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diff --git a/40360-0.txt b/40360-0.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6c576cc --- /dev/null +++ b/40360-0.txt @@ -0,0 +1,3194 @@ +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 40360 *** + +GUIDE TO YOSEMITE + +A HANDBOOK +OF THE TRAILS AND ROADS OF YOSEMITE +VALLEY AND THE ADJACENT +REGION + +_by_ + +ANSEL F. HALL + +U.S. NATIONAL PARK SERVICE +IN CHARGE OF INFORMATION +YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK + + + + +Transcriber's Note: Words surrounded by the symbol ~ indicate +instances of bold type. + + + + + [Illustration: Aeroplane View of Yosemite Valley and its Adjacent + Region. + + Key To Aeroplane View. + + 1 Artist's Point + 2 Inspiration Point + 3 Old Insp. Point + 4 Stanford Point + 5 Crocker Point + 6 Dewey Point + 7 Bridal Veil Falls + 8 Cathedral Rocks + 9 Cathedral Spires + 10 Taft Point + 11 The Fissures + 12 Sentinel Rock + 13 Union Point + 14 Glacier Point + 15 Sentinel Dome + 16 Illilouette Falls + 17 Panorama Cliff + 18 Vernal Falls + 19 Nevada Falls + 20 Little Yosemite + 21 Liberty Cap + 22 Mt. Broderick + 23 Half Dome + 24 Mt. Watkins + 25 Indian Rock + 26 Basket Dome + 27 North Dome + 28 Washington Column + 29 Royal Arches + 30 Yosemite Point + 31 Lost Arrow + 32 Yosemite Falls + 33 El Capitan + 34 Ribbon Fall + 35 Mirror Lake + 36 Camp Curry + 37 Yosemite Village and Sentinel Hotel + 38 Yosemite Lodge + 39 Three Brothers, (Eagle Peak) + 40 Red Peak. 11,700 Ft. + 41 Mt. Starr King. 9,181 Ft. + 42 Grey Peak. 11,561 Ft. + 43 Mt. Clark. 11,506 Ft. + 44 Foerster Peak. 12,062 Ft. + 45 Electra Peak. 12,462 Ft. + 46 Rodgers Peak. 13,006 Ft. + 47 Mt. Lyell. 13,050 Ft. + 48 Mt. Florence. 12,507 Ft. + 49 Mt. McClure. 12,500 Ft. + 50 Lake Washburn. 7,640 Ft. + 51 Lake Merced. 7,150 Ft. + 52 Cloud's Rest. 9,924 Ft + 53 Sunrise Mt. 9,800 Ft + 54 Mammoth Peak. 12,215 Ft. + 55 Castle in the Air. 10,760 Ft. + 56 Cathedral Peak. 10,433 Ft. + 57 Gibbs Mountain. 12,700 Ft. + 58 Tenaya Peak. 10,200 Ft. + 59 Dana Mountain. 13,050 Ft. + 60 Lake Tenaya. 8,141 Ft. + 61 Fairview Dome. 9,737 Ft. + 62 Tuolumne Meadows. 8,594 Ft.] + + + + +Introduction + + +This Guide and Trail Companion was brought about by thousands of +requests for practical information concerning the many short +excursions from Yosemite. Besides briefly describing Yosemite Valley, +its scenic features, and the immediately adjacent portion of the +Sierra, detailed information has been introduced concerning each trail +and road in the region. These are described just as they are actually +followed, and attention is called to each point of interest just as it +is discovered during the trip itself. As far as possible, complete +data has been introduced on condition of trails, time required to make +the trips, fishing, camp sites, forage conditions, etc., in short all +kinds of information which would be demanded of a hired guide. + +The original draft of this Handbook was prepared in collaboration with +Forest S. Townsley, Chief Ranger of Yosemite National Park. Later, each +of the Park Rangers suggested valuable additions, and several members +of the Sierra Club contributed bits of valuable information. The +author has freely consulted old books and pamphlets in the Bancroft +Historical Library at the University of California and has included +several points of historical interest. + +Acknowledgment is also due to Mr. Herbert Maier for the drawings and +maps here reproduced and to the United States Geological Survey for +permission to reproduce a portion of the "Administrative Map of +Yosemite National Park." + +Suggestions as to additions or corrections which would make this +booklet more useful to the public would be greatly appreciated and +should be addressed to the author, care of United States National Park +Service, Yosemite, California. + +ANSEL F. HALL + +In charge of Information +Yosemite National Park + +Yosemite, California +May 1, 1920 + + + + +COPYRIGHT 1920 +_by_ +ANSEL F. HALL + + + + +CONTENTS + + +~The Yosemite Region~ 1 + +~Yosemite Valley~ 2 + Origin 2 + Early History 2 + General Features of the Valley 3 + The Waterfalls 5 + +~Yosemite Village~ 8 + +~Yosemite Roads~ 13 + I El Portal to Yosemite via El Capitan Road 14 + I-A Pohono Bridge to Yosemite via Bridalveil Road 18 + II-A Tour of the Floor of the Valley 20 + III Yosemite to Glacier Point via Chinquapin Road 26 + IV Yosemite to Tenaya Lake, Tuolumne Meadows, and + Mono Lake via Big Oak Flat and Tioga Roads 30 + V Yosemite to Hetch Hetchy via Big Oak Flat Road + and Hetch Hetchy Railroad 38 + VI Yosemite to El Portal via El Capitan Road 39 + VI-A Yosemite Village to Pohono Bridge via Bridalveil Road 43 + +~Yosemite Trails~ 46 + 1 Yosemite to Glacier Point via Vernal and Nevada Falls and + return via the Short Trail 47 + 2 Yosemite to Glacier Point via the Short Trail and return + via Vernal and Nevada Falls 52 + 3 Yosemite to North Dome via Yosemite Falls and return + via Mirror Lake 56 + 4 Yosemite to North Dome via Mirror Lake and return via + Yosemite Falls 60 + 5 Yosemite to Tenaya Lake via Clouds Rest and Forsyth + Pass and return via Mirror Lake 63 + 6 Yosemite to Tenaya Lake via Mirror Lake and return + via Forsyth Pass and Clouds Rest 67 + 7 Yosemite to Lake Merced 70 + 8 Yosemite to Tuolumne Meadows via Sunrise Trail 72 + 9 Yosemite to Eagle Peak, El Capitan and Gentry 75 + 10 Yosemite to Ten Lakes via Yosemite Creek 76 + 11 Yosemite to Hetch Hetchy via Yosemite Creek, Harden Lake, + and Smith Meadow 79 + 12 Yosemite to Sierra Point 81 + 13 Little Yosemite 81 + 14 Half Dome 83 + 15 Yosemite to Glacier Point via the Ledge Trail 85 + 16 Glacier Point to Sentinel Dome 86 + 17 Glacier Point to Fort Monroe via Pohono Trail 87 + 18 Fort Monroe to Glacier Point via Pohono Trail 88 + 19 Glacier Point to Wawona via Alder Creek Trail 90 + 20 Glacier Point to Ostrander Lake 92 + 21 Glacier Point to Chilnualna Falls or Johnson Lake via + the Buck Camp Trail 93 + 22 Glacier Point to Johnson Lake via Buena Vista Trail 94 + 23 Yosemite or Glacier Point to Moraine Meadows via + Merced Pass Trail 96 + 24 Wawona Road to El Portal via the Sunset Trail 97 + 25 Wawona Road to El Portal via the Hennessy Trail 98 + + + + +THE YOSEMITE REGION + + +"By far the grandest of the western ranges is the Sierra Nevada, a +long and massive uplift lying between the arid deserts of the Great +Basin and the Californian exuberance of grain-fields and orchards; +its eastern slope, a defiant wall of rock plunging abruptly down to +the plain; the western, a long, dry sweep, well watered and overgrown +with cool, stately forests; its crest a line of sharp, snowy peaks +springing into the sky and catching the _alpenglow_ long after the sun +has set for all the rest of America."[1] + + [1] From "Mountaineering in the Sierra Nevada," by Charles + King. + +About midway between the north and south ends of this "Snowy Range" +and extending from the ragged summits of its eastern edge to the +semi-arid foothills at the west, lies Yosemite National Park, 1125 +square miles of incomparable scenic beauty. + +Yosemite Valley, contrary to most peoples' preconceived idea, lies +fully 25 miles west of the Sierra crest. It is countersunk 4000 feet +into the granite of the gently inclined plateau, which above its rim +averages from 7000 to 8000 feet in elevation. The characteristics of +this region immediately adjacent to Yosemite Valley are different from +those of the High Sierra to the past. Very little of it is above the +timber-line, as the dominating summits--Mount Hoffman (10,921) at the +north, Clouds Rest (9924) at the east, Mount Starr King (9179) at the +southeast, and Horse Ridge (9600) at the south--average less than +10,000 feet in altitude. The magnificent forests with which the slopes +are clothed are interspersed with perfectly formed granite domes, with +meadows and wild-flower gardens, with polished granite pavements, and +with innumerable manifestations of Nature which give the trails of the +region an ever-changing charm. + + + + +YOSEMITE VALLEY + + +Bisecting this district from east to west is the great trough of +Yosemite Valley, its bottom gouged down more than half way to sea +level. The same type of geological architecture is exemplified by the +Hetch Hetchy a few miles to the north and by the canyons of the San +Joaquin, Kings and Kern to the south. In none of these however, are +magnitude, beauty and accessibility so ideally combined as in +Yosemite. + + +ORIGIN + +As to the origin of these valleys, and of Yosemite in particular, +there is still some discussion among scientists. Whitney's old theory +of a great cataclysm and the sinking of a small block of the earth's +crust has been entirely displaced, and geologists are now seeking to +determine if glaciers have been solely responsible for the present +landscape or whether ice and water worked hand in hand. A good summary +of the various theories of geological history, as well as a popular +discussion of all the geological phenomena of the region, is contained +in the "Sketch of Yosemite National Park and an Account of the Origin +of Yosemite and Hetch Hetchy Valleys," by Dr. F. E. Matthes of the +U.S. Geological Survey. This government publication may be obtained in +Yosemite at the office of the Superintendent for ten cents. + + +EARLY HISTORY + +Yosemite Valley remained undiscovered by white men until in 1850 +marauding Indian bands from the mountains raided several foothill +trading posts. In retaliation the "Mariposa Battalion" was organized +to subdue these mountain tribes and force them into a large +reservation, the San Joaquin Valley. The last to be conquered and the +most warlike were the Yosemites living in fancied security in their +stronghold, the deep grassy valley of "Awahnee." It was in pursuit of +this tribe that the members