Girl Scouts in the Rockies

by Lillian Elizabeth Roy

  CHAPTER FOUR

  GOING UP!

  "I hope we can say good-by to the old wagon to-day," said the Captain,after they were seated again, ready to resume the journey.

  "You seem not to like our luxurious schooner?" laughed Mr. Gilroy.

  "Luxurious! Had we but known what this ride would be like I venture tosay every scout would have chosen to walk from Denver," exclaimed Mrs.Vernon.

  "And here I've been condemning myself as being the only ingrate in theparty!" returned Mr. Gilroy. "I remember with what enthusiasm thescouts hailed the suggestion of traveling _a la_ prairie schooner."

  As the wagon came out from the screen of trees where they had campedfor the night, the scouts saw the vapors in the valley eddy about andswiftly vanish in the penetrating gleams from the rising sun. Here andthere patches of vivid green lay revealed, but in another half hourthe sun would be strong enough, with the aid of a stiff breeze, todispel all the clinging mists of night into their native nothingness.

  "Just as our earthly pains and sorrows go," remarked Mrs. Vernon.

  "Yes, Verny, just like Julie's dream, eh? She woke up and could hardlybelieve that she was here--safe and happy," added Joan.

  The road was rough and the joggling was as bad as ever, but the scoutswere not so resigned as they had been the day before. Every littlewhile they asked, "_Now_ how far are we from Boulder?" for there theywould have surcease from such "durance vile" as this mode of travelimposed upon them.

  To distract their attention from physical miseries, Mr. Vernon asked aquestion, knowing that Mr. Gilroy would instantly divine his intentionand follow it up.

  "Gilroy, how do you explain the queer fact that the higher we go onthese grand heights, the more stunted we find the trees? One wouldexpect to find beautiful timber on top."

  The scouts listened with interest, and Mr. Gilroy noted this andconsequently took the cue given him.

  "Why, timber-line in the West, Vernon, means more than the end of theforest growth. Most trees near the top of the peaks are stunted by thecold, or are twisted by the gales, and become bent or crippled by thefierce battles they have to wage against the elements. But they arenot vanquished--oh, no!

  "These warriors of the forests seem to realize with a fineintelligence how great is their task. They must protect the young thatgrow on the sides further down the mountain; they must hold back thedestroying powers of the storm, that the _grand_ and _beautiful_scions of this forest family be not injured. They have learned,through many courageous engagements with Nature's fierce winters, thatthe post appointed them in life can never offer them soft and gentletreatment while there remains such work as theirs to do, work thatneeds tried strength and brave endurance.

  "I have never found a coward growing in the ranks of theclosely-linked, shoulder-to-shoulder front of trees that mark thetimber-line. Although they may not _seem_ to grow, materially, morethan from eight to twelve feet high, and though many look deformed bythe overwhelming conditions, so that they present strange shapes incomparison with the erect tall giants down the mountainside, yet Ilove to remember that in His perfect Creation, these same fightershave won greatness and eternal beauty for their service to others.

  "In most cases, you will find that the higher the altitude of the peakand the wilder the winds, the closer grow the trees, as if to findincrease of strength in the one united front that they present to thestorms. These winter gales are so powerful that they tear at everyobject offering resistance to their destructive force. Thus the limbsgrowing on the outer side of the trees on timber-line are all tornaway, or twisted back upon the parent trunk.

  "But there are times when even the most valiant defenders of theforest are momentarily overpowered. There comes a blizzard; the galehowls and shrieks as it tears back and forth for days at a stretch,trying to force a passage through the defence line. And sometimes alittle soldier is rooted up with malignant fury, and used by themerciless gale to batter at his companions. This generally provesfutile, however.

  "It is not always in the wintertime that the most terrific blizzardsoccur in the Rockies. In July, when all the country is pining for abreeze, these peaks produce blizzards that surpass anything heard ofin winter, and these summer storms are the most destructive, as thetrees are green and full of tender tips, that are ruthlessly torn offduring the gale.

  "Then, too, the summer months generally produce the awful snowslidesyou hear about, that are quite common in the Rockies."

  "Oh, I wish we could see one of them!" exclaimed Julie, impulsively.

  "Child, you don't know what you are saying!" said Mr. Gilroy,earnestly. "If you ever went through one, as I have, you'd never wantto experience another, I assure you."

  "Oh, Gilly! Do tell us about it," cried the scouts.

  And Mr. Vernon added, "Yes, Gilroy, do tell us the story."

  "It was many years ago, while I was on a geological trip through theRockies. Tally and I were ready to start for a several days' outing onthe peaks when the man we lodged with said, 'You are going out at abad time. Some big slides have been reported recently.'

  "I, like Julie here, said, 'I'd like the excitement of riding aslide.'

  "The rancher said I was locoed, but he went about his business afterthat. So I took my snowshoes in case I met a slide and had to ride it.

