
51 
portant ranges in Colorado, upon the eastern water-shed, are the Med- 
icine Bow Range at the north, the Pike’s Peak Range in the central 
section, and the Sangre de Christo, the Culebra, and Raton Mountains 
at the south. Upon the western slope the Elk and San Miguel, or La 
Plata Mountains, are the most prominent. 
Thus far and until near the southern limit of Colorado, the Continen. 
tal Divide has consisted almost wholly of high and rugged mountains. 
Jt here loses that character, and entering New Mexico bears south- 
westward through an open and broken country interspersed with de: 
tached mountain ranges. 
Returning to the northern boundary of New Mexico, to a point some 
distance east of the central portion, it is found that the Culebra Range 
is prolonged southward for about 100 miles, or until it reaches the 
neighborhood of Santa Fé. There the bold continuous mountains give 
way to lesser ranges scattered at intervals throughout the Territory, 
but usually conforming to the normal trend of the general system.  In- 
cluding the mountains of Utah in the general system, the Uintah and 
Wahsatch Mountains are to be mentioned asimportant branches. The 
former are especially noticeable on account of their exceptional east- 
ward and westward trend. 
CONFIGURATION. 
The Rocky Mountain region is of such great extent and its topog- 
raphy so extremely varied, that an adequate description of it would 
far exceed the limits of this report. Its leading characteristics only 
can be considered. The subject may be conveniently treated under the 
headings—Mountains, Plains, Plateaus, Water-courses. 
Mountains.—The mountains of this region are generally massive and 
rugged. In their midst are vast solitudes, snow-clad peaks, precipices,’ 
rapid streams, and deep catons.* Atsome points, however, the mount- 
_aips rise so gradually from the plains at their base that the traveler 
easily ascends and passes over them, hardly realizing that he is crossing 
divides which separate great water systems. In still other localities, 
lovely mountain parks, wooded heights, and sheltered valleys beautify 
and soften the harsher features of the landscape. While the Main 
Range pursues, generally, a course from northwest to southeast, the 
system as a whole is muchinvolved. Thecomparatively low mountains 
and minor ranges of western Montana, and the more rugged mountains 
separating Idaho from Montana and Wyoming, culminate in the mag- 
nificent peaks and ranges of the Yellowstone Park region. Here lofty 
mountains, callous, water-falls, geysers, boiling springs, fantastic rocks, 
and other of nature’s strange works combine to make this region the 
“wonderland” of America. In the near distance, at the southwest, 

*Cafion or canyon (Spanish—a tube cr hollow); a deep gorge, ravine, or gulch 
between high and steep banks worn by water-conrses; a term in common use in the 
United States in the States and Territories bordering upon Mexico. (Fremont.) 