of the Mariposa Battalion first entered +Yosemite on March 21, 1851. The story of the one-sided campaigns which +extended over two summers is well told by Dr. W. L. Bunnell, the +surgeon of the party, in his "Discovery of the Yosemite and the Indian +War of 1851" (4th Edition, 1911, G. W. Gerlicher, Los Angeles). + +An excellent summary of the early history of Yosemite Valley has +recently been published as a Park Service bulletin and may be obtained +free at the government information bureau in Yosemite. + + +GENERAL FEATURES OF THE VALLEY + +All points of scenic interest are indicated in the road and trail +trips, but the following brief discussion of the major features of the +valley may serve to orient the new-comer. In this connection the +aeroplane-view frontispiece will be found exceedingly useful. + +First and most impressive are the great rock masses. The square-cut +3200 foot cliff of El Capitan at the Gates of the Valley is regarded +by many as the most awe-inspiring of all great rocks; yet others +affirm that Half Dome, a few miles eastward, is just as mighty and far +more lovable. + +The castellated Cathedral Rocks rising half to two-thirds as high as +El Capitan on the opposite side of the valley are dwarfed in +comparison, but are given an individual personality by their +exceptional outline. Just eastward, the marvelously delicate pinnacles +of the Cathedral Spires, each towering over 500 feet from its base, +stand out from the great south wall. Less interesting but very mighty +are the Three Brothers, rising 3800 feet as a great buttress of the +north wall. Opposite them the Sentinel Rock, a huge obelisk-like watch +tower, guards the south ramparts. + +At the upper end of the valley the dome formation is dominant. To the +north are the rounded summits of North Dome, Basket Dome and Mount +Watkins. The granite walls below them have fractured in great +concentric arcs, forming the marvelously symmetrical Royal Arches, +at the east end of which is the striking vertical promontory of +Washington Column. At the edge of the perpendicular cliffs of the +south wall is Glacier Point, the finest lookout point in the valley, +and a short distance back from the rim are the symmetrical curves of +Sentinel Dome. + +Yosemite Valley is formed by the confluence of two great +canyons--Tenaya Canyon from the northeast and the upper Merced Canyon +from the southeast. Between them originates a great backbone ridge +which extends many miles to the northeast and exhibits many examples +of dome structure and glacial sculpture. Lowest of its promontories is +the roughly hewn Grizzly Peak, which is flanked on the east by the +well rounded summits and smoothly planed sides of Mount Broderick and +Liberty Cap. Then, standing in massive isolation 5000 feet above the +valley and 2000 feet above its immediate base is Half Dome. Further to +the northeast along the ridge are the two Quarter Domes, the Pinnacles +and Clouds Rest, the highest summit in the immediate vicinity of +Yosemite. + +Tenaya Canyon, a great glaciated gorge countersunk thousands of feet +into the granite, is practically impassable. The main canyon of the +Merced, however, as it comes from the east, widens to form the Little +Yosemite Valley. With its level meadows and sheer granite walls +flanked by perfectly formed domes, it is marvelously like Yosemite but +smaller. Further eastward is the High Sierra. + + +THE WATERFALLS + +There are five great waterfalls in Yosemite and a number of lesser +ones which would be world-famous were it not for the comparison. +During the flood waters of spring they are at the height of their +beauty, amplifying the living landscape by their many columns and +booming power. Later, as the snow fountains of the high places are +gradually depleted, they take on a more filmy gracefulness but are +lacking in exuberant impressiveness. + +Three of the five falls, the Bridalveil, Yosemite and Illilouette, +leap from hanging valleys into the main canyon. All of the minor falls +are of the same type. Vernal and Nevada Falls, on the other hand, are +formed by the entire Merced River pouring over great steps in the +mighty box canyon at the east end of the valley. + +First seen and most graceful is the ~Bridalveil~, dropping daintily +620 feet at the right portal of the great valley gate. Well may we +wonder how this charming fall with its exquisite rainbows came to be +called Pohono or "spirit of the evil wind" by the Indians. + +Most famous of all, the highest fall in Yosemite and in all the world, +is the ~Yosemite~. Its first sheer plunge of 1430 feet would set it +apart as the greatest of its kind, but by a series of six quick jumps +it descends another 800 feet to the brink of the final precipice, over +which it leaps gracefully 320 feet to the valley floor. Seen from +below, the 2600-foot drop often appears as one fall though in reality +the Upper Fall is fully one third of a mile back of the lower. In +winter a great ice cone, sometimes 500 feet high, forms beneath this +Upper Fall, and its collapse causes riotous ice-floods in early +spring. "Choolook," which in Yosemite dialect meant simply "the fall," +has a most changing personality. In late summer and autumn he loses +much of his springtime power and obeys every whim of the ever-changing +winds. But the most delightful of all his moods may be seen during the +time of the full moon when the foot of the Lower Fall is veiled by the +delicate iridescence of lunar rainbows. + +From the western edge of Panorama Cliff the lace-like ~Illilouette +Falls~ disappears into its box canyon east of Glacier Point. The filmy +character of its 370-foot foam-curtain is almost never appreciated +because of the lack of a proper view-point. The old Indian name +Too-tool-a-we-ack sought to reproduce the sound of gurgling and +falling water. + +~Vernal~ and ~Nevada~ pour over the rims of two successive glacial +amphitheatres in the main canyon of the Merced. Both carry a great +volume of water and are much less variable than the mural falls. + +~Vernal~, dropping 317 feet in a wide and unbroken sheet, has often +been pronounced the symmetrically perfect of all falls. Its foot is +always bathed in blowing mists which give rise to most exquisite +circular rainbows. Referring to the spray, the Yosemites called the +fall Yan-o-pah or "little water cloud." + +~Nevada~, widely tossing out its spray-rockets, gives a vast +impression of power which is probably nowhere equaled except in the +Grand Canyon of the Tuolumne. In its descent of 594 feet it strikes a +projecting ledge, which caused the Indians to name it Yo-wy-we or +"twisting rock." + +There is yet another great fall in the Yosemite region, but concerning +it little is known. It is so inaccessible in the mighty Tenaya Canyon +that it is even nameless, and no one has ever reached its base. Seen +from afar pouring over a rounded precipice in the canyon bottom it +appears to be between 600 and 1000 feet in height. + +The ~minor falls~ are very beautiful in early spring but all are +ephemeral, blooming delightfully with the melting of snows, but dying +in summer. Largest and best known are the Cascade Falls, which drop +594 feet over the north wall of the lower Merced Canyon and form one +of the chief objects of interest in the ride from El Portal to +Yosemite. Ribbon Fall, highest of all, descends delicately in one +1612-foot leap into a recess just west of El Capitan. From the rugged +south wall Widow's Tears pours 1170 feet to the rock talus. Just west +of Sentinel Rock is a series of picturesque cascades which, in spring, +are dignified by the name of Sentinel Falls. Royal Arch Fall is one of +the most beautiful but most ephemeral of the small falls. During +sudden rainstorms or usually rapid thaws, supplementary falls pour +into the valley over many of its ramparts. John Muir describes the +storm of 1871 in which fifty-six such cataracts appeared in the upper +end of Yosemite Valley. + + + + +YOSEMITE VILLAGE + + +On the banks of the Merced where once stood Haw-kaw-koo´-e-tah, the +home of the Yo-ham´-i-te tribe, is Yosemite Village. The accompanying +map, drawn May 1, 1920, indicates all places of public interest, but +on account of contemplated building activities several changes may be +expected within the next few seasons. Yosemite has recently been +granted a second-class postoffice with branches at Camp Curry and +Yosemite Lodge and with free delivery service to camps on the valley +floor. + +At the U.S. National Park Service Administrative Building are the +offices of the Park Superintendent, Chief Ranger and other executive +officers. In front of the building is a free information bureau with a +park ranger in charge. Government maps and bulletins may here be +obtained free or at a very nominal cost. Adjacent is a motorists' +information bureau maintained by the California State Automobile +Association. At the left entrance is the telegraph and telephone +office maintained by the government. The Yosemite Museum, which +contains many excellent exhibits of the flora and fauna of the region +is temporarily housed in this building. + +Hotel accommodations in Yosemite Valley are limited to one hotel and +two large hotel-camps. The Sentinel Hotel in Yosemite Village, though +offering good service and a splendid cuisine, has been outgrown and +will soon be superseded by a very much larger and more modern +building. + +Camp Curry, a large hotel-camp about one mile east of the village on +the road to Happy Isles, is delightfully situated beneath Glacier +Point, an ideal spot from which to view the famous "Fire Fall," a +beautiful cataract of fire which is nightly pushed from the cliff 3000 +feet above. The camp has a wide reputation for its democratic +atmosphere. + + [Illustration: Map of Yosemite Village. + + LEGEND + + = Road === Sec. Road --- Footpath + + 1. P.O. and General Store + 2. Boyson Studio + 3. Foley Studio + 4. N.P.S. Office + 5. Best Studio + 6. Government Pavilion + 7. Y.N.P. Co. Office + 8. Ivy Cottage + 9. Sentinel Hotel + 10. Cedar Cottage + 11. River Cottage + 12. Rock Cottage + 13. Native Son Sequoia + 14. Fiske House + 15. Bakery and Creamery + 16. Butcher Shop + 17. Pillsbury Studio + 18. Chapel + 19. Garage + 20. Foot Bridge + 21. Sentinel Bridge + 22. Old Jorgensen Studio + 23. Grizzly Hotel Site + 24. New Administration Bldg. Site + 25. Ranger's Clubhouse + 26. Government Barns & Shops + 27. Zoo + 28. Government Cottages + 29. Old Camp Lost Arrow + 30. School House + 31. Camp Yosemite + 32. Camp Yos. Swimming Pool + 33. Government Cottages + 34. Superintendent's House + 35. Yosemite Hospital] + +Yosemite Lodge, formerly called Yosemite Camp, is the other large +hotel-camp, and is located one-half mile north of Yosemite Village +near the azalia-bordered Yosemite Creek. It offers most attractive +views of Yosemite Falls and is well maintained by the Yosemite +National Park Company. + +At the rim of the valley is Glacier Point Hotel with every modern +convenience, and an unsurpassable view of Yosemite and the High +Sierra. + +Lodges are maintained at the Mariposa Grove of Big Trees and at Lake +Tenaya and Merced Lake in the High Sierra. + +The general store is adequately stocked to supply the tourist and +camper with all his needs--supplies, clothing, sporting goods, drugs, +etc. The Housekeeping Camps Department supplies all kinds of camping +or outing equipment at very reasonable rates. Opposite the store is +the bakery and creamery, and the meat market. + +During the season of 1920 the general garage will be moved from its +location near Yosemite Lodge to a point just southeast of the new +Rangers' Club House. A large free storage garage is maintained by Camp +Curry. Gasoline and oils may be obtained at several service stations +on the floor of the valley and at a few outposts on the park roads. + +The Government Pavilion, on the banks of the Merced near the center of +the village, is a social center for dances, lectures, moving pictures, +etc. There is also an excellent entertainment and dance hall at Camp +Curry. + +Religious services are held in Yosemite Chapel which faces the +postoffice. + +In the village are four studios, two of them doing photographic work +exclusively, and the other two specializing in oils and water-colors. +Studios are also maintained at Yosemite Lodge and Camp Curry. + +There are two large swimming tanks, one at Yosemite Lodge and one at +Camp Curry. Both are open to the general public. + +Between the village and Camp Curry is the picturesque Le Conte +Memorial Lodge, which is sustained by the Sierra Club. The Yosemite +Library is housed here and hundreds of photographs, flower specimens, +maps, etc., make the building a favorite of the thousands of visitors. +Each year the Extension Division of the University of California +arranges a series of "Le Conte Memorial Lectures," which are here +delivered. They are exceptionally interesting and all well attended, +for in them the most eminent scientific authorities interpret the +natural history, folklore, geology and other subjects exemplified by +the Yosemite region. + +North of the Merced and about a third of a mile from the center of the +village is the schoolhouse and a group of other government buildings. +One of these is the menagerie and contains several wild animals +captured in the region. The chief exhibits are a pair of California +mountain lions, and a number of bear. In this vicinity is also the +quaint old Yosemite Cemetery, where rest many of the pioneers of the +early days. + +Near Yosemite Lodge is the Yosemite Hospital with a competent +physician and surgeon in charge. During part of the season a dentist +is also in attendance. + +About twenty camp grounds have been prepared for the free use of the +public by the Park Service. Water is piped to these localities and a +sanitation system provided for. Applications for camp sites should be +made at the National Park Service office in Yosemite Village. Those +without outfits, who desire to establish camps, may arrange at the +Housekeeping Camps Department of the Yosemite National Park Company +(at Camp 17, a quarter mile east of Sentinel Bridge and north of the +river) to rent all necessary equipment. This will be delivered and set +up ready for occupancy. It is advisable to arrange in advance for the +outfit desired. + +An auto-bus service (fare 10c and 25c) to all points on the valley +floor provides a quick and convenient means of transportation. All +main roads are paralleled by trails for the use of pedestrians. + +Information as to the hiring of horses and automobiles, arrangements +for camping tours, and about many other items of general interest, is +contained in the "Circular of General Information regarding Yosemite +National Park," which may be obtained free at any of the government +information bureaus. + + + + +YOSEMITE ROADS + + +The roads of Yosemite have just passed their initial stage of +development. Most of the 138 miles of road in the park were built +for old-time stage coaches and for horse travel. With the advent +of the motor has come a second period--that of reconstruction and +improvement. The highway from El Portal to Yosemite and the roads on +the floor of the valley illustrate the type of present-day +construction; but it must be remembered with indulgence that such +roads are just beginning to be, and that most of the park routes, +although not at all bad, are yet mountain roads. + +Let us assume that the motorist is now in Yosemite. Besides the routes +to the low country, the following scenic trips may be taken within the +park: + + 1. A Tour of the Valley. + 2. El Portal and return. + 3. Glacier Point. + 4. The Mariposa Big Trees. + 5. Tuolumne Big Trees. + 6. Hetch Hetchy. + 7. Lake Tenaya and the High Sierra route to Mono Lake and Tahoe. + +Each of these (except number four) is described +in the following road trips. + + +ROAD TRIP I + +EL PORTAL TO YOSEMITE _via_ EL CAPITAN ROAD + +(15 miles--1-1/4 hours by stage) + +Most charming because of the climax of ever-increasing scenic beauty +and grandeur, is the fifteen-mile ride from El Portal up the gorge of +the Merced to Yosemite. It is rather to be regretted that modern +auto-busses hurry us over the new highway in less than an hour and a +half, giving us scarce time to appreciate the majesty and beauty of +the ever-changing panorama. + +Leaving ~El Portal~, the road parallels the north bank of the Merced, +passing beneath gnarled oaks and silver-gray digger pines. In the high +water of early spring, Indian Creek, across the canyon, descends over +the picturesque ~Chinquapin Falls~. Entering the gateway of Yosemite +National Park, we follow up the riotous Merced River, noting here and +there a hardy yellow pine or an incense cedar venturing down to the +canyon bottom. About two miles inside the park is ~Avalanche Falls~ +across the river. The trail bridge below is the crossing of the Sunset +Trail, which ascends past the foot of the fall and climbs 2500 feet to +the Wawona Road. A short distance up the canyon the road passes +beneath ~Arch Rock~, a natural tunnel formed by huge blocks of +granite. Just beyond, Grouse Creek descends the south canyon wall by a +series of cascades. + +We have now entered the true mountain forest, and ride beneath yellow +pines, incense cedars, Douglas firs and now and then a true fir. +~Elephant Rock~ towers above and to the right. Just below it is +~Battleship Harbor~, a placid stretch of the Merced in which fancied +granite dreadnaughts ride anchor. At the left the old ~Coulterville +Road~ steeply descends the canyon wall and joins the main highway. +This first road to Yosemite was opened in 1874 and was for years the +main stage route from Merced. For the benefit of those who require +entertainment the chauffeur often points out the image of a white +Persian cat on the rock wall to the left. A short distance beyond and +on the same side of the road are ~Wildcat Falls~. + +Crossing two small bridges we obtain the best view of Elephant Rock +down the canyon. At the left are the ~Cascade Falls~, during the flood +waters of early spring one of Yosemite's most beautiful cataracts. The +top of the cascade is 594 feet above the road. About a half mile +further is ~Pulpit Rock~, on the south side of the river. It is best +viewed by driving beyond and then looking back down the canyon. Below +the road and at the right is the government power plant, where the +water from the Merced drives two thousand-kilowatt electric +generators. The intake and dam are passed further up the canyon. + +Three thousand feet above, the ephemeral ~Widow's Tears Fall~ drops +1170 feet from the rugged ramparts of the south wall. Another mile +takes us past the site of the old Indian village Ah-wah-ma to ~Pohono +Bridge~. From this point two roads ascend the valley, one on either +side of the river. The more picturesque Pohono Road runs up the south +side of the canyon. This is described in Road Trip I-A. The ~El +Capitan Road~, following up the north side of the valley will first be +traced. + +A short distance from the bridge we are treated to a most impressive +view of the ~Gates of the Valley~. At the left the sheer 3300-foot +precipice of ~El Capitan~ dominates the entire landscape. Its majesty +is matched by the beauty of the ~Bridalveil Fall~ and ~Cathedral +Rocks~ opposite. Between them is Nature's threshold, the brilliantly +verdant ~Bridalveil Meadows~, dotted with dark green pines and oaks. +Beyond, ~Half Dome~ is partly hidden by the projecting cliff of +~Glacier Point~ at the right. The summit of the lofty bare granite +ridge in the distance is ~Clouds Rest~, the highest point on the +Yosemite walls. If the winter snows be still melting above the rim we +will see at the left the ~Ribbon Fall~ dropping delicately over its +1612-foot precipice into a recess just west of El Capitan. Its Indian +name was Lung-oo-too-koo-ya, or "pigeon fall." Near its base the ~Big +Oak Flat Road~ branches to the left and ascends thru the piles of +shattered granite talus of the north wall. At this point was the +Indian village, Hep-hep´-oo-ma. The road to the right leads past the +El Capitan Checking Station and across ~El Capitan Bridge~ to the +Bridalveil Road (Road Trip ~I-A~) south of the river. + +Continuing up the north road we pass thru ~El Capitan Meadows~, where +were the Indian villages of Aw´-o-koi-e, He-le´-jah, Ha-eng´-ah and +Yu-a´-chah. As we skirt the base of the almost vertical wall, the +stage driver will generally point out more or less interesting images. +Chief among these is Tote-ack-ah-noo-la, the "Rock Chief" of the +Indians, whose title was translated into Spanish to make the present +name. In a shallow niche 1189 feet above the road stands a hardy +Jeffrey pine 82.4 feet in height and two feet in diameter. Across the +river are the massive ~Cathedral Rocks~ and the delicately pinnacled +~Cathedral Spires~. Further up the canyon the massively sculptured +pyramids, the ~Three Brothers~, rise abruptly to the north. Opposite +them the road to the ~Bear Pits~ turns into the woods. Turning +northeast, our road passes ~Rocky Point~ at their base. This is +We-äck, the place where Chief Tenaya's three sons were captured in +1851. + +One mile beyond is ~Yosemite Lodge~, one of the two large hotel-camps +of the valley. The main buildings occupy the site of Koom-i´-ne, the +largest and most important of the old Indian villages. Just northward +the ~Yosemite Fall~ makes its triple plunge of 2600 feet, the highest +waterfall in the world. The upper fall drops 1430 feet sheer. Crossing +the azalia-bordered ~Yosemite Creek~, the road skirts a wide meadow +and turns sharply across the valley. To the left is a magnificent +panorama of the ~Royal Arches~, ~North Dome~, ~Washington Column~ and +the precipice of ~Glacier Point~. At the right the great obelisk of +~The Sentinel~ rises from the south wall. + +Crossing Sentinel Bridge to ~Yosemite Village~ we halt at the +~Sentinel Hotel~ which, with the cottages opposite, occupies the site +of the old Indian village Haw-kaw-koo´-e-tah, the home of the band +called Yo-ham´-i-te, for whom the valley was named. A short distance +beyond is the office of the U.S. National Park Service, where all +campers should stop and register. + +We continue up the canyon, now paralleling the south river margin thru +a beautiful pine, fir and cedar forest. Thru the trees we now and then +catch a glimpse of the ~Quarter Domes~ beyond the dominating ~Half +Dome~, and finally the summit of ~Clouds Rest~. Three-quarters of a +mile from the village is the picturesque ~Sierra Club Lodge~ at the +right of the road. A short distance further is ~Camp Curry~, +delightfully situated among the giant pines and cedars at the base of +the towering cliff of Glacier Point. At this spot was the large Indian +village of Too-yu´-yu´-yu, and a short distance to the northeast in +the meadow was Too-lah´-kah´-mah. This famous hostelry, Camp Curry, is +the final destination of all stages. The road continues up the canyon +to Happy Isles. + + +ROAD TRIP I-A + +POHONO BRIDGE TO YOSEMITE _via_ BRIDALVEIL ROAD + +(5 miles--20 minutes by stage) + +The ~Bridalveil Road~, ascending the south side of the valley, is +scenically superior to the north, or El Capitan Road. Crossing Pohono +Bridge to the south side of the Merced the road immediately enters a +dense and beautiful forest. A short distance takes us to ~Fern +Spring~, justly famous for the purity of its ice cold water. One-half +mile beyond we suddenly emerge at ~Bridalveil Meadows~, obtaining a +most charming view of the Gates of the Valley. At the right, +~Bridalveil Fall~ leaps 630 feet from its hanging valley, the one side +of which is formed by the massively sculptured ~Cathedral Rocks~, and +the other by a solid granite ridge terminating at ~Leaning Tower~, +another eminence of the turreted south wall. On the opposite side of +the canyon rises the sheer face of ~El Capitan~. In the recess at its +west the evanescent streamer of ~Ribbon Fall~ descends in a lace-like +film. + +At the edge of the meadow about 100 feet north of the road a dense +grove of oaks and pines shelters the graves of two pioneers, Rose and +Shurban, who were massacred here by the Indians in May, 1852. Near the +river was once the Indian village of Sap-pah´-sam-mah. The road now +passes near ~Bridalveil Fall~, charming glimpses of which are now and +then revealed. A subsidiary road turns to the right and leads to the +foot of the falls. This short side trip should be taken by all +visitors. Just below a very large rock at the east margin of the +stream is the site of the ancient village of Lem-me´-hitch´-ke. In +view of this fact, our stories of the Indians' great fear of Pohono, +"the spirit of the evil wind," may be somewhat overdrawn. + +Just below the imposing buttress of the lowermost of the Cathedral +Rocks is ~El Capitan Bridge~, and near it ~Lo-to-ya~ (Flower) +~Spring~. North of the river is El Capitan Checking Station and the +terminus of the ~Big Oak Flat Road~ (Road Trip IV). East of Cathedral +Rocks we are treated to a sudden view of the two marvelously slender +~Cathedral Spires~, each rising 500 feet from its base and appearing +to tower even above the Yosemite rim. Directly opposite across ~El +Capitan Meadows~ is a most comprehensive view of the mighty wall of +Tote-ack-ah-noo-la, the "Rock Chief" of the Indians, whose title was +merely translated into Spanish to make the present name. Chauffeurs +often point out the likeness of the chief and other more or less +imaginary mural images. In a shallow niche 1189 feet above the road +stands a hardy Jeffrey pine 82.4 feet high and two feet in diameter. + +In driving beneath the oaks, alders, pines and firs we enjoy +ever-changing vistas across the placid river. ~Three Brothers~, +massively piled promontories of the north wall, are least harshly seen +from this road. Directly ahead rises the watchtower of ~Sentinel +Rock~. At its west flank the transitory ~Sentinel Fall~ descends in a +series of cascades during the spring thaws. Below Sentinel Rock we +pass the site of Galen Clark's cabin, of old Camp Awahnee, and of the +more ancient Indian village of Loi'-ah. About one and a quarter miles +further is Yosemite Village. All campers should register at the +National Park Service headquarters. + + +ROAD TRIP II + +A TOUR OF THE FLOOR OF THE VALLEY + +(9 miles--2 hours ride--1/2 to 1 day walk) + +Every Yosemite visitor should spend at least one day within the valley +itself before beginning the more strenuous trail trips. There is so +much to be seen from the valley floor that weeks might be spent there +were it not for "the call of the High Country" beyond the walls. The +following itinerary includes a visit to most places of interest in the +upper (east) end of the valley: Sentinel Bridge, Indian Village, Royal +Arches, Washington Column, Indian Cave, Mirror Lake, Half Dome, +Mineral Springs, Tenaya Bridge, Happy Isles, Camp Curry and Le Conte +Memorial Lodge, in the order mentioned. + +Road Trips I and VI describe the region west of the village. The +following excursion may be made by motor in two or three hours. Hikers +will find it a moderately long half-day tramp or a leisurely one-day +ramble. An early start should be made in order to see the sunrise at +Mirror Lake. It is well to ascertain the hour beforehand, for this +varies with the season of the year. + +From ~Yosemite Village~ we cross Sentinel Bridge and follow the +poplar-bordered road across the meadow. Straight ahead is ~Yosemite +Fall~ and the ~Lost Arrow~, and at our right a most comprehensive view +of ~North Dome~, the ~Royal Arches~, ~Washington Column~, ~Half Dome~ +and ~Glacier Point~. At the Grizzly Hotel site the El Capitan Road +(Road Trip VI) branches westward, while our route turns up the canyon. +The distant buildings to the left of the road are the Government +barns, shops and warehouses. In this group is the menagerie which will +well repay a subsequent visit. Nearer is the picturesque old cemetery +where many pioneers of the region lie at rest. A little farther +eastward on the largest open level area in Yosemite is the site of the +important old village of Ah-wah´-ne, from which the valley took its +Indian name. + +Continuing along the ~Royal Arch Road~ we soon pass the new Rangers' +Club House. Just beyond, a cross road to the right leads to the +garage. To the northward, high overhead, are the silhouettes of the +~Castle Cliffs~, and at their east the deep cleft of ~Indian Canyon~ +which, to the Yosemite tribe, was "Le Hammo" because of the arrowwood +which grew there. Along the precipitous cliffs of the east wall ran +their main trail into Yosemite from the north. From the valley floor +at the base of a cliff just west of the Royal Arches they first +climbed a large oak and then made their way along narrow ledges toward +the northwest. It was at this oak that old Chief Tenaya was captured +in 1851 by Lieutenant Chandler and the scout Sandino. + +At the mouth of Indian Canyon is ~Yo´-watch-ke~, the only Indian +village in the valley which is still occupied. During the July +celebrations it is picturesquely alive but at other times the few +dirty o´-chums are almost repulsive. This area on the alluvial fan of +Indian Creek is the warmest spot in the valley and botanists will here +find many plants typical of the lower altitudes. + +A short distance further we pass Camp 17 at the right of the road. +About a quarter of a mile beyond