Byways Mountains & Valleys 2022

Featuring North America’s Leading Travel Destinations

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Pikes Peak Summit Visitor Center

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photo courtesy of the City of Colorado Springs

DiscovertheMajesty of AmericaʼsMountain Pikes Peak – Americaʼs Mountain creates a stunning silhouette for group-friendly Colorado Springs. Located on Interstate 25 just one hour south of Denver,this city offers unique experiences that create special memories for your clients. With so much to see and do,be sure to book several nights in the region.

RE-DISCOVERANICON Running from the mountain town of Manitou Springs to the 14,115ʼsummit of Pikes Peak, The Broadmoor Manitou and Pikes Peak Cog Railway has reopened with new and refurbishedSwiss cog railcars, 19 miles of newly constructed track and a re-imagineddepot.

Itʼs the same breathtaking experience made even better.

The Cog, recognized as one of the worldʼs highest, has been climbingPikes Peak since 1891.

The journey to the top of Pikes Peak is full of showstopping moments. You never forget your first glimpse of the summit. On the trip, youʼll

The BroadmoorManitou and Pikes Peak Cog Railway

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see pristine reservoirs nestled among the peaks of the front range. Many of the trees in this area are Bristlecone pine, some of the oldest living things on Earth. You may even spot a cute marmot climbing among the rocks near the tracks.

DISCOVERNEW HEIGHTS Visit the spectacular brandnew Summit Visitor Center.

After disembarking the Cog Railway, explore the summit like never before. At this National Historic Landmark, the new indoor and outdoor interpretive exhibits educate visitors about the mountainʼs history, climate, geography, recreational opportunities and conservation initiatives.

The exhibit gallery inside the Summit Visitor Center includes interactive digital features that bring the mountain to life. Outside, interpretive rails around the summit describe the environmentand the views, identify key landscape features and take visitors out over the edge on the observation platform.

The U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Museum is one of the most accessible museums in the world.

Race against a track star,ask questions of Team USA athletes and see how the Games have shaped and reflected our culture.

Plan YourTour VisitCOS.com/groups-tours

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Preview

By Stephen Kirchner, Editor & Publisher

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elcome to Byways’ annual Mountains & Valleys issue.

In this issue we look at several significant mountains in the western region of the United States, and we visit a unique California valley.

First stop is Mount Whitney, the highest mountain in the contiguous United States with an elevation of 14,505 feet. It is just 84.6 miles west-northwest of North America’s lowest point, Badwater Basin in Death Valley National Park, at 282 feet below sea level.

The peak rises dramatically above the Owens Valley, sitting 10,778 feet or just over 2 miles above the town of Lone Pine 15 miles to the east, in the Owens Valley.

Next, we travel to Northern California, and one of the most unique valleys in the world. One that did not exist by name just 30 years ago. Silicon Valley is the region that serves as a global center for high technology and innovation.

It’s home to many of the world’s largest high-tech corporations. With so many household names impacting the daily lives of so many people around the world, it is little wonder visitors to the region are so intrigued with visiting Silicon Valley.

Mount Shuksan in Washington state has become the iconic face of the rugged North Cascades. It’s probable you’ve seen its picturesque north face on on calendars and souvenirs. But it’s doubtful you will recognize its name.

Mount Shuksan is one of ten non-volcanic peaks over 9,000 feet high in Washington. Most of these peaks are not well-known to the general public because they lie far from roads, hidden in a giant thicket of high and craggy peaks.

Some of the best views of Mount Shuksan are from the Heather Meadows Visitor Center in Mount Byways 4

Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest well outside of the park.

It surprises many Utah residents that Mount Nebo is the highest peak in the Wasatch Mountain Range.

They often assume that Mt. Timpanogos is the highest. However, Mt. Nebo surpasses Timpanogos by 179 ft.

Named after the biblical Mount Nebo overlooking Israel, it is the centerpiece of the Mount Nebo Wilderness, inside the Uinta National Forest. Three major peaks comprise the summit of Nebo.

The Mount Nebo Loop Scenic Byway is a National Scenic Byway which departs I-15 at Payson and travels south through the Mount Nebo Wilderness, climbing to over 9,000 feet before rejoining the interstate at Nephi.

Did you know there are two ways to the top of Pikes Peak? We travel both.

At 14,433 feet, Mount Elbert is the highest peak in Colorado and the second highest peak in the lower 48 states coming in just 63 feet below the tallest peak, Mount Whitney. The neighboring Mount Massive, to the north, is the second-highest peak in the Rocky Mountains and the third-highest in the contiguous United States.

You don’t often think of mountains and canyons in Texas. Until you visit Guadalupe Mountains National Park. The Guadalupe Mountains rise more than 3,000 feet above the arid Chihuahuan Desert that surrounds them. El Capitan, the park’s most striking feature, is a 1,000-foot-high limestone cliff.

Nearby Guadalupe Peak, 8,751 feet above sea level, is the highest point in Texas.

In What’s Happening, Diamonds State Park is celebrating its 50th year as an Arkansas state park.

North America’s only public diamond mine has welcomed more than 4.5 million visitors since its opening.

We hope you enjoy this issue of Byways.

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Volume 39, Issue No. 2 2022 On the Cover. Washington’s Mount Shuksan in summer as seen from Artist Point. Photo courtesy Frank Kovalchek & CC BY 2.0. For more on Mountains & Valleys, turn to page 10.

Features California’s Mount Whitney.................................................................................................................. 10 Visiting Silicon Valley........................................................................................................................... 16 Mount Skuksan, Washington............................................................................................................... 32 Utah’s Mount Nebo.............................................................................................................................. 36 Two Ways to the Top of Pikes Peak .................................................................................................... 40 Mount Elbert, Colorado’s Highest Peak............................................................................................... 44 Texas’ Guadalupe Mountains National Park ....................................................................................... 50

Departments Byways Instant Connect ........................................................................................................................ 3 Byways Preview .................................................................................................................................... 4 Traveling the Highways & Byways with Bill Graves............................................................................. 28 Advertiser/Sponsored Content Index .................................................................................................. 59

What’s Happening Crater of Diamonds celebrates 50 years as an Arkansas State Park ................................................. 55

Coming in Future Issues Future issues of Byways will feature . . .Ocean Views, Rivers & Lakes, Great American Roads and more. . . .

