Thompson 165. Rocky Mt. Natl. Park June 25, 1931 Trip with Madsen Driscoll and G.M.H. to Spragues & Hidden Valley to see Beaver works. The situation at Hidden Valley is this: The road has been built along 3 beaver ponds. The whole beaver lay-out is an unusually fine "show" for tourists. Beavers have been in this valley for at least 15 years, according to Sprague. The aspen and willow are about gone. So it is evident that the beaver will eat themselves out of the valley within a few more years. 3 enormous houses are in the 3 ponds, possibly. Probably each house contains more than one family of beavers. The park would like to hold the number to one or two pairs so that there would always be beaver along this road. She all agreed that in this one instance it is perhaps justifiable, provided no precedent is made and the beaver elsewhere in the park are not "managed." At Spragues the beavers have a pond close to Sprague's house. The aspens & willows are kept down but a good supply of aspen sprouts.