and on the opposite side is Camp 20. +At a road junction is a small settlement called Kenneyville, which +occupies the site of the former Indian Camp of Wis´-kah-lah. Here the +~Le Conte Road~ turns south, leading to Camps 15 and 7, and across +Stoneman Bridge to Camp Curry on the Happy Isles Road. Doubling back +to the westward is ~Sequoia Lane~, a road leading to Camps 6 and 7, +and to Yosemite Village, one mile distant. + +We continue eastward, passing Camp 8, which is above the road and just +at the west end of the ~Royal Arches~. During the spring thaw the +beautiful but ephemeral ~Royal Arch Fall~ descends over a cliff at the +left. Its Indian name, Scho-ko-ya, meant "basket fall." In the next +half mile our road is flanked by the overhanging cornices of the +colossal arches. They must be viewed from afar if we would realize how +aptly they were called by the Yosemites "Scho-ko-ni," which means "the +movable shade to a cradle basket." At the left of the road and +directly beneath the arches is Camp 9. As we continue along the road, +breaks in the forest reveal intermittent views of ~Washington Column~ +towering above to the left, and of the great face of ~Half Dome~ +dominating all the east. + +A short subsidiary road to the left now leads to ~Indian Cave~ +immediately under Washington Column. The Yosemites named this retreat +Hol´-low´, but sometimes called it Lah-koo´-hah, which means "Come +out!" It is a low, broad, deep recess under a huge rock and is said to +have been occupied as a winter shelter; also when the Yosemites were +attacked and almost exterminated by the Mono Lake Piutes. The +overhanging rock is black with the smoke of ages, and far back in the +cave large quantities of acorn shells have been found. + +Returning the short distance to the main road, we again turn eastward, +soon passing a group of excellent mineral springs at the right. The +highway now bears gradually to the north into the mouth of ~Tenaya +Canyon~ and in one-half mile ends in a "loop" at the west margin of +~Mirror Lake~. The relative darkness in this deep canyon and the +absence of wind during the early morning hours insures a perfect +reflection for almost every morning of the vacation season. Most +perfect are the reflections of ~Mount Watkins~ (the Wei-yow or +"Juniper Mountain" of the Yosemites) guarding the entrance to the +forbidden gorge of Tenaya. Unfortunately the delta of Tenaya Creek has +greatly encroached upon the mirror and has reduced it to but a remnant +of the beautiful lake which the Indians called Ah-wei´-yo, or "quiet +water." From the end of the road the Tenaya Lake and North Dome Trail +(Trail Trips 4 and 6) continue around the western shore of the lake +and up the canyon. + +After the appearance of the sun over the shoulder of Half Dome, we +retrace the last half mile of our route, turning aside for a short +visit to the mineral springs. A little distance further the main road +forks and we take the left-hand branch which crosses ~Tenaya Bridge~. +A detour to the westward now takes us around and over a portion of the +lateral moraine left at the junction of the ancient Tenaya and Merced +glaciers. Near this point was Hoo-ke´-hahtch-ke´, an Indian village +inhabited up to about 1897. + +A road which branches to the right offers a short-cut to Camp Curry, +about three-quarters of a mile distant. It passes Camps 11 and 14, and +the site of the Lick House, one of the inns of early days. The main +road, however, bears to the left and parallels the beautiful banks of +the Merced. Less than a mile takes us to the ~Happy Isles Bridge~. +Here the main trail to Vernal and Nevada Falls, Glacier Point, Half +Dome, Clouds Rest, Merced Lake, etc. (see Trail Trips), turns south +and ascends the ~Merced Canyon~. At the right of the bridge is a U.S. +Weather Bureau observation station. On the west side of the stream is +the old power plant and from it starts the footpath to ~Happy Isles~. +The short side trip from island to island should not be missed. +Especially are these charming garden spots noted for the beauty of +their flowering dogwoods, maples and alders. The round trip to Sierra +Point (Trail Trip 12) may easily be accomplished from this point in +one hour. A refreshment stand is maintained in the vicinity. To escape +the dust of the road one may follow the picturesque ~Happy Isles +Trail~ from its beginning near the power house to Camp Curry, one mile +westward. + +Our road now bears to the northwest and rounds the imposing buttress +of ~Glacier Point~. One-half mile takes us to a spring at the left of +the road which once supplied the large Indian village of Um´-ma-taw. A +short distance beyond, our route is joined by the short-cut road from +Mirror Lake. Near this road is a cabin often pointed out as having +belonged to John Muir. It was really built and used by James C. Lamon, +a pioneer and the first permanent resident of the valley. Muir's cabin +has long since disappeared and its only existing photograph is in the +possession of Dr. Wm. F. Badé. The orchard at the right occupies the +site of Too´-lah´-kah´-mah, another vanished community of the Yosemite +tribe. + +Extending for a considerable distance along the road are the tents and +bungalows of ~Camp Curry~. If we have time to stop, we may be +refreshed by a swim in the huge open-air swimming pool, by cooling +drinks at the soda fountain or by a rest beneath the great pines and +cedars. + +From the camp center a road to the north leads across the Stoneman +Bridge to Kenneyville. At the right of the road is the site of the old +Stoneman Hotel, which was built and maintained in the early days by +the State of California, but which burned down in 1896. Close to the +bridge, on the banks of the Merced, was once the large Indian village +of Too-yu´-yu´-yu. + +West of the Camp Curry bungalows we pass Camp 16, between the road and +the river. Near this point the ~Ledge Trail~ turns to the south and +mounts the talus slopes above Camp Curry. A short distance beyond is +the new ~Le Conte Memorial Lodge~ picturesquely set among the pines +and incense cedars where once was the Indian village of Ho-low, and +where the old schoolhouse stood until 1911. The lodge is an ideal +place to spend the remainder of the afternoon amongst photographs, +flowers, books and maps, and in a cool and absolutely restful +atmosphere. To the right of the road, where the river makes a big +detour to the north, is Camp 19. One should note the remarkably +perfect reflections in the river below the rock wall parapet during +the remaining half-mile walk to Yosemite Village. + + +ROAD TRIP III + +YOSEMITE TO GLACIER POINT _via_ CHINQUAPIN ROAD + +(28 miles--4 to 5 hours by auto) + +A trip to Glacier Point should be part of everyone's Yosemite +itinerary. Many motorists prefer to make the excursion by road instead +of by trail. The round trip from Yosemite can be made by machine in +one day, but it is better to reserve accommodations in advance at the +Glacier Point Hotel and remain there over night to view the sunrise +over the High Sierra. Another excellent plan is to send one's machine +around by road while one walks or rides to Glacier Point via the +Vernal and Nevada Falls Trail (Trail Trip 1), returning to the valley +via Chinquapin Road. The description of the first 14.5 miles of this +trip, which follows the Wawona Road as far as Chinquapin, will be of +interest to those leaving Yosemite by that route. + +From Yosemite Village we follow the ~Bridalveil Road~ (Road Trip VI-A) +down the valley four and a half miles to the Bridalveil Checking +Station, where the Wawona Road turns to the left. Here all motorists +must register. For safety the park regulations permit the ascent on +even hours only, and at a speed of not more than twelve miles per +hour. + +We now climb steadily beneath a dense forest of pines, fir, incense +cedar, oak and laurel, and at one and a half miles halt at ~Artist +Point~ (Alt. 4701, 750 feet above the valley floor). The view of the +~Gates of the Valley~ to the east is claimed to be one of the most +perfect of all Yosemite landscapes. + +Gradually climbing another 690 feet we finally halt at ~Inspiration +Point~ (Alt. 5391). The view of Yosemite is similar to that from +Artist Point, but with the depths and distances more impressively +accentuated. Across the canyon is ~Fireplace Bluff~. A view-finder +beside the road indicates each point of interest. All machines should +be registered at the Government Checking Station. Telephone +communication and water are here available. + +About half a mile beyond Inspiration Point is ~Fort Monroe~ (Alt. +5540), an old-time stage relay station. This is a fair campsite for +auto parties. A good spring will be found near the Pohono Trail +junction. The visit to the wild-flower gardens and many fine lookout +points of the ~Pohono Trail~ (Trail Trip 18) is an especially fine +one-day walking trip from this point. + +Our road now leads thru most magnificent pine forests, which open now +and then to give us short glimpses of the canyon of the Merced, +thousands of feet below. About two miles from Fort Monroe the +~Hennessy Trail~ (Trail Trip 25) branches to the right and descends to +El Portal, ten miles distant. ~Grouse Creek Crossing~, a half mile +further, is a good auto camp. Fishing is fair downstream. + +Another two miles takes us to ~Avalanche Creek~. There are here no +camping places and the stream contains no trout. _Caution_: The worst +turn on the road is about 200 yards beyond the crossing. One mile +beyond Avalanche Creek the ~Sunset Trail~ (Trail Trip 24) leaves the +road at the right, descending to the Mid-winter Ranger Station near +Arch Rock on the El Portal Road. + +One mile further is ~Chinquapin~, an old stage relay station at the +junction of the Glacier Point and Wawona Roads. There is here