Up Next: Ocean Views At right. Sailing California’s Coast aboard Holland America Lines’ Koningsdam.

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M

ount Whitney is the highest mountain in the contiguous United States and the Sierra Nevada mountain range, with an elevation of 14,505 feet.

The only American mountains higher than Whitney are in Alaska, which has seven higher peaks including Denali, the highest peak in North America.

Mount Whitney is the second highest ultra-prominent peak in the Lower 48 U.S. states with 10,071 feet of prominence and is the 81st most prominent peak in the world.

It is located on the boundary between California’s Inyo and Tulare counties, 84.6 miles west-northwest of North America’s lowest point, Badwater Basin in Death Valley National Park, at 282 ft below sea level.

The mountain’s west slope is in Sequoia National Park and the summit is the southern terminus of the John Muir Trail, which runs 211.9 miles from Happy Isles in Yosemite Valley. The eastern slopes are in Inyo National Forest in Inyo County.

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In July 1864, the members of the California Geological Survey named the peak after Josiah Whitney, the State Geologist of California.

Mount Whitney’s summit is on the Sierra Crest and the Great Basin Divide. It lies near many of the Sierra Nevada's highest peaks. The peak rises dramatically above the Owens Valley, sitting 10,778 feet or just over 2 miles above the town of Lone Pine 15 miles to the east, in the Owens Valley.

It rises more gradually on the west side, lying only about 3,000 feet above the John Muir Trail at Guitar Lake.

The mountain is partially dome-shaped, with its famously jagged ridges extending to the sides. Mount Whitney is above the tree line and has an alpine climate and ecology. Very few plants grow near the summit. One example is the sky pilot, a cushion plant that grows low to the ground. The only animals are transient, such as the butterfly and the gray-crowned rosy finch.

Viewing Mt. Whitney Many who visit Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks are interested in seeing Mt. Whitney. However, Mt. Whitney is on the far eastern boundary of these parks. A chain of mountains that runs north/south through the center of Sequoia National Park called the Great Western Divide blocks views of Mt. Whitney from park roads. The best place from which to see Mt. Whitney is the Interagency Visitor Center on Highway 395, just south of the town of Lone Pine on the east side of the Sierra.

Lone Pine Lone Pine offers a different side of California, one that is

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less connected to the Pacific Coast and more connected culturally and geographically to the interior American West.

This eastern side of California is where the Great Basin Desert begins, and Lone Pine is a small town in some very big country.

With a population of barely 2,000 residents, Lone Pine stretches along U.S. Highway 395 at the heart of the vast Owens Valley. To the east, the Inyo Mountains tower over the valley floor, while the Sierra Nevada rises in the west behind the jumbled boulder formations of the Alabama Hills.

As you roll into town, Highway 395 narrows, slows down, and becomes Lone Pine’s Main Street. There are Western-style buildings with awnings shading the sidewalk, while sporting goods stores, with leaping trout on their neon signs, hint at the sacred role that fishing plays in these parts. Known for its early trout season, Lone Pine is a jumping-off point for fishing both in the Owens Valley and the Eastern Sierra, including the Golden Trout Wilderness.

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Hiking Trails Mount Whitney is the most frequently climbed mountain peak in the Sierra Nevada.

As a result, a permit system is in place to minimize the impact of day-hikers on the Mt. Whitney backcountry.

All hikers entering the Mt. Whitney zone, including day-hikers, are required to obtain a permit.

The most popular route to the summit is by way of the Mount Whitney Trail, which starts at Whitney Portal, at an elevation of 8,360 feet, 13 miles west of the town of Lone Pine. The

hike is about 22 miles round trip with an elevation gain of over 6,100 ft. Permits are required yearround.

Most hikers plan to stay one or two nights camping along the route. Those in good physical condition sometimes attempt to reach the summit and return to Whitney Portal in one day. A one-day hike requires a day-use permit that prohibits the use of overnight camping gear (sleeping bag and tent). Day hikers often leave Whitney Portal before sunrise and hike from 12 to 18 hours.

Longer approaches to Whitney arrive at its west side, connecting to the Mount Whitney Trail near the summit by way of the John Muir Trail.

The steep eastern side of the mountain offers a variety of climbing challenges. The East Face route, first climbed in 1931, is one of the Fifty Classic Climbs of North America routes. https://lonepinechamber.org

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S

tretching roughly from the city of Belmont down to San Jose around the south end of San Francisco Bay, Silicon Valley is home to some of the largest technology corporations in the world.

Hike or bike a trail and overhear the next big idea.

Visit a museum that blinks and buzzes with what-if innovations. And enjoy the riches of a booming economy, with performance spaces, high-end shopping, and multi-starred restaurants.

More Than Chips There’s more to see here than computer chips. The west side of the Silicon Valley, where the land rises to meet the rumpled, wooded folds of the Santa Cruz Mountains, has become an inviting wine country destination.

For a real treat, check the calendar and catch an evening of entertainment at the historic Mountain Winery. The legendary Paul Masson, who emigrated to San Francisco from Burgundy, France, in the late 1800s, acquired a Saratoga vineyard where he developed fine California sparkling wines.

Today, his winery is the site of summertime concerts in an intimate venue under the stars—a worthy splurge.

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The Region Silicon Valley is the region in Northern California that serves as a global center for high technology and innovation. Located in the southern part of the San Francisco Bay Area, it corresponds roughly to the

geographical Santa Clara Valley.

San Jose is Silicon Valley’s largest city, the third-largest in California, and the tenth-largest in the United States.

