| Show scenic san juan scenes THIRD installment T X A 7 we THE AUGUSTA NATURAL BRIDGE WHAT THE TOURIST MAY SEE WHILE VISITING THE SAN JUAN N NATURAL WONDERS it if one desires to make the trip 0 n horseback front from the camp gound to the various bridges he should indian aure a at blanding lor for custodian zeke zeka johnson johnson or his representative who will provide mounts for the trip tip I 1 which is cilly six miles acl cs each wa way if one ilves duos 1 ft t visit 01 IP cl allt lift 1 bryns indich are arc two niles miles farther on there ire are two tv o distinct trails leading from tho tha edwin brid bridge 0 to tile the autista the footpath foot path leads horell lort hort li ll arri v ard over sandstone hills thru cedar and pinyon pinyon groves in iii and out ot of shallow canyons and up and down short ladders I 1 the horse trail follows down armstrong canyon where ancient ruins and pic historic writings may anay be seen I 1 by this route it is three miles to t the I 1 caroline bridge the despair of the tha photographer as the massive arch is so hemmed in by dose close jutting cliffs cifes that no liosi position tion js is afforded sufficiently distant and in proper position to 10 I 1 the he whole even partial views are apt to be vague of outline due to the merging of the objective scene with nearby cliffs I 1 here however one finds abundant shade and cool three canyons join at the caroline or so it seems the fact is however that one canyon forms a nearly complete circle with one ne end at the upper sido side of ahe h e caroline and the other a the lower side hikers have learned this fact to their sorrow in tho tha past when they took the right hand path which leads eastward to a pour oft off and pool of rain f water thence in a circular 7 direction back to the caroline Y one should always take the left 3 hand trail on their way to the augusta if time is an important factor two miles of winding can yon is now traversed with here S and there a pool of clear water and at certain seasons a constant stream when suddenly on turning an abrupt corner the augusta looms clear against the sky the effect is breathtaking breath taking 3 and few fail to stop with an involuntary gasp to drink in its its stupendous beauty there sa high above the canyon floor rises the huge span of natural stone hewn by ages ot of erosive elements which have carved and ached a noble monument the augusta dwarfs in size and splendor the highly advertised natural bridge of virginia which for so long was considered one ona of the wonders of the world high cliffs rise above the great arch and if one 0 ne looks ea closely 0 sely far up on tho the north canyon wall may be seen a cli cluster lster of cliff ruins the canyon al all I 1 about is picturesque tall evergreens ever greens fringe the upper benches A trail leads steeply upward from the south end of the bridge abutment to the canyon rim above this rath path branches off to the left where notches cut in the sandstone show the way to the top of the bridge the right hand path leads onward until it reaches and follows the base of a high ledge cool shade la Is found here where one may rest in comfort A little farther on a tall ladder is firmly braced against the cliff the hiker should scale I 1 this his ladder and so experience a new sensation which Is I 1 S 0 ENIC SAN y J JUAN IJUAN SCENES ar i K x aw conten From rom vw Vage 1 g W 8 q il jp t as V t 14 4 4 y a ANCIENT LADDER TO prehistoric RUIN IN WHITE CANYON caused by viewing at considerable height that which they had seen from below only a short ahoi t time before while looking upward at the massive symmetry of the augusta one feels dwarfed and insignificant in size at least front from above tion and exhilaration often fills the soul A broader vista is spread before him both views may be enjoyed however by those hardy enough to make the climb which is nop far but which is steep enough two miles up the canyon from the augusta Au igusta harings the traveler to a prehistoric ruin perched on a shelf beneath an overhanging cliff here stands a 60 foot ladder one side of which had been used as a ladder before white men discovered the ruin hikin hikers over the top do not pass in a view of the caroline bridge but are able to see other interesting scenes such as far canyons and high table lands back in camp one is bound to enjoy the camp camil cooked food which always tastes good when efficiently prepared if a guide is p present resent he be will tent ertain lith stories of the west and sleep will be sound and usually dreamless on the return trip to blanding the goblet of venus may be seen near the foot of the elk ridge it is a Ire freakish akish carving of sandstone which resembles a wine glass an indian school is located north of the road and a few miles up the large wash or stream bed which lies at the foot of the mountain this Is the home of the pluto indian of san juan county from blanding the traveler may go southward to bluff and from thence into another enchanted land of natural wonders we will speak ot of this next week |