a ranger +station and during the summer gas and oil can be obtained. In the +vicinity are many good camp sites. An excellent spring will be found +200 yards north of the ranger cabin. Fishing is fair in ~Indian Creek~ +about a quarter of a mile southward; best fishing is downstream. Many +deer are generally to be seen in the region. Chinquapin is especially +noted for its wonderful sunsets. Before leaving, all machines should +take water. + +The main road continues southward to Wawona and the Mariposa Grove of +Big Trees and thence to Merced, Madera and Fresno. Our route turns +eastward and climbs abruptly 1300 feet in the next three miles to the +head of the canyon of Indian Creek. This long, hard grade takes us to +the 7500-foot level, where we are at last on the gently sloping +plateau above the valley walls. The following eleven miles is a +delightful succession of mountain meadows and forests of red fir, +lodgepole pine and other sub-alpine species. Numbers of deer can +almost always be seen from the road, especially early in the morning. + +~Peregoy Meadow~, about five miles from Chinquapin, was famous in the +early days for its wayside inn on the "Yosemite Trail" from Clarke's +(now Wawona). The old buildings have long since disappeared, but the +trail, now called the ~Alder Creek Trail~ (Trail Trip 19), is still +used. From Peregoy Meadow to Glacier Point are many fine camp sites. +About one mile eastward is ~Bridalveil Creek Crossing~. Fishing is +good upstream, and fair about one mile downstream, but generally poor +near the road. + +At a trail junction about one and a half miles further, the ~Ostrander +Lake and Buck Camp Trail~ (Trail Trips 20 and 21) turns southward +(right). Here one may park his machine and walk to ~Ostrander Lake~ +via Trail Trip 20 and return, a fifteen mile one-day round trip. The +lake offers some of the best fishing in this section of the park. + +Swinging gradually to the northeast the road passes to the east of +~Ostrander Rocks~. A trail to the right leads to Mono Meadow and the +basin of the Illilouette. Three miles further at ~Pothole Meadows~ the +~Peregoy Meadow Trail~ (Trail Trip 19) leaves the road at the left. A +short distance beyond and at the same side of the road is the ~Pohono +Trail~ turn-off (Trail Trip 17). A half mile further, just as the road +starts its final descent to Glacier Point, is a trail to the left +leading to ~Sentinel Dome~. The summit is but a few minutes distant +and from it is revealed a vast panorama of the High Sierra. + +A gradual descent in the final one and a half miles takes us past +several lookout points to the road termination at ~Glacier Point +Hotel~. Excellent accommodations are here obtainable. The overhanging +rock and ~Glacier Point~ are 200 yards northward. (For trips from +Glacier Point see Trail Trips 1, 2, and 16 to 23.) + + +ROAD TRIP IV + +YOSEMITE TO TENAYA LAKE, TUOLUMNE MEADOWS AND MONO LAKE _via_ BIG OAK +FLAT AND TIOGA ROADS + +(Lake Tenaya 57.7 miles. Tuolumne Meadows 65.2 miles. Mono Lake 88.2 +miles) + +Most charmingly scenic of all trans-Sierran routes is the historic old +~Tioga Road~. Built by Chinese labor in 1881 to transport ore from the +Tioga Mine (near Mono Lake) across the Sierra to the San Joaquin +Valley, it soon fell into decay when the venture was abandoned. In +1915 the road was purchased by a group of public-spirited citizens and +presented to the government. Since being well repaired it makes +Yosemite accessible from the east and opens up the wonderfully fine +camping country of the High Sierra to the automobile tourist. Hundreds +of motorists take this exceptionally scenic short-cut to Lake Tahoe. +In normal years the road opens July 15th and closes September 30th. +Detailed information may be obtained from the "Circular of General +Information regarding Yosemite National Park," or at the Motorists' +Information Bureau in Yosemite Village. The first twenty-three miles +of the following trip describes the Big Oak Flat Road as far as Carl +Inn, and should be of use to auto parties leaving the park by that +route. + +From Yosemite we may follow either the ~Bridalveil~ or the ~El Capitan +Road~ westward. At El Capitan Bridge, four miles west of the village, +the ~Big Oak Flat~ road turns abruptly northward. All machines should +be registered at the nearby checking station. For safety, the park +regulations permit the ascent on even hours only and at a speed of not +more than twelve miles per hour. + +Gradually mounting the talus slope of the rough canyon side, we emerge +1200 feet above the valley floor at ~New Inspiration Point~ from which +is our last comprehensive view of the ~Gates of the Valley~. The +outlook, although scenically not as perfect as that from the Wawona +Road, is nevertheless quite attractive, for the depths below when +viewed from this point seem almost always to be permeated by a +transparent blue haze. + +Near the top of the steady four-mile climb is ~Gentry Checking +Station~, where motorists should again register. This is a possible +camp for motorists but rather a poor location. One-half mile further +is the "Gentry Townsite," laid out about 1914, and beyond, the site of +the old Gentry Sawmill. There are here a few good places for auto +camps. Water will be found at a spring above the road. + +~Cascade Creek~ is crossed a short distance northward. The crossing +offers no good camp sites. Fishing is fair. The short steep grade +beyond the bridge is known locally as "Fords' Rest." We now ascend +~Lilly Creek~ to the crossing about half a mile above. Here the blazes +of the old ~Mono Trail~ may be seen at the left leading down to a +point on the rim of the canyon about three miles distant, where was +once the terminus of the Coulterville Road. In the early days this was +one of the chief routes used by the Indians and cattlemen. + +Two miles beyond Cascade Creek is ~Tamarack Flat~ (Alt. 6390), named +from the "tamarack" or lodgepole pine here so abundant. This is a +splendid camping place, but somewhat cold. Fishing is fair and horse +feed may be found upstream. A trail branching to the right leads to +~Aspen Valley~, six miles distant. It is extremely brushy, poorly +marked and almost impassable. + +Three miles westward is ~Gin Flat~, the summit of the Big Oak Flat +Road. The meadow, bordered by red and white fir and Jeffrey and +lodgepole pine, offers an attractive but cold campsite. There is a +tradition that a barrel of gin was once buried here by one of the +old-time whiskey peddlers, who was shortly afterwards killed. A more +or less desultory search on the part of not a few "old-timers" failed +to discover the prize, so after a few decades the matter became almost +legendary. But in 1909, as a battalion of negro cavalry were marching +to Yosemite for patrol duty, the tradition was in some way "picked up" +in Groveland by one of the troopers. The commanding officer could +hardly understand why his troops pushed on so readily the next day +until, when camp was pitched at Gin Flat, they started to dig. Not a +stone in the vicinity was left unturned--but the gin was never found. + +At ~Crane Flat~ (Alt. 6311) two miles further west are many excellent +camp sites. This camping ground is the one nearest to the ~Tuolumne +Grove of Big Trees~. Water is conveniently piped from a spring to the +vicinity of the ranger cabin. It is a good plan, if camp is to be made +at Crane Flat, to gather firewood _en route_, for it is scarce in the +immediate region. Motorists should register at the log cabin of the +Park Ranger, and all east-bound cars should take water. A road +branching southwestward leads to ~Hazel Green~, about five miles +distant on the Coulterville Road, and to the ~Merced Grove of Big +Trees~, seven and a half miles away. It is narrow and steep, but in +fair condition. About a quarter of a mile from Crane Flat the ~Davis~ +(private) ~Road~ turns to the left from the Hazel Green cut-off and +leads to ~Big Meadows~ (4.5 miles) and ~El Portal~ (11.5 miles). + +The main road bears to the north a short distance after leaving Crane +Flat and, after one mile of steep descent, enters the ~Tuolumne Grove +of Sequoias~. Most of the thirty trees in the small grove are +advantageously seen from the road, but a short side trip to the +tunnelled ~Dead Giant~ (above and to the right) is well worth while. +This subsidiary road is steep and narrow and most people prefer to +walk to the giant. + +One-half mile below the grove the main road passes beneath the rustic +gateway which marks the boundary between ~Yosemite National Park~ and +the ~Stanislaus National Forest~. There are two possible auto camps in +the next mile, but neither are very good. Bearing westward the road +follows down the canyon of ~North Crane Creek~. Good camp sites will +be found at the crossing about two miles below the park line. ~Hogdon +Ranch~, a little more than a mile further, is another good place to +camp. At this abandoned cattle ranch an old road branches to the left. +It is impassable because of washouts. A mile and a half further along +the main road is ~Carl Inn~, a mountain summer resort on the ~South +Fork of the Tuolumne River~. Accommodations are excellent. Gasoline +and oil may here be obtained. There are many fine camp sites in the +vicinity and fishing is fair. One may obtain saddle or pack animals at +the hotel for trail trips in the region. + +Just west from the hotel is a main road junction. The ~Big Oak Flat +Road~ to Chinese Camp, Knights Ferry and Stockton continues down the +South Fork, while our road crosses the New England Bridge and bears +northward. One mile takes us to another junction where the ~Hetch +Hetchy Road~ (Road Trip V) branches to the left. The Tioga Road turns +eastward, ascends a rather steep grade thru a fine forest of pine, +cedar and oak, and in 4.2 miles again