Major Silicon Valley cities also include Sunnyvale, Santa Clara, Redwood City, Mountain View, Palo Alto, Menlo Park, and Cupertino. The San Jose Metropolitan Area has the thirdhighest GDP per capita in the world (after Zurich, Switzerland and Oslo, Norway), according to the Brookings Institution and, as of June 2021, has the highest percentage of homes valued at $1 million or more in the United States.

Largest Tech Corporations Silicon Valley is home to many of the world’s largest high-tech corporations, including the headquarters of more than 30 businesses in the Fortune 1000, and thousands of startup companies.

Silicon Valley also accounts for one-third of all of the venture capital investment in the United States, which has helped it to become a leading hub and startup ecosystem for high-tech innovation. It was in Silicon Valley that the silicon-based integrated circuit, the microprocessor, and the microcomputer, among other technologies, were developed. As of 2013, the region employed about a quarter of a million information technology workers.

Definition Expands As more high-tech companies were established across San Jose and the Santa Clara Valley, and then north towards the Bay Area’s two other major cities, San Francisco and Oakland, the term “Silicon Valley” came to have two definitions: a narrower geographic one, referring to Santa Clara County and southeastern San Mateo County: and a definition referring to high-tech businesses in the entire Bay Area.

Silicon Valley is often used as the term for the American hightechnology economic sector. The

name also became a global synonym for leading high-tech research and enterprises, and thus inspired similarly named locations, as well as research parks and technology centers with comparable structures all around the world.

History The Bay Area had long been a major site of United States Navy research and technology. In 1909, Charles Herrold started the first radio station in the United States with regularly scheduled programming in San Jose.

In 1933, Air Base Sunnyvale was commissioned by the United States Government for use as a Naval Air Station to house the airship USS Macon in Hangar One. The station was renamed NAS Moffett Field, and between 1933 and 1947, U.S. Navy blimps were based there.

A number of technology firms had set up shop in the area around Moffett Field to serve the Navy. When the Navy gave up its airship ambitions and moved most of its west coast operations to San Diego, the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA, forerunner of NASA) took over portions of Moffett Field for aeronautics research.

Many of the original companies stayed, while new ones moved in. The immediate area was soon filled with aerospace firms, such as Lockheed, which was Silicon Valley’s largest employer from the 1950s into 1980s.

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Silicon Valley and Tourism

Apple

Many headquarters of tech companies in Silicon Valley have become hotspots for tourism.

More than 12,000 Apple employees have moved onto the 175-acre Apple Park in Cupertino. The ringshaped building, which resembles a spaceship, is 2.8 million square feet and clad entirely by panels of curved glass.

The billion-dollar headquarters of some iconic U.S. tech companies have become so over the top that tourists from around the world are flocking to see them and maybe catch sight of a self-driving vehicle.

Google More of a campus than an office building, Google’s headquarters in Mountain View is spread out over 12 acres. To get from one part of the campus to another, Google offers its employees free colorful “G Bikes”.

There are also organic gardens, tennis courts, sports fields and beach volleyball courts.

The only tech company with a collection of “candy” outside its walls, a stop on Google’s campus means you can take a photo with any of its Android collection figurines.

The main building, Googleplex, is fronted by a TRex skeleton with twirling flamingos, a reminder to Googlers, as they are called, to stay relevant and not become dinosaurs.

Address: 1600 Amphitheatre Pkwy, Mountain View, CA 94043 Byways 22

The building, which was designed by famed architectural firm Foster + Partners, is surrounded by parklands that Apple created by taking down 5 million square feet of asphalt and concrete and replacing it with 9,000 drought-resistant native trees and grassy fields.

The dramatic-looking building is powered by renewable energy and, according to Apple, has one of the largest on-site solar energy installations in the world.

All of this is closed to the public, but Apple did open a visitors center a few months after opening Apple Park. Though the visitors center is separate from the main building, Apple said it was designed with similar aesthetics, featuring stone walls and terrazzo floors. It also has a cantilevered carbon fiber roof that is supported by stone clad cores, giving it the illusion that it’s floating.

Visitors at the center can check out 3-D models of the actual campus, go to the roof terrace or at the cafe for a coffee, or hang out at the store, which of course

is stocked with Apple products.

It’s the only place where you can buy Apple-branded paraphernalia like T-shirts and notebooks. The store recently re-opened after a redesign so it has a whole new line of gear never before seen in Apple stores before.

Address: 1 Infinite Loop, Cupertino, CA 95014 (Note: the store is closed on Sundays)

Adobe Headquartered in San Jose, Adobe has historically specialized in software for the creation and publication of a wide range of content, including graphics, photography, illustration, animation, multimedia/video, motion pictures, and print. Its flagship products include Adobe Photoshop image editing software; Adobe Illustrator vectorbased illustration software; Adobe Acrobat Reader and the Portable Document Format (PDF); and a host of tools primarily for audio-visual content creation, editing and publishing.

Located high above the headquarters of Abode’s campus in Downtown San Jose is a giant puzzle called the Semaphore, which is waiting to be solved by anyone who can crack the code.

When the code is solved a new one replaces it.

open to the public. Plans are underway to open the 61st floor to the public on a limited basis sometime this year.

Address: Salesforce Tower, 415 Mission Street, San Francisco, CA 94105

Facebook Facebook moved into its 430,000-square-foot Menlo Park, California, headquarters, designed by Frank Gehry, in 2015. LEED-certified, MPK 20, as it’s

Address: 345 Park Avenue, San Jose, CA 95113

Salesforce At 1,070 feet tall, Salesforce Tower in San Francisco is the tallest office building west of Chicago. Opened in 2016, the $1.1 billion skyscraper rises 61 stories over the Transbay District downtown. It quickly has become a landmark not only because of its height but also because of the ever-changing light display at the top of the building.

For now, curious visitors can check out the Salesforce lobby, which is Byways 23

Hangar One housed the USS Macon, a blimp just 20 feet shorter than the Hindenburg. The USS Macon was struck down in 1935 off the California coast, but Moffett continued as a joint civilmilitary air field.

