DOTIOH.. THE HIGH PLATEAUS OF UTAH. OO 



study of the Cretaceous strata and the Tertiary lacustrine beds. The 

 subjects which it presents to the geologist are most notably those which 

 are embraced under the department of stratigraphy — the study of the 

 succession of strata and co-related succession of organic life. Other- 

 wise the region is tame, monotonous, and unattractive. The southern 

 portion, while presenting an abundance of material for stratigraphical 

 study, and in this respect fully rivaling, and perhaps surpassing, the 

 northern portion, also abounds in the grandest and most fascinating 

 themes for the student of physical geology. In respect to scenery, the 

 northern portion is almost trivial, while the southern is the sublimest on 

 the continent. With the former we shall have little to do : it is the lat- 

 ter which claims here our exclusive attention. 



The southern part of the Plateau Province may be regarded as a vast 

 basin everywhere bounded by highlands, except at the southwest, where 

 it opens wide and passes suddenly into a region having all the charac- 

 teristics of the Great Basin of Nevada. The northern half of its eastern 

 rim consists of the Park ranges of Colorado. Its northern rim lies upon 

 the slopes of the Uintas. At the point where the Uintas join the 

 Wasatch, the boundary turns sharply to the south, and for 200 miles the 

 High Plateaus of Utah constitute the elevated western margin of the 

 Province. 



It is from the summits of the High Plateaus that we gain our first 

 comprehensive view of those grand facts which are the principal sub- 

 jects of this discourse. But let me first ask the reader to endeavor to 

 frame some conception, however crude, of three lines, each 200 miles 

 long, placed in the positions of three sides of a square; the fourth side 

 being for the moment neglected. Upon the eastern side conceive the 

 Park ranges of Colorado; upon the northern, the Uintas; and upon the 

 western side the southern portion of the Wasatch and the High Plateaus 

 of Utah ; and all these highlands having altitudes ranging from 0,000 to 

 12,000 feet above the sea, while the included area varies from 5,000 to 

 7,000 feet high. The space thus partially bounded may represent the 

 northern part of the southern Plateau Province. Along the line re- 

 quired for the fourth and south side of the complete square there is no 

 boundary. The topography continues on beyond it to the southward, 

 and also widens out both west and east and overspreads an additional 

 area more than twice as great as that already defined. From the east- 

 ern crests of the High Plateaus we may obtain an instructive overlook 

 of the northern portion of the southern Plateau country. 



The easiest line of approach is from Salt Lake City. Proceeding south 

 from that town along the western base of the Wasatch, we reach the 

 southern end of that fine range about 90 miles from Salt Lake. The 

 last mountain pile is .Mount Nebo, and skirting around its southern llank 

 we soon perceive to the southeastward a long and very lofty ridge 20 to 

 30 miles distant. This is the Wasatch Plateau, the northernmost mem- 

 ber of the group of High Plateaus. It has nothing in common with the 