enters the park at ~Aspen Valley +Ranger Station~. Motorists should stop and register. A government +telephone is here available. There are excellent camping places in the +vicinity and a good spring about two hundred yards northwest of the +ranger cabin. + +Two miles inside the park is ~Aspen Valley~, another abandoned cattle +ranch. The long meadow offers a delightful camp. The ~Carlin Trail~, +which is used chiefly by cattlemen, branches to the westward at this +point and makes a rough descent to ~Ackerson Meadow~ six miles +distant. Leading southeast is a trail to ~Tamarack Flat~ on the Big +Oak Flat Road. Over most of its six miles it is so brushy as to be +almost impassable and it is now little used. About one mile north of +Aspen Valley the seldom used "~Packers' Trail~" begins at the left of +the road and bears northward toward ~Hetch Hetchy~. From Aspen Valley +eastward good camping places are so numerous that several will be +passed each hour. They will therefore not be mentioned in the +following text. + +Our road now ascends ~Long Gulch~, passes over a low divide, and in +4.2 miles crosses the ~Middle Fork of the Tuolumne River~. This is an +attractive auto camp but horse feed is scarce. The stream is well +stocked with rainbow and eastern brook trout. We now follow along the +well-wooded banks of the Middle Fork and in about three and a half +miles, where the road makes a big bend toward the southeast, we find +the beginning of the trail to ~Harden Lake~, ~Hetch Hetchy~, and ~the +Grand Canyon of the Tuolumne~. + +The beautiful little ~Harden Lake~ (Alt. 7575) is only one mile +distant by trail. It is a most attractive place to lunch and the round +trip can easily be made in less than one hour. From points just north +of the lake a most comprehensive view of the Grand Canyon of the +Tuolumne is revealed. Harden Lake contains no trout. + +~White Wolf~, some two miles beyond the Harden Lake Trail Junction, is +one of the many fine meadows which our road now traverses. The old +~Ten Lakes Trail~ shown on the U.S.G.S. maps as leading eastward from +this point has been superseded by the new ~Ten Lakes Trail~ up +Yosemite Creek. The old blazes may be followed eastward two and a half +miles to ~Lukens Lake~ (Alt. 8450), a charming little mountain lakelet +surrounded by a park-like forest. It has not yet been stocked with +trout. + +About three miles beyond White Wolf the ~Yosemite Creek Trail~ (Trail +Trip 11) branches to the right (south). Yosemite is ten miles distant +by this excellent trail. Passing several small meadows, one of which +is ~Dark Hole~, we descend in about two miles to ~Yosemite Creek +Ranger Cabin~. The station is connected by telephone to Yosemite. From +here a good trail bears to the southwest and joins the main Yosemite +Creek Trail one and a half miles below. Good camp sites are numerous +in the vicinity and at the ~Yosemite Creek Crossing~, about a quarter +of a mile eastward, the new ~Ten Lakes Trail~ follows up the east bank +of the creek. Our road now ascends about two and a half miles of heavy +grades, finally passing over a flat divide and descending almost +imperceptibly to the large meadows at ~Porcupine Flat~, an excellent +camping place. One mile further the ~Yosemite Falls Trail~ branches to +the right and leads southwest five miles to ~Yosemite Point~. + +In another mile ~Snow Creek~ is crossed. Fishing is fair down stream. +~Snow Flat~, two and a half miles further, is an especially good place +to camp. It is the usual base camp for the ascent of ~Mount Hoffman~ +(Alt. 10,921), three miles to the northwest. + +~May Lake~ (Alt. 9400) is about one mile north of the road by a +plainly blazed but rough trail which climbs about 500 feet _en route_. +Beautifully set in the rugged glacial amphitheatre at the east +shoulder of Mount Hoffman, which towers imposingly above, it offers +one of the most attractive side trips of the region. As a campsite it +is unsurpassed. In the days when troops were guardians of the park +this was the officers' private fishing lake--and fishing is most +excellent. It was stocked with Loch Leven trout in 1908, with eastern +brook in 1908 and 1917, and with rainbow in 1908 and 1913. + +From ~Snow Flat~ the road rises abruptly for a short distance, then +descends 800 feet in the next three miles to ~Lake Tenaya~. Near a +sharp bend in the road about one mile from the lake, a trail to the +right (Trail Trip 5) leads to Yosemite via Mirror Lake. + +~Tenaya Lake~ (Alt. 8141) is one of the gems of the High Sierra. It is +a large, deep, glacial lake imposingly surrounded by granite crags and +domes. Its Indian name, Py-we-ack, meant "lake of the glistening +rocks," referring to the glacier polished granite at its upper end. +The lake and the pyramidal peak to the east were renamed Tenaya when +the last remnant of Chief Tenaya's Yosemite Tribe was captured here by +the Mariposa Battalion on June 5, 1851. The lake is one of the best in +the park for a permanent auto camp. It was stocked with Loch Leven +trout in 1911 and with rainbow, eastern brook, black spotted, and +steelhead in 1917, 1918, and 1919, but fishing is only fair. From the +lower end of the lake the ~Forsyth Pass Trail~ (Trail Trip 6) bears +eastward across the rocky meadows, and the ~Yosemite Trail~ (Trail +Trip 5) takes off toward the southwest. + +Our road skirts the western lake shore. At a point where ~Murphy +Creek~ enters from the north are the ruins of a log cabin which was +built by John L. Murphy, one of the early pioneer guides of the +region. The ~McGee Lake Trail~ to ~Waterwheel Falls~ here turns off +from the road. Rounding the polished base of ~Polly Dome~ (Alt. 9786) +we finally halt at ~Tenaya Lake Lodge~ near the white beach at the +lake's upper extremity. Accommodations are excellent and fishing +tackle and rowboats may be rented. + +At the head of the long flat canyon bottom is a peculiar glacial +monument often mistaken for Polly Dome. Passing this, our road +continues up the stream to its source, where the great Tuolumne +Glacier overflowed and sent a branch southward to help carve out the +stupendous depths of Tenaya Canyon. + +~Tuolumne Meadows~ (Alt. 8594), the most superb of all high mountain +pleasure grounds, lies seven and a half miles from Tenaya Lake. In the +region are innumerable side trips to alpine summits, to lakes and +streams teeming with trout, to thundering waterfalls, and to peaceful +green pastures of the highlands. ~Tioga Pass~ (Alt. 9941) is seven +miles further, and another sixteen miles takes us down Leevining +Canyon to the weird semi-desert region at ~Mono Lake~. The road then +continues northward to ~Lake Tahoe~ about 118 miles distant. + + +ROAD TRIP V + +YOSEMITE TO HETCH HETCHY _via_ BIG OAK FLAT ROAD AND HETCH HETCHY +RAILROAD + +(Round trip 77 miles--1 day by motor and railroad) + +A new and exceptionally scenic one-day round trip between Yosemite and +Hetch Hetchy has been made possible by the construction activities on +the San Francisco Dam. Throughout the entire season a gasoline +railroad bus runs on daily schedule between Mather (Hog Ranch) and +Hetch Hetchy, stopping long enough to allow one to view the wonderful +canyon and to inspect the enormous engineering project. One may motor +privately from Yosemite to Mather or may ride by the auto stage, which +makes one round trip daily. + +From Yosemite we follow the ~Big Oak Flat Road~ (Road Trips VI and IV) +to the road junction one mile north of ~Carl Inn~, a resort on the +~South Fork of the Tuolumne River~. At this junction (23.4 miles from +Yosemite) we turn to the left on the old ~Hog Ranch Road~, which bears +to the northwest thru the pines of the Stanislaus National Forest. + +The following six-mile drive to ~Mather~ is entirely thru delightful +woods and meadows--a country quite attractive but with no startling +scenic effects. At Mather is the ~Hog Ranch Ranger Station~, which is +connected by telephone with Yosemite and outside points. Here we again +enter ~Yosemite National Park~. + +In the nine-mile rail-motor excursion to Hetch Hetchy we first +traverse a dense pine forest for one mile and then, emerging at the +rim of ~Tuolumne Canyon~, have a wonderfully scenic ride to our +destination. + +~Hetch Hetchy~ is a deeply sculptured Yosemite-like valley with the +broad meadows of its level floor flanked by dominating castellated +cliffs. Its most impressive feature is ~Kolana Rock~, a massive +promontory buttressing the precipitous south wall. The two great +waterfalls--~Tueeulala~, the spirit of gracefulness, and ~Wapama~, the +very soul of power--tumble over the north ramparts at the upper end of +the valley. Fortunate, indeed, will be the visitors of the next few +seasons, for the great gorge will be as yet unflooded. + + +ROAD TRIP VI + +YOSEMITE TO EL PORTAL _via_ EL CAPITAN ROAD + +(15 miles--1-1/2 hours by stage) + +The final hour in Yosemite National Park--that generally spent in the +ride from the valley to El Portal--is one of interest, but it must be +admitted, of anti-climax. Facing westward we lose the wonderful views +which burst upon us in entering, but the trip, for all of that, is +attractive. From Yosemite Village either the Bridalveil or the El +Capitan Road may be followed. The former is the more scenic and is +described as Road Trip VI-A. The latter is set forth in the following +text. + +Crossing ~Sentinel Bridge~ our poplar-bordered road bears northward +across a wide meadow from which are magnificent views of ~Yosemite +Falls~ and the ~Lost Arrow~ straight ahead, and ~North Dome~, ~Royal +Arches~ and ~Half Dome~ to the right. At the Grizzly Hotel site a road +forks eastward to Mirror Lake (Road Trip II). Turning westward beneath +the giant black oaks of the meadow border, we soon pass the old +Hutchings Orchard. The memorial bench at the left marks