is barren. 

 This valley is of triangular shape, but scarcely of any value for a ranch. The hills 

 upon the left rise sharply to 500 feet, closing in upon those on the opposite bank of the 

 Piedra, which here takes a course slightly west of south to its mouth in the San Juan. 

 High hills, fully 700 feet, apparently veritable " hogbacks," steep and pinon-clad, in 

 long, successive files as far as the eye can reach, close to the waters of the Piedra 

 upon every side ; the valley is contracted to the nature of the caiion above, and the 

 outlook has no appearance save that of desolation. 



On account of the impassable nature of the mesa region bordering the Piedra, the 

 road makes a long detour to the Los Pinos, the air-line distance apart on the line of the 

 Indian reserve being 14 miles, that by the wagon road 20, taking a natural route along 

 a tributary stream. Its width between hills is from 150 to 300 yards, with larger open- 

 ings occasionally for 6 miles. At a distance of 4 miles from the Piedra is a very pretty 

 bottom, a tine grassy park surrounded by high rocky walls containing 50 acres, beautiful 

 agricultural land of easy irrigation. No one had there located, but it bore marks of 

 having for some time been occupied as an Indian camp. This was the only spot of 

 any size between the Piedra and the summit of the divide whose altitude is 7,010 feet, 

 and distance 7.6 miles. 



Descending, on the Pinos watershed, the country is more prepossessing and better 

 adapted for ranches. The hills bordering the road are of a similar nature, " hog- 

 backs" with scrub-oak predominating, well grassed, the pines being chiefly spruce. 

 Farther down the hills are lower, the country opens, small valleys 150 to 200 and 300 

 yards appear, and along the streams, the profusion of undergrowth and abundance of 

 wild hops attest the fruitfulness of the soil if cultivated. Several tine cabins were 

 being erected, corrals established, and areas of land fenced in, to be cultivated in 

 addition to the more important interests of cattle raising; at several points new set- 

 tlers were just arriving. 



It is worthy offnote that while large quantities of service-berries, cherries, and other 

 wild fruits were observed in traveling between these rivers, they were not nearly as 