While the site is owned by NASA (which has its own museum adjacent) and leased to Google, a small museum continues to operate on site to commemorate its past.

Address: Moffett Field, Mountain View, CA 94043

Historic Garages Many a Silicon Valley tech company has started in a garage.

H-P Garage The birthplace of Silicon Valley, according to its historical sign out front, the HP Garage was home to the early days of the Hewlett-Packard company.

Dave Packard and his wife, Lucille, moved into the first floor apartment in 1938, and Bill Hewlett lived in the shed in the back. After Hewlett got married, the garage was turned into HP’s business office.

It was christened the “Birthplace of Silicon Valley” in 2007 when it was added to the National Register of Historic Places.

The garage and house are closed to public tours, but visitors can take pictures from the sidewalk. called, has a 9-acre green roof with a half-mile loop that weaves among trees and native plants, cafes, gathering spaces and work cabanas.

Address: 367 Addison Ave, Palo Alto, CA 94301

Steve Jobs’ Garage

The new building is connected to the company’s old headquarters, located on the other side of the highway, with a tunnel. Employees can walk, bicycle or take a tram from one side to the other. Facebook took over Sun Microsystem’s old campus.

Steve Jobs was living with his parents in his childhood home when he started working on the Apple computer. Jobs and his co-founder, Steve Wozniak, finalized the first 50 computers in the garage, although Woz now claims the garage is a “bit of a myth”.

You can’t visit Facebook’s campus unless you have a friend on the inside, but you’ll like your visit anyway.

Address: 2066 Crist Dr., Los Altos, CA 94024

Address: 1 Hacker Way, Menlo Park, CA 94025

The Google Garage

Moffett Field and NASA Ames Research Center

The Google co-founders chose a great landlord in 1988. Now YouTube-head Susan Wojcicki rented her garage to Larry Page and Sergey Brin to help her cover the mortgage payments.

Hangar One is one of the world’s largest freestanding structures, covering 8 acres of ground.

The pair dubbed the garage, complete with blue carpeting, the worldwide headquarters of Google.

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The company stayed in the garage until it reached seven employees and found a place of its own.

Address: 1401 N Shoreline Blvd., Mountain View, CA 94043

Address: 232 Santa Margarita Ave., Menlo Park, CA 94025

The Tech Interactive

Computer History Museum There’s few places left where you can still play Pong and see its original terminal. The Computer History Museum is one of them.

The Computer History Museum lets you get right to the region’s cyber roots. “Birth of the Computer” and other exhibits remind us of the not-so-long-ago time when basic computers took up entire rooms. You can also learn about the surprisingly complicated science behind computerized chess, and unravel the amazing technology behind microelectronic silicon computer chips.

The museum, located in the middle of Silicon Valley, traces the history of the computer, from when it used to take up most of a room to the small hand-held phones we have today.

The Tech Interactive (formerly The Tech Museum of Innovation, commonly known as The Tech) is a science and technology center that offers hands-on activities, labs, design challenges and other STEAM education resources. Located in downtown San Jose, The Interactive’s hands-on activities, experimental labs and design challenge experiences empower people to innovate with creativity, curiosity and compassion.

The building has a distinctive mango and azure color, and has three floors. On the lower level there is a complex multi-story sculpture titled Origin, inside a 45-foot-tall (14 m) cylindrical tower. The artwork portrays relationships among art, technology, and natural resources of the earth.

Near the entrance to the building, there is Science on a Roll, a popular rolling ball sculpture by George Rhoads. The front wall is inscribed with quotations Byways 25

from iconic Silicon Valley entrepreneurs Bill Hewlett, David Packard, Bob Noyce, and Gordon Moore.

At The Interactive’s IMAX Dome Theater you’ll experience the world’s first laser projector for a dome theater. With a four-story wraparound screen and 12,000 watts of digital surround sound, the IMAX dome experience is technically advanced and visually stunning — a one-of-a-kind movie experience. It is Northern California’s only domed IMAX theater and it is the first dome laser projector in the world.

The Tech offers in-person and virtual field trips to school groups from September to June each year.

Address: 201 S. Market St., San Jose, CA 95113

Sand Hill Road Venture Capital Sand Hill Road is home to the most powerful venture capital firms in Silicon Valley. Firms such as Andreessen Horowitz, Sequoia Capital, Accel, Benchmark Capital, Kleiner Perkins, and Greylock Partners are located here.

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Entrepreneurs come to this area to meet venture capitalists and raise money for their start-ups.

By the early 1970s, there were many semiconductor companies in the area, computer firms using their devices, and programming and service companies serving both. Industrial space was plentiful and housing was still inexpensive.

Growth during this era was fueled by the emergence of venture capital on Sand Hill Road, beginning in 1972. The availability of venture capital exploded after the successful $1.3 billion IPO of Apple Computer in December 1980. Since the 1980s, Silicon Valley has been home to the largest concentration of venture capital firms in the world.

Although there’s not much to see other than office parks, you will be looking at the most expensive office space in the United States.

Restaurants in the vicinity including The Village Pub and Madera are a good place to play spot the venture capitalist. The Rosewood Hotel, located right off Sand Hill, even offers a Silicon Valley historical tour for its patrons.

Stanford University Stanford University, its affiliates, and graduates have played a major role in the development of this area.

Frederick Terman, as Stanford University’s dean of the school of engineering from 1946, encouraged faculty and graduates to start their own companies. In 1951 Terman spearheaded the formation of Stanford Industrial Park (now Stanford Research Park. Here the university leased portions of its land to high-tech firms. Terman is credited with nurturing companies like Hewlett-Packard, Varian Associates, Eastman Kodak, General Electric, Lockheed Corporation, and other high-tech firms, until what would become Silicon Valley grew up around the Stanford University campus.

many people around the world, it is little wonder visitors to the region are so intrigued with visiting Silicon Valley.

