Letter by Roger Williams
Geography – November 1998 – Colorado Central Magazine
More geographic confusion
Editors:
Regarding geography in your September edition, Flora Satt (p. 6) seems to be a little confused as Henry Thomas “left the Central City gold camp in 1867, and crossed the Divide to investigate the Upper Arkansas Valley…”. Since both these places are on the Eastern Slope, I wonder which divide she is referring to.
Perhaps the divide between South Boulder Creek and the Arkansas River, though I think Clear Creek lies in between; James Peak, which I have climbed twice, forms a triple divide between S. Boulder and Clear Creeks and the Fraser River, as well as their counties, Gilpin, Clear Ck. and Grand, and of course the Continental Divide.
I’m still looking for I-70’s second crossing of said Divide too — or the first one in a sense, since like the Moffat Tunnel, it goes under it. By the way, aren’t those Straight Creek Tunnels called the Eisenhower Tunnel? Was that its original name? It started as one bore, so the singular would have applied. (p. 8).
Road Rage, p. 40, our government has become a “constabulary agency”…Boulder County’s near-total ban on camping comes to mind. No sleeping in cars. Folks sleeping in the bandshell downtown arrested (on what grounds?). Every single open-space park, parking lot, turnout in the canyons, everything, is No Camping, No Overnight Parking, Closed Sunset to Sunrise, Violators Will Be Contacted By Police. I thought it was pathetic. Who do they think they are? Where do you go if you can’t afford hotels/motels or they’re all full; or you want to park the camper or pitch the tent? Drive all night to find one of those Forest Service “Fee Area” campgrounds or a KOA somewhere else, or the two in Jefferson County’s White Ranch park? Get real.
I especially enjoyed the articles on longhorns and the Coleman Ranch; though not a rancher nor from such a background, I found them interesting. One wonders how longhorn or “natural” beef compares with buffalo.
Sincerely, Roger Williams subscriber Boulder
