The Ascent of San Antonio. 127 



For some distance it zigzags up the wall of the canon, 

 coming out upon the southeast side of San Antonio, 

 among large though scattered pines. 



Following the edge of the canon about half a mile, 

 the trail reaches one of those very long, sharp ridges 

 which form the approaches to the summit. The climb- 

 ing was steep, but the view more than compensated for 

 our labors. 



Our trail followed the edge of the magnificent preci- 

 pice which forms the mountain's southwest side. In 

 many places the fall is sheer for nearly two thousand feet, 

 and at all places it is precipitous. The granite has be- 

 come disintegrated, and the cliffs and " slides " are al- 

 most snow-white. Stones sent rolling down raise a cloud 

 of white dust. The effect of these white walls and slides 

 is pecuHar and striking. Many seeing the mountain for 

 the first time, think its sides are clothed with perpetual 

 snow. 



Several of these long ridges, converging, form the 

 summit. These ridges are covered with stunted pines. 

 Near the summit these trees present very curious phenom- 

 ena. The wind is so strong and blows so persistently as 

 to materially affect their growth. A tree of nearly three 

 feet in diameter will at a distance of about thirty inches 

 above the ground be so bent over as to grow almost 

 parallel with the mountain-side. On the side exposed 

 to the prevailing wind, and on the opposite side, branches 

 are entirely wanting, and those growing on the other 

 sides are generally short and stunted. On a few trees 

 are observed rather long branches which, projecting over 

 the ground, produced the effect of a wide-spreading bush. 



Leaving the edge of the south slope, the trail follows 