For more information, go to https://www.sanjose.org

Founded in 1939 in Packard’s garage by Stanford graduates Bill Hewlett and David Packard, Hewlett-Packard was a major success story while becoming the largest personal-computer manufacturer in the world, and transformed the home-printing market when it released the first thermal drop-on-demand ink-jet printer in 1984.

Address: 450 Serra Mall, Stanford, CA 94305

Silicon Valley Today Today Silicon Valley has the highest concentration of high-tech workers of any metropolitan area, with 285.9 out of every 1,000 private-sector workers.

Silicon Valley has the highest average high-tech salary in the United States at $144,800. Largely a result of the high technology sector, the San Jose-SunnyvaleSanta Clara, CA Metropolitan Statistical Area has the most millionaires and the most billionaires in the United States per capita.

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Traveling the Highways & Byways with Bill Graves Whitefish, Montana T he sun has just now started pushing color into the craggy slopes of Big Mountain north of town.

The air is crisp as it should be. It’s September, the beginning of it, and already pumpkins are piled up for Halloween in front of the Food Depot on Highway 93.

early risers, in jeans, stylish ski jackets and an occasional cowboy hat, are lined up at the door.

They appear a gregarious bunch, enjoying themselves and each other, radiating the euphoria of a relaxed weekend. I cannot but contrast this crowd with the taciturn weariness that was the prevailing mood a few mornings back at a Flying-J truck stop.

This is Whitefish, Montana, and it’s Sunday.

To fill time, I walked down Spokane Avenue, thinking as I passed the Medicine Bear Massage Therapeutic Body Works, now there is a place that I would like to know more about. Too bad it’s closed.

I’m in town to meet friends for breakfast at the Buffalo Café. As usual, I’m early. Of course, they’re not, and the Café is not open yet. Some other

A couple blocks further down is a park, across from the train depot. A young boy there was roughhousing on the grass with a dog that obviously

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weighed more than he did. His bike lay across the sidewalk.

“Railroad men are always nice to kids. My dad was a railroad man. That’s what the statue’s about.”

“You’re up early,” I said, as the dog ambled toward me with his tail wagging.

We talked briefly about his dad who was killed in recent days in a far-off war. Then he got on his bike and rode off to get the newspaper; his dog beside him. What a nice kid. Laid bare, this is the downside of a roaming lifestyle – meeting people and parting, too frequently, with more to be said.

“Came in to get the newspaper for my mom, but it’s not here yet.”

I glanced toward the depot. “Does it come on a train?”

“No, by truck,” he said, getting to his feet and picking up his backpack. “The train gets here at seven fifteen. In the winter, I know it brings tons of skiers from Seattle.”

“Who comes on it now?”

“Oh, probably fisherman, eh? I sure would. Me and my friends go fishing a lot. I’d like to ride the train, but I live here so I don’t need to.”

I asked what he knew about the nearby statue of a railroad man who was bending over, talking with a boy. He blinked, but seemed sure of his answer.

When I got back to Café, the line was slowly working its way through the open door and my friends were there. We got a table and I ordered Kansas City Breakfast Pie. It gets its name from the bacon that’s in it. About 10 items on the menu are named for customers – apparently good ones.

What’s next: Well, we’re going to Libby, an hour’s drive west of here, to their annual Nordicfest. A town of 2,600, it’s in the Kootenai National Forest, from where Libby gets it sustenance. Logging is the main business and recreation is big – primarily fishing. Libby is about as far west as you can go and still be in Montana – go straight north 35 miles and you’re in British Columbia.

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The show announcer was talking on the P.A. system about a couple schoolteachers from Minnesota.

This crowd knew them as “Ole and Lina”, the comic headliners at the Dome Theater last night.

Celebrating their Scandinavian heritage defines the Nordicfest, which spreads over four days. While some of our group ogled quilts at the Asa Wood School, others of us filled up on Swedish meatballs and some great bread with names that I can’t spell.

They get into an event here called “varpa” – a rockthrowing contest that originated in Sweden and Norway. Apparently it’s become a big deal at fairs in Minnesota and Iowa. Rocks range in weight from 50 to 100 pounds for men. Women throw a 50pound boulder. A few years ago, winner Heidi Sichting tossed the 50-pounder 21 feet, 3 inches.

Announcer: ‘“Lena passed away and Ole called 911. The 911 operator told Ole that she would send someone out right away. ‘Where do you live?’ asked the operator. Ole replied, ‘At the end of Eucalyptus Drive.’

‘Can you spell that for me,’ the operator asked. There was a long pause, finally Ole said, ‘How ‘bout if I drag her over to Oak Street and you pick her up der?’”

Their real names are Ann Berg and Bruce Danielson.

They began as a team many years ago volunteering as emcees at local school and community variety shows. Bruce told me that finding material is easy when you live in the heartland of ScandinavianAmerican culture.

Lena took the cue and interrupted Ole, “Didn’t you tell me that you were a pole-vaulter?” Ole said, “No! I’m Norvegian, and don’t call me Vaulter!”

We took the bridge across the Kootania River to the site of the International Fjord Horse Show.

The Norwegian Fjords, one of the world’s oldest and purest breeds, are draft horses, but smaller than the Clydesdales of Budweiser fame. The breed dates back to when Norse soldiers wore heavy armor and carried massive spears. Gentle by nature, they came to this country in 1888. There are about 3,000 of them now registered in the U.S. Their cool temperament and graceful balanced gaits, both under saddle and in harness, make them an ideal show horse for events like this.

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About the author: After seeing much of the world as a career naval officer, Bill Graves decided, after he retired, to take a closer look at the United States. He has been roaming the country for 20 years, much of it in a motorhome with his dog Rusty. He lives in Rancho Palos Verdes, California and is the author of On the Back Roads, Discovering Small Towns of America.

He can be reached at Roadscribe@aol.com.

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ount Shuksan has become the iconic face of the rugged North Cascades of Washington state, with its picturesque north face a ubiquitous presence on calendars and souvenirs.

It is probably the most well-known of the nonvolcanic peaks of the Cascade Range, a vivid reminder that the northern reaches of the range harbor more than giant snowy domes like nearby Mount Baker.