  "Tally and I were soon climbing the trail, and as we went higher andhigher, I felt pleasantly excited to see several small slides startfrom distant peaks and ride ruthlessly over everything to gain aresting-place.

  "Then we both heard a rumble and stood looking about. We now beheld aslide quite close at hand--on our own ridge but on the far side. Itcoasted slowly at first, but gathered momentum as it went, until itwas flying downwards.

  "It was about fifty feet wide and several hundred feet long, but itcut a clean channel through the forest, carrying great trees, rocks,and other objects on its crest. Before it had traveled five hundredyards, it had gathered into its capacious maw tons of debris, besidesthe vast blanket of snow it started out with. All this made aresistless force that swept over other forest impedimenta, draggingall along with its flood.

  "It looked as if the village that snuggled at the foot of the mountainwould be completely smothered and destroyed, when suddenly, the entireriver of white was deflected by an erosion that had cut a waywardpathway across the mountainside. This attracted the slide down intothe ravine. And as its mass went over the edge of the gulch, finepowdery particles filled the air, but nothing more than a dull,grinding sound rose to me as a tremor shook the ground, and I realizedthat it had found its end in the canyon.

  "Upon my return to the ranch, I was told that that slide had cut downand ruined fifty thousand fine trees. Nothing could be done with themafter such a battle with the slide.

  "But the next day, as I still thrilled with the memory of the immenseslide, I heard a rumbling sound just above where we were. Tallyscreamed, 'Look out. She come!'

  "I saw snow sliding across a shallow depression above, and headingstraight for me. Tally had managed to scramble quickly out of the way,and I worked those snowshoes faster than anything I ever did before orsince--believe me!

  "Before I could reach a safety zone, however, I was caught in theouter edge of the avalanche and whirled along for some distance. Bydint of working those same snowshoes I managed to gain the extremeedge, where I flung myself recklessly out into space, not knowingwhere I might land.

  "Fortunately, I was left sprawling with legs and arms about a pine,while the slide rioted on without me. I lifted my bruised head becauseI wished to see all I could of it, and I was able to witness the havocit wrought in its descent. When it reached the bottom of the mountainit collided with a rocky wall on an opposite cliff. The first meetingof the snow with this powerful resistance curled it backward uponitself, while the rest of the slide piled up on top, and quicklyfilled the narrow valley with its debris.

  "Had I not been so near the line of least suction, or had I been inthe middle of that fearful slide, nothing co
uld have saved me. Ishould have been buried under tons of snow even if I survived adeath-dealing blow from a rock or tree during the descent.

  "Now, Julie, do you still care to experience a hand-to-hand battlewith a slide?"

  "If it wasn't for all such thrilling adventures, Gilly, you wouldn'tbe so entertaining. When one is in the Rockies, one looks forexperiences that go _with_ the Rockies," declared the girl.

  Mr. Gilroy shook his head as if to say Julie was hopeless. But Joanlaughingly remarked, "A snowslide wouldn't be any wilder than Julie'svisit to old man Good Arrow in his castle."

  "And about as frightful as the pit he would have thrown Julie into,"added Mr. Gilroy.

  "Joking aside, Scouts. We expect to meet with various thrillingadventures during our sojourn in the Rockies, and I don't believe onetakes such dire risks if one is careful," said Julie.

  "Maybe not, but you are not careful. In fact, you take 'dire risks'every time," retorted Mr. Gilroy.

  Nothing was said for a few minutes, then Tally spoke, "Mees'rGilloy--him come to Boulder, pooty quick!"

  "Ha, that's good news!" remarked Mr. Vernon.

  "Yes, and our little scheme worked fine, eh, Uncle," laughed Mr.Gilroy. But all the coaxings from the scouts could not make either mansay what that scheme had been.

  At Boulder the party gladly left the wagon for Tally to deliver to hisbrother, and the horses were turned over to the man they were intendedfor. While Tally was waiting for his brother's arrival, Mr. Gilroyfound he could conduct his party through the Boulder Canyon, known as"The Switzerland Trail."

  So they got on a train and rode through a canyon which, as the namesuggested, was everywhere lined with great boulders of all shapes andsizes. Here a roaring torrent would cleave a way down to the bottom ofthe canyon, while there an abrupt wall of rock defied the elements andall things else to maintain its stand.

  At Tungsten, the end of the trail, the scouts visited the districtwhere this metal is mined. When they were through with the visit, Mr.Gilroy told the girls that Boulder County's record of income fromtungsten alone was more than five million dollars a year.

  The State University at Boulder was visited upon the return of thescout tourists to that city. Here the girls learned that the campuscovered over sixty acres of ground, and that the university boasted oftwenty-two splendidly equipped buildings, equal to any in the world.It also had a library of its own that numbered about eighty-threethousand volumes. The value of the buildings approximated one million,seven hundred and fifty thousand dollars.

