COLORADO AROH^AN BODY. 19 



and south extension along the axis, but with the entire width of the range, 

 which may vary from 25 to 30 miles. 



Proceeding southward from the northern tributaries of the Cache la 

 Poudre, the physical characters rapidly change, and offer very striking 

 contrasts to the Laramie Hills. The mountains are higher, broader, more 

 deeply cut by canons, with greater diversity of outlines, and in every way 

 built up on far grander proportions. They may be divided into three natural 

 groups of mountain masses: the southernmost, the highest, aiid one of 

 the grandest in the entire range, culminates in Long's Peak, (14,297 feet;) . 

 while between the waters of the Big Thompson and the Cache la Poudre 

 lies the Hague's Peak (13,832 feet) group; and to the north and northwest 

 of the latter stream is the somewhat lower, but broad, rugged region, with 

 Monitor Peak (31,270 feet) as the highest point. 



The trend of the culminating peaks, although somewhat irregular, is, 

 in general, a few degrees west of north and east of south, showing a 

 tendency to strike in the line of the Medicine Bow Range. The main 

 summit lies some 20 or 25 miles back from the eastern face, presenting 

 long slopes toward the Great Plains, with the western side much shortened, 

 seldom more than 8 or 10 miles in width. On the eastern slope of the 

 mountains, in the neighborhood of the alpine summits, the fall for the 

 upper 2,000 or 3,000 feet, is generally quite abrupt, presenting grand 

 escarpments, the walls of glacial-worn basins, which farther down become 

 deep glacial canons. But from the timber-line down to the Plains, the 

 slope, although rough and diversified, may be said to be gradual and 

 unbroken by any marked physical changes. Portions of the ridges be- 

 tween the deep canons afford a gently rolling country, and others have a 

 plateau-liEe character. Occasionally, there are open glades and sheltered 

 valleys which have been designated parks, 



Estes' Park, a very picturesque spot, north of Long's .Peak, and cut 

 through by the southern line of the map, is the best known, and prob- 

 ably the finest example. It lies 7,300 feet above sea-level; is 2 or 3 miles 

 in length, by as many broad, although very irregular in outline. A fine 

 stream, a tributary of the Big Thompson, runs through the bottom. The 