There are nine or ten non-volcanic peaks over 9,000 feet high in Washington (depending on how you count), and Shuksan lies about halfway down this list in both elevation and climbing challenge. Most of these peaks are not well-known to the general public because they lie far from roads, hidden in a giant thicket of high and craggy peaks.

Shuksan, however, towers over the Mount Baker ski area and the end of the Mount Baker Highway, a commanding presence at one of the most popular high-country trailheads and recreation areas in the Cascades.

The mountain is a huge, sprawling mass of ridges, pinnacles, and glaciers, almost its own sub-range.

Although the rugged northern side of the peak gives it its fame, the easiest route to the summit climbs the vast Sulphide Glacier from the south.

Mount Shuksan is a glaciated massif in the North Cascades National Park. Shuksan rises in Whatcom Byways 34

County, immediately to the east of Mount Baker, and 11.6 miles south of the Canada–U.S. border. The mountain's name Shuksan is derived from the Lummi Nation word šéqsən, said to mean “high peak”. The highest point on the mountain is a three sided peak known as Summit Pyramid.

North Cascades National Park includes more than 500,000 acres, and it is the largest of the three National Park Service units that comprise the North Cascades National Park Complex.

The Mount Baker Highway, State Route 542, is kept open during the winter to support the Mt. Baker Ski Area.

In late summer, the road to Artist Point allows visitors to travel a few miles higher for a closer view of the peak. Picture Lake is accessible on the highway and reflects the mountain, making it a popular site for photography.

Sulphide Creek Falls, one of the tallest waterfalls in North America, plunges off the southeastern flank of Mount Shuksan. There are four other tall waterfalls that spill off Mount Shuksan and neighboring Jagged Ridge and Seahpo Peak, mostly sourced from small snowfields and glaciers.

Heavy snows and a high risk of avalanches due to the steep terrain, especially on the western slopes, severely limit visitation in the winter.

North Cascades National Park is almost entirely protected as wilderness, and so the park has few structures, roads or other improvements. Visitors wishing to drive to a campground must do so in the adjacent national forests or national recreation areas.

Although there are some gravel roads open to the public that enter the park, such as the Cascade River Road beginning at Marblemount, and the Thornton Lakes Road near Newhalem, most automobile traffic travels on State Route 20, which passes through the Ross Lake National Recreation Area.

The visitor center at Newhalem on the North Cascades Highway is open in the summer. Some of the best views of Mount Shuksan are from the Heather Meadows Visitor Center in Mount BakerSnoqualmie National Forest well outside of the park.

All backcountry access requires a permit, and most are obtained at the Wilderness Information Center near Marblemount. Full accessibility for all is not available in the park, but the adjacent National Recreation Areas have a few trails, and all visitor centers, campgrounds and restrooms are fully accessible. https://www.stateofwatourism.com

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t. Nebo is the highest peak in the Wasatch Mountain Range in Utah. Residents and visitors alike often erroneously assume that Mt. Timpanogos is the highest. However, Mt. Nebo surpasses Timpanogos by 179 ft.

Named after the biblical Mt. Nebo overlooking Israel, which is said to be the place of Moses’ death, it is the centerpiece of the Mount Nebo Wilderness, inside the Uinta National Forest. Three major peaks comprise the summit of Nebo, the highest of which is the north summit. It is visible for miles in all direction.

The northern summit reaches 11,933 feet and the southern summit reaches 11,882 feet. Early surveys placed the southern peak as the highest, but the mountain was resurveyed in the 1970s and the northern peak was found to be higher.

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Interstate 15 passes on the west side of Mt. Nebo.

The Nebo Scenic Byway passes on the east side of Mt. Nebo and connects Payson on the north with Nephi to the south. The mountain is typically partially or completely covered in snow from midOctober until July.

Mt. Nebo Loop Scenic Byway The Mt. Nebo Loop Scenic Byway is a federally designated National Scenic Byway which departs I-15 at Payson and travels south through the Mt. Nebo Wilderness, climbing to over 9,000 feet before rejoining the interstate at Nephi.

The route features panoramic views of Mt. Nebo, the Utah Valley, and Utah Lake far below. There are numerous trailheads along the route for the hiking enthusiast, including a short walk to the “Devil’s

Kitchen”, with picnic facilities, a paved trail, and an observation deck.

The 38-mile Byway takes about 1.5 hours to complete. It is closed in the winter.

The spectacular red color of this amphitheater, with its many spires reminiscent of Bryce Canyon, is a brilliant contrast to the mountain greenery surrounding it. The Nebo Scenic Byway is not plowed in winter and approaches are longer and difficult.

Hiking Trails

The Byway crosses the Uinta National Forest between the cities of Nephi and Payson. It climbs to over 9,000 feet in elevation and provides breathtaking views of Utah Valley, the Wasatch Mountains and Mt. Nebo.

A substantial trail leads to the south summit, accessible from starting points on the east or west of the mountain. Another trail accesses the north summit, starting northeast of the mountain. A “bench trail” runs along the east side of the mountain from north to south at roughly 9,000 feet elevation. All of these trails are popular with hikers, though strenuous.

Mt. Nebo is usually climbed from June through October.

The Nebo Loop Byway is a photographer’s dream with many overlooks and wildlife viewing opportunities. The brilliant fall foliage of the Uinta National Forest is hard to match anywhere in the nation.

The Payson Lakes Recreation Area, 12 miles south of Payson, offers hiking on paved trails, improved picnic areas, camping, and excellent fishing.

The Byway also provides backcountry trail access into the Mt. Nebo Wilderness Area.

https://www.utah.com

For more information, visit:

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The Cog Railway is one of America’s most unique travel experiences. Similarly, the charming town of Manitou Springs is a tourist destination in its own right.

