The Proposed Estes National Park. 235 



while through the canons and over the terraces on the 

 eastern slope foam and tumble numerous streams of white 

 waters which unite in the Poudre, Big Thompson and 

 the St. Vrain rivers, all of which join the Platte out on 

 the plains. 



The best-known lakes of the region are Grand, Odessa, 

 Chasm and Gem. Altogether there are upwards of fifty 

 glacier lakes ; while most of these are small and lie above 

 the altitude of 11,000 feet, each carries a charm or a wild 

 ruggedness of its own. 



The three named glaciers are Hallett, Sprague and 

 Andrews; these are shelf glaciers, and, though not large, 

 are picturesque and every inch chips of the old Ice King. 

 The many glaciated gorges, together with numerous and 

 enormous moraines, and the arrangement of these, make 

 one of the most interesting of ice stories that is recorded 

 in the mountains of the west. 



The climate of the section may be called excellent ; it is 

 never extremely cold ; the snowfall is not heavy, while 

 the surface conditions are such that the entire region can 

 be made accessible with comparatively little expenditure 

 for road building. 



Each season it is graced and charmed with more than 

 a thousand varieties of wild flowers. Here in abundance 

 grow the fringed blue gentians, mariposa lilies, violets, 

 larkspur, alpine primroses, hare-bells, the Rocky Moun- 

 tain columbine, several species of orchids, the wild red 

 rose and scores of other favorite, handsome blossoms. 



Among a numerous variety of bird life is the matchless 

 singer the solitaire, the hermit, robin, bluebird, crested 

 jay, ptarmigan, white-crowned sparrow, rosy finch, and 

 the daring water ouzel. 



Here numerous beaver colonies maintain their poetic 

 ponds and primitive homes, and here, too, is the interest- 

 ing companion of the crags and "eternal snows" — the 

 mountain sheep. A few elk, bear and deer still survive. 



There are about 20,000 acres of private holdings within 

 the bounds of the proposed park, but the greater portion 



