82 Explorations and Surveys for the Pacific Railroad. 



the difference of elevation, 1,172 feet ; the altitude of the sum- 

 mit, 5,667 feet; and the steepest slope is 75 feet per mile. 



The plateau being gained, is crossed by a nearly level line to 

 the low ridge bounding it on the west, the summit elevation of 

 which, 5,736 feet, is attained by following a ravine valley. 



The descent to the Sacramento along one of its tributaries is 

 now commenced, and is at first rapid. * * * 



The distance from Fort Bridger to Fort Beading by the line 

 of Lieutenant Beckwith's profile is 1,012 miles ; from Fort Leav- 

 enworth to Fort Bridger, 1,072 miles — making the whole dis- 

 tance from Fort Leavenworth to Fort Beading, on the Sacra- 

 mento, 2,084 miles, and to Benicia 2,264 miles. 



The distance from Council Bluffs to Benicia [on the Bay of 

 San Francisco] by the above route is 2,134 miles. 



Using the line along which the route can be located in the 

 Great Basin, about 103 miles shorter than that travelled, the dis- 

 tances become, from Fort Bridger to Fort Beading, 909 miles ; 

 from Fort Leavenworth to Fort Beading, 1,980 miles; and to 

 Benicia, 2,161 miles. 



The distance from Council Bluffs to Benicia becomes 2,031 

 miles. * * ** * * 



The winter climate is known to be severe on the plains east of 

 the Bocky mountains in this latitude. That it is more severe, 

 and of long duration, upon the great table-land of the Bocky 

 mountains, is to be inferred. Lieut. Beckwith found the sun 

 had not yet begun to melt the snow upon the terrace divide on 

 the western border of the plateau, and about 1,000 feet above 

 it, when he crossed the former, on the 10th of April. The snow 

 was here from twelve to sixteen inches deep, and had accumu- 

 lated in deep drifts on the northeast slopes of the hills and ra- 

 vines. Captain Stansbury found the Uinta mountains covered 

 with snow for a considerable distance from their summits on the 

 19th of August. The quantity of snow that falls upon the great 

 undulating plain between Fort Laramie and Fort Bridger is not 

 exactly known. It is probable that no unusual difficulty may 

 be apprehended from it on this plain, or on the terrace divide, 

 where crossed by Lieut. Beckwith ; but the fall of snow in the 

 Wahsatch and other mountains is very much greater, and accu- 

 mulates in their gorges, ravines, and canons, to great depths. 

 Apparently, Lieut. Beckwith does not apprehend unusual diffi- 

 culties from this cause along the proposed railroad route in this 

 region, or in that of the Madelin Pass. 



The supply of water upon the Bocky mountain plateau must 

 be very limited at certain seasons of the year : the distances 

 apart of these supplies are not given. 



Abundant supplies of water were found by Lieut. Beckwith on 

 the mountains of the Great Basin. The season of the year when 

 he crossed it — the spring — was the most favorable in this respect. 