  "It doesn't seem possible, when you look around at what this placeis--or seems to be!" exclaimed Ruth.

  "Which goes to prove that appearances are not necessarily harmoniouswith facts," returned Mrs. Vernon, smilingly.

  When they met Tally, who was waiting at the place appointed, Julieasked, "Where do we go from here, Gilly?"

  "We'll follow Tally, as he seems to have a plan back of that grin,"returned Mr. Gilroy.

  Every one turned to look at Tally, who in turn seemed quite taken bysurprise, as he said, "Tally no plan!"

  "Ah, Tally! Will you never understand my winks!" sighed Mr. Gilroy. "Iwanted you to help me out while I evaded an issue with these dreadfulScouts."

  "Um, Tally glad to if Mees'r Gilloy onny tell him."

  The others laughed at this guileless confession, and Mr. Gilroy shookhis head despairingly. Then he said, "Well, I suppose I must 'fessup.'"

  "Of course, if you have any hidden schemes back in _your_ brain,"Julie retorted.

  "This is it! Tally heard of a number of excellent horses to be hadfrom a rancher near Loveland, so rather than wait about here for himto go and bring them back, we will go on to Loveland by train, andstart from that place to ride through the Rocky Mountain NationalPark.

  "You see, my first plan is entirely upset by a prairie schooner, anIndian, and a horse-dealer. I had expected to ride from Denver onhorses secured there, and go to Ward. Then on across the Divide and soon to Hot Sulphur Springs and Steamboat Springs. But it seems theitinerary revised itself,--and it may turn out to be a good improvementon mine," said Mr. Gilroy.

  "How far is the Continental Divide from Loveland?" asked Joan.

  "That all depends on how far we want it to be," laughed Mr. Vernon."One can get there in no time, or one can stop at all the attractivepoints along the trail and spend weeks reaching the Divide."

  Then Mr. Gilroy added, "I propose leaving Loveland by an old IndianTrail Tally knows of, and thus reach Estes Park. We will take inLong's Peak on the way, and then ride on to the Divide, stopping toclimb any peak we think interesting, or visit any park or morainealong the route."

  So the party reached Loveland, where Tally bargained shrewdly with arancher for the horses and two mules for the tourists. Naturally therancher wished to sell his horses outright, but Tally convinced himhow much better an arrangement it would be for all concerned to rentthe animals for the season, leaving a cash security deposited with abank to cover the loss in case any or all of the horses were lost orinjured on the way. If all were returned to the rancher in goodcondition, Mr. Gilroy would receive his deposit back.

  This entire section of Colorado was created a National Park byCongress, in January, 1915. And Estes Park is to the National Parkwhat a beauty patch is to the face of a belle--the point of attractionthat focuses the eye of the admirer.

  This National Park offers plenty of room for more than a millioncampers, without one being so near his neighbor as to give a sense ofencroachment. For those Americans who love the untrammeled life of thewoods, this park provides wonderful trout streams; flora and faunamost surprising and beautiful; and not only plains, valleys, ravines,and mountain peaks as diverting places to visit, but lakes, rivers,falls, and every ideal spot of Nature that one craves to see.

  In this National Park you may come unexpectedly upon a caribou grazingon the luscious grass, or in spring you may find a doting she-bear,leading her cubs to feast on the tender green shoots. But let yourboots make the slightest noise, both these wild creatures willdisappear so suddenly that you will rub your eyes to make sure you areawake. Other furred and feathered inhabitants of the forests will sit,screened behind the foliage and fern, laughing silently at youramateur ways of discovering them.

  You may not be woodsman enough ever to spy them, but they are about,just the same. Furtive eyes will watch your every movement as you ridealong the trail. The partridge that has effaced himself by merging hismottled feathers with the shaggy bark where he is hidden, saw everyleast thing you did. The wild hare, covered with tall grasses andfern, flicked his long ears in fun, when your awkward steps passedwithin an inch of his nose, and you never dreamed of his sittingthere! The squirrels and woodchucks wondered at your clumsy ways inthe wilderness. Did they not leap and run joyously without a sound?And you only have two feet to manage while they have four! In short,every denizen of the forest about you will know as if the message wereflashed by wire, that a mere MAN is on his way through their domains.

  The Park realm stretches along on the mountain top at an altitude ofnine thousand feet, and more. And it embraces the most rugged sectionof the Continental Divide. Long's Peak rises about fourteen thousandtwo hundred feet high, and towers above the park plateau. It looksdown upon ten or more other peaks that are only thirteen thousand feethigh, and many more of twelve thousand feet altitude. Long's Peak isrocky and not easy to climb, but perfectly safe for man or beast. Itis also free from the treacherous ice and snow that so often causesslides. Hence one can reach its summit, where a view of over a hundredmiles of country is to be had. The Park is about twenty-five mileslong and from ten to twenty miles wide.

  This, then, was the wonderful place the scouts of Dandelion Troop wereto visit and glory in.