Manitou and Pikes Peak Cog Railway

Combined, there are over 750,000 visitors each year with the majority arriving during the months of June, July, and August.

ou have two great choices to reach the summit of Pikes Peak near Colorado Springs, Colorado. The Pikes Peak Highway has stunning views around each switchback. And the Broadmoor Manitou and Pikes Peak Cog Railway is a 3.5-hour round trip with 40 minutes at the summit.

After completing an expansive restoration project, the Broadmoor Manitou and Pikes Peak Cog Railway is back on track to usher in a whole new era of adventure on Pikes Peak, America’s Mountain.

Discover a renovated depot, new and rebuilt trains and miles of new tracks for Colorado adventurers on an age-old journey that has delighted visitors to the Pikes Peak region for 130 years.

Pikes Peak Highway The Pikes Peak Highway is a 19-mile toll road that runs from Cascade, Colorado to the summit of Pikes Peak at an altitude of 14,115 feet.

Point your wheels to the Pikes Peak Highway to reach Pikes Peak, the only fourteener peak in Colorado that you can drive all the way up to the

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summit. You’ll cruise a stunning 19 miles up Pikes Peak, beginning at 7,400 feet and ending at the top of the mountain. It’s one of North America’s most visited mountains, and for good reason. Keep your

eyes peeled for bighorn sheep, elk, deer and yellowbellied marmots.

Along the way, stop at the many pull-offs, including three lakes where you can fish or kayak. There’s also the Crystal Reservoir Visitor Center, the historic Glen Cove Inn, a dining area and gift shop at mile marker 13 and the new Summit Visitor Center at the top. The road is at least partially open year-round, up to the altitude where snow removal becomes excessively difficult.

At the top, experience the new interpretive exhibit space to learn more about this gorgeous mountain’s history, geology, wildlife and beyond.

Garden of the Gods Whether traveling by highway or cog railroad, you won’t want to miss the Garden of the Gods.

Otherworldly, extraordinary, a true geological wonder. At this registered National Natural Landmark, you’ll find sandstone rock formations that Byways 42

tower up to 300 feet above you and dramatic views all around, with rock climbing, bike tours, nature walks, and 21 miles of trails to explore.

It’s also home to a worldclass Visitor & Nature Center and Museum.

To learn more about visiting Colorado Springs and Pikes Peak, go to: https:// coloradosprings.gov/ pikes-peak-americasmountain https:// www.visitcos.com/ groups-tours t

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t 14,433 feet, Mount Elbert is the highest peak in Colorado and the second highest peak in the lower 48 states coming in just 63 feet below the tallest peak, Mount Whitney in the High Sierras of California.

The ultra-prominent fourteener is the highest peak in the Sawatch Range, as well as the highest point in the entire Mississippi River drainage basin. Mount Elbert is located in San Isabel National Forest, 12.1 miles southwest of the City of Leadville in Lake County, Colorado.

The mountain was named in honor of a Colorado statesman, Samuel Hitt Elbert, who was active in the formative period of the state and Governor of the Territory of Colorado from 1873 to 1874. Henry W. Stuckle of the Hayden Survey was the first to record an ascent of the peak, in 1874.

Mount Elbert is visible to the southwest of Leadville, Byways 46

often snow-capped even in the summer. Many other fourteeners surround Elbert in all directions, and it is very close to central Colorado’s Collegiate Peaks.

The neighboring Mount Massive, to the north, is the second-highest peak in the Rocky Mountains and the third-highest in the contiguous United States, and La Plata Peak, to the south, is the fifth-highest in the Rockies.

Including Alaska and Hawaii, Mount Elbert is the fourteenth-highest mountain in the United States.

Rapid Climate Change Weather conditions often change rapidly, and afternoon thunderstorms are common in the summertime; hailstorms and snow are possible yearround.

The community of Twin Lakes lies at the base of Mount Elbert, Denver is about 130 miles to the east,

Vail is 50 miles to the north, and Aspen is 40 miles to the west. Leadville, about 16 miles to the northeast, is the nearest large town.

Popular with Climbers The Sawatch Range peak is popular with climbers and hikers.

The easiest and most popular climbing routes are categorized as Class 1 to 2 or A+ in mountaineering parlance. Mount Elbert is therefore often referred to as the “gentle giant” that tops all others in the Rocky Mountains.

There are two main routes to the summit, which are the South Mt. Elbert Trail and the North (Main) Mt. Elbert Trail, both being well trodden Class 1 trails.

These relatively easy paths to the summit are busy in

the summer, attracting all types of hikers and climbers.

South Elbert Trail is 5.8 miles long and can be accessed from Shore Pretty Overlook above Twin Lakes on County Road 24. North (Main) Elbert Trail is 4.3 miles long and is located off the Halfmoon Road (FSR 110) southwest of Leadville. With an elevation gain of 4,400 feet, this trail can be quite strenuous, but definitely rewarding.

Although strenuous and requiring physical fitness, none of the conventional routes require specialist mountaineering skills or technical rock climbing. The main dangers of the mountain are those common to all high mountains, particularly altitude sickness.

This can affect anyone, even those who are acclimatized. Climbers are advised to begin their ascent at or before 6:00 am. and to summit and

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descend before early afternoon to minimize exposure to possible afternoon thunderstorms while at high altitudes.

View from the Top From the top the views in every direction are simply spectacular. Mt. Massive, the second highest mountain in Colorado, dominates the views towards the north, while 14,336-foot La Plata Peak can be seen looking towards the south. From this perch you will be standing at the

highest point between Mt. Whitney in California, Fairweather Mountain in Canada, La Malinche Mountain in Mexico, and Mont Blanc in France.

If you're looking for a place to stay the night before or after your hike, check out the historic Delaware Hotel in Leadville. It has a ton of history surrounding it, great food, and lacks the pretentiousness you’ll find in many of the surrounding ski towns.

For more on visiting Colorado: https://www.colorado.com

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ou don’t often think of mountains and canyons in Texas. Welcome to Guadalupe Mountains National Park.

