Christian Romberg Wrote:
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> Hi,
> I'm just watching some vintage movies from Green
> Frog, and I've noticed,
> that the vegetation at many locations, e.g. Windy
> Point is now much higher, more trees, less view.
> What's the reason for that? Was there any
> event/human influence which had removed the trees
> well before the 1950/60ties, and now they have
> regrown?
> Christian
Might be interesting to know that in the 20s, the D&RGW was actually planting trees on Cumbres Pass.
Ignacio Chieftain
June 1, 1923
To Plant Trees Along Railroad To Stop Drifting Snow
Snow, every winter, cauised very serious trouble along the D&RGW RR between Alamosa and Durango. This is especially true at Cumbres Pass, in the Rio Grande National Forest, lying at an altitude of slightly more than 10,000 feet. Here snow piles up to a considerable depth, driven by severe winds lasting for days at a time and causing cessation of all railroad operations. Snow even drifts into the ends of snow sheds, completely blocking traffic.
Railway officials have observed that wherever trees occur along the right of way, snow drifts are not as deep and the force of the wind is much lessened. In the Dakotas, the Northern Pacific, Canadian Pacific, and Soo lines have planted tree wind breaks along their lines, which have proven most effective in preventing snow from piling up on the tracks.
General Manager J. Russell and Supervisor of Agriculture W. H. Olin of the Learning of this, the D&RGW officials soliciting the assistance of the US Forest Service and a cooperative plan has been worked out by which 2500 trees were reserved at the Monument nursery and will this season be planted along the railroad right-of-way on Cumbres Pass.
The experiment will be tried out with Englemann Spruce, Douglas Fir and yellow pine from the Monument nursery and aspen and evergreens dug up from the Rio Grande National Forest in that locality. The most effective system of planting to prevent snow drifting, according to Fred R. Johnson in charge of planting in the Rocky Mountain district of the US Forest Service, is to plan three of four rows, then leave a space of 40 feet as snow trap, then plant three or four more rows. The greater bulk of snow will accumulate in the trap and the ROW remain fairly free from deep snow. General Manager J. Russell and Supervisor of Agriculture W. H. Olin of the D&RGW railroad were instrumental in arranging this cooperation and Division Supt. Duell of Alamosa and Mr. Johnson of the forest service will handle the planting.
Jerry Day
Longmont, CO