Experience mountains and canyons, desert and dunes, night skies and spectacular vistas within a place unlike any other. Guadalupe Mountains National Park protects the world’s most extensive Permian fossil reef, the four highest peaks in Texas, Byways 52

an environmentally diverse collection of flora and fauna, and the stories of lives shaped through conflict, cooperation and survival.

Guadalupe Mountains National Park was authorized by an act of Congress (Public Law 89-667) in 1966 to preserve “an area possessing outstanding geological values together with scenic and other natural values of great significance.”

Guadalupe Peak, 8,751 feet above sea level, is the highest point in Texas.

The Guadalupe Mountains are part of a mostly buried 400-mile-long U-shaped fossil reef complex, Capitan Reef, which extends through a large area of west Texas and southeastern New Mexico.

The longest exposed stretch of Capitan Reef, 12 miles of which is in the park, extends from Guadalupe Mountains National Park northeast almost to the city of Carlsbad, New Mexico, a distance of almost 40 miles.

History The cultural history of the Guadalupe Mountains includes native peoples and successive waves of

Today, Guadalupe Mountains National Park includes 86,416 acres in west Texas, just south of the New Mexico state line and north of U.S. Highway 62/180.

The Guadalupe Mountains rise more than 3,000 feet above the arid Chihuahuan Desert that surrounds them. El Capitan, the park’s most striking feature, is a 1,000-foot-high limestone cliff. Nearby Byways 53

European American explorers, travelers, and immigrants. Although Spanish explorers passed through the area in 1692, the arid desert and remote highlands of the Guadalupe Mountains were the domain of American Indian peoples until the mid-1800s.

Gradually, explorers and pioneers entered the area and navigated using the distinctive landmark of the Guadalupes. In 1858 the Butterfield Overland Stage Line began carrying mail and passengers through the Guadalupe Mountains on the nation’s first transcontinental mail route.

Over 80 miles of hiking trails offer easy nature walks through desert flora; more moderate hikes follow canyons and reach riparian oases, and strenuous all Byways 54

day hikes can take you into high country forest or to the “Top of Texas”.

The peak can be climbed by a maintained stony trail (4.25 miles each way) with a 3,000 feet elevation gain at any time of the year. The trail is part of the network of hiking trails in the surrounding national park.

Pyramid at the Summit A stainless steel pyramid marks the summit. It was erected by American Airlines in 1958 to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the

Butterfield Overland Mail, a stagecoach route that passed south of the mountain.

One side of the pyramid has the American Airlines logo. The second side displays a U.S. Postal Service tribute to the Pony Express Riders of the Butterfield Stage. The third side displays a compass with the logo of the Boy Scouts of America.

To enjoy the views from below, stop by the Pine Springs Visitor Center, walk through the museum, watch the visitor slide show, and walk the Pinery Nature Trail. https://www.nps.gov/gumo/index.htm t

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rater of Diamonds State Park is celebrating its 50th year as an Arkansas state park this year.

Located in Murfreesboro, AR, the park is North America’s only public diamond mine since the State of Arkansas purchased the 37.5-acre deposit of diamond-bearing ore and 800 surrounding acres in March of 1972.

Over the past 50 years, more than 4.5 million people have come from all over the world to search for diamonds in Arkansas.

“Crater of Diamonds State Park has become one of the most recognizable ambassadors for Arkansas,” said Stacy Hurst, secretary of the Arkansas Department of Parks, Heritage and Tourism. “In many cases, if people outside our state know little else about us, they know that you can come to Arkansas and search for diamonds. We are proud of this unique feature and look forward to celebrating this important milestone for the park in April.”

Shea Lewis, director of Arkansas State Parks, is looking forward to Byways 56

celebrating the past 50 years of the state park and looking ahead to the future.

“All of our 52 state parks are unique,” Lewis said, “but Crater of Diamonds offers an experience that you literally can’t find anywhere else in North America. I am extremely proud of the staff we have and their commitment to making that experience special for each of our park guests.”

Esperanza Display The park will also unveil a new display commemorating the discovery of the 8.52-carat Esperanza Diamond. Park Interpreter Waymon Cox said, “The Esperanza is the sixth-largest gem discovered at the Crater of Diamonds in the past 50 years and has an exceptional quality and beauty.”

Finding a diamond is a thrilling experience for those guests fortunate enough to uncover a hidden gem during their visit, but that experience alone doesn’t capture the full value of

In September 2015, the diamond was cut into a triolette shape visiting Crater of Diamonds State Park.

weighing 4.6 carats. It was graded as colorless (D) and internally flawless (IF) by the American Gem Society and appraised at $1 million. A diamond marker and informational plaque will be unveiled in the approximate location of the original find on the south end of the diamond search area.

“Part of a diamond’s value comes from its rarity,” Park Superintendent Caleb Howell said. “Few visitors find diamonds at the park, but most leave happy because they find something more valuable here: the chance to reconnect with family and friends in a natural setting. We’re celebrating a half-century of providing a place for people to do just that.”

For more information, contact Crater of Diamonds State Park at 870-285-3113, or email CraterofDiamonds@arkansas.com.

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Quick Facts about Crater of Diamonds State Park Diamonds come in all colors of the rainbow. The three most common colors found at Crater of Diamonds State Park are white, brown and yellow, in that order.

In total, more than 75,000 diamonds have been unearthed at the Crater of Diamonds since the first diamonds were discovered in 1906 by John Huddleston, a farmer who owned the land long before it became an Arkansas State Park in 1972.

The largest diamond ever discovered in the United States was unearthed here in 1924 during an early mining operation. Named the Uncle Sam, this white diamond with a pink cast weighed 40.23 carats. It was later cut into a 12.42-carat emerald shape and purchased by a private collector for $150,000 in 1971.

Crater of Diamonds State Park is located on Arkansas Highway 301 in Murfreesboro. It is one of 52 state parks administered by Arkansas State Parks, a division of the Arkansas Department of Parks, Heritage, and Tourism. https://www.arkansas.com

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Byways is published bi-monthly by Byways, Inc. and distributed electronically throughout North America.

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