the spot from +which Galen Clarke so loved to contemplate the beauty of "Cholook," +the fall of falls. A little further are the wild azalia gardens of +~Yosemite Creek~. Just west of the rustic bridge a short branch road +turns to the right to the foot of Yosemite Falls. We continue straight +ahead, passing Yosemite Hospital at the right and then running beneath +the arcade of ~Yosemite Lodge~. Just across the road is the swimming +tank, the tennis courts, laundry, etc. The main buildings occupy the +site of Koom-i´-ne, the largest and most important of the old Indian +villages. + +Bearing southward, we now round the base of ~Three Brothers~, the +Waw-haw´-kee or "falling rocks" of the Indians. At the foot of the +great buttress is ~Rocky Point~. The Yosemite tribes called the place +We-äck (the rocks) because, according to their traditions, the huge +boulders in the vicinity fell _upon_ their trail. It is among these +boulders that Tenaya's three sons were captured in 1852, and the +colossal monument above was named for them. + +Swinging more directly westward, our road now skirts the base of ~El +Capitan~, the Tote-ack-ah-noo-la or "rock chief" of the Indians. The +image of their fanciful chief is to this day pointed out on the wall +two thousand feet overhead, but he is now called "The Wandering Jew." +In a shallow niche 1189 feet above the road stands a hardy Jeffrey +pine 82.4 feet high and two feet in diameter. For half a mile we pass +thru ~El Capitan Meadows~, where once were the Indian villages of +Yu-a´-chah, Ha-eng´-ah, He-le´-jah and Aw´-o-koi-e. At certain times +during the day the ~Cathedral Spires~ and ~Cathedral Rocks~ on the +opposite side of the valley stand out in remarkable perspective, but +under general light conditions this stereoscopic effect is entirely +lacking. + +Beyond El Capitan the ~Ribbon Fall~ may be seen, its dainty streamer +gracefully descending into the rather harsh box-like recess in the +canyon wall. Its Indian name was Lung-o-to-ko-ya, or "pigeon falls." A +cross road to the left passes ~El Capitan Checking Station~ and +crosses ~El Capitan Bridge~ to the ~Bridalveil Road~ south of the +Merced (Road Trips I-A and VI-A). A few steps further along our route +the ~Big Oak Flat Road~ turns to the right and ascends thru the +shattered granite talus of the north canyon side. At this junction was +the old Indian village of Hep-hep'-oo-ma. + +Paralleling the Merced, we now and then are treated to glimpses of +~Bridalveil Fall~ dropping gracefully from its hanging valley and +guarded at the left by ~Cathedral Rocks~ and at the right by the +~Leaning Tower~. Where our route traverses a small meadow is the site +of another vanished village, We'-tum-taw. A short distance beyond is +~Black Spring~, which is but a few steps to the right of the road. The +Yosemites called it Poot-poo-toon, and among the rocks surrounding it +was a small community of the same name. Our road now bends gradually +southward following the banks of the Merced. Across the stream is +~Bridalveil Meadow~ and an especially fine view of the ~Gates of the +Valley~. A short distance further is ~Pohono Bridge~, where our road +is joined by the ~Bridalveil Road~ (Road Trips I-A and VI-A) from the +south side of the valley. + +About a quarter of a mile westward is the old Mail Carrier's Cabin, +the site of the ancient village of Ah-wah'-ma. Across the canyon the +rugged ramparts of the south rim rise imposingly above and ~Meadow +Brook~ pours over the edge to leap 1170 feet as ~Widow's Tears Fall~. +A small dam in the Merced diverts water for the intake of the two +thousand-watt generators of the new government power house just below +the road. South of the river is a grotesque promontory which is well +named Pulpit Rock. + +At the two small bridges about one and a half miles further down the +canyon we pass the foot of ~Cascade Falls~ which, during the flood +waters of early spring, is one of the most attractive scenic features +of the El Portal Highway. From these bridges is also the best view of +~Elephant Rock~, down the canyon. Less than a quarter of a mile +further, ~Wildcat Falls~ pour over the cliff at the right. A short +distance beyond, stage drivers often point out the image of a white +Persian cat on the wall above the road. The old ~Coulterville Road~ +now branches to the right and steeply ascends the canyon wall. This +was the first road into Yosemite and was completed in 1874. Just below +Elephant Rock is ~Battleship Harbor~, a placid reach of the Merced in +which fancied granite dreadnaughts ride anchor. + +A little more than a mile further down the canyon ~Grouse Creek~ +tumbles over the south wall in a series of cascades. We now pass +beneath ~Arch Rock~, a natural tunnel formed by two huge granite talus +blocks. The trail bridge across the Merced, a short distance westward, +is the crossing of the ~Sunset Trail~, which passes the mid-winter +ranger station opposite and ascends past the foot of ~Avalanche Falls~ +to the Wawona Road, 2500 feet above. + +Two miles further down the canyon we pass out of the park and into the +~Stanislaus National Forest~ thru a region of gnarled oaks and +silver-gray digger pines. During the early season ~Indian Creek~, +across the canyon, forms the picturesque ~Chinquapin Falls~. + +One mile below the park line is ~El Portal~, the terminus of the +~Yosemite Valley Railroad~. There is here a hotel and a small store. +On the opposite slope is the incline of the Yosemite Lumber Company +down which flat cars loaded with logs are lowered. From El Portal a +four-hour ride by railroad takes us to ~Merced~. + + +ROAD TRIP VI-A + +YOSEMITE VILLAGE TO POHONO BRIDGE _via_ THE BRIDALVEIL ROAD + +(5 miles--20 minutes by stage) + +The ~Bridalveil Road~ parallels the south bank of the Merced from +Yosemite to Pohono Bridge, five miles westward. This route is more +attractive and more scenic than the northern, or El Capitan Road, +which is often taken by the stages. + +From Yosemite Village we bear westward across the meadows. The +~Sentinel~ towers above at the left and in the distance are the +portals of the valley. About one mile takes us past a Park Ranger's +cabin near the spot where Galen Clarke's house stood until 1919. Just +northward, at the edge of a big meadow, was once the Indian village of +Hoo'-koo-me'-ko-tah. + +A little further and directly under the Sentinel stand the remaining +buildings of old Camp Awahnee, occupying the site of the large and +important Indian community of Loi'-ah. The name, which means "a long +water basket," was also the Yosemites' appellation for the great rock +tower above. The ~Short Trail to Glacier Point~ here turns to the left +and begins its zigzag course up the canyon wall. The ~Ford Road~, a +subsidiary route branching to the right, leads to ~The Big Pine~, +which is the largest known specimen of western yellow pine in the +park. During the flood waters of early spring, ~Sentinel Falls~ +descend in a picturesque cascade at the western flank of the great +obelisk. + +Again continuing westward, we are treated to charming vistas across +the Merced. Especially effective from this angle is the great triple +pyramid of ~Three Brothers~ buttressing the north wall. Just opposite +them on the banks of the river was Kis´-se, the westernmost of the +large Indian villages on the south or "coyote" side of the valley. To +the west a splendid profile of ~El Capitan~ is revealed and suddenly +at the left of the road the ~Cathedral Spires~, each rising 500 feet +from its base, seem to tower above the south rim. The Yosemites called +the latter Po-see´-na Chuck´-ah, or "mouse-proof rocks," from a +fancied resemblance to their acorn caches. A village just below them +in a small meadow near the river was called We´-sum-meh. + +We now skirt the powerfully outlined ~Cathedral Rocks~. At ~El Capitan +Bridge~ one may cross to the north side of the river. Directly +opposite is a ranger station at the foot of the ~Big Oak Flat Road~ +(Road Trip IV). From that point the ~El Capitan Road~ (Road Trips I +and VI) leads both up and down the valley. + +Continuing along the shaded highway, we veer to the south, passing +close to the foot of ~Bridalveil Fall~, charming glimpses of which are +here and there revealed between the trees. Just below a very large +rock at the east margin of ~Bridalveil Creek~ is the site of the +ancient village of Lem-me´-hitch´-ke. Perhaps the unspeakable awe with +which the Yosemites were supposed to look upon Pohono, "the spirit of +the evil wind," has been somewhat exaggerated in the past. A short +subsidiary road turns to the left to the foot of the fall, a brief +side trip which should be taken by all visitors. + +A short drive now takes us to the junction with the ~Wawona Road~ +(Road Trip III) which bears to the left at ~Bridalveil Checking +Station~ and climbs thru the forests of the canyon-side. Turning to +the right, we soon enter ~Bridalveil Meadow~. Near the river was once +the Indian village of Sap-pah´-sam-mah. At the edge of the meadow, +about 100 feet north of the road, a dense grove of oaks and pines +shelters the graves of two pioneers, Rose and Shurban, who were +massacred here by the Indians in 1852. The view back across the +meadows towards the ~Gates of the Valley~ is one of the best from this +elevation. At the left is the great shoulder of ~El Capitan~, with the +~Ribbon Fall~ almost hidden in a deep recess at its west. At the right +of the portal the beautiful ~Bridalveil~ leaps gracefully from its +hanging valley between ~Cathedral Rocks~ and the ~Leaning Tower~. + +Plunging again into the deep woods, we stop for a draught of ice-cold +water at ~Fern Spring~, and a short distance beyond emerge at the +beautiful border of the Merced. Crossing ~Pohono Bridge~ we join the +~El Portal Road~. El Portal is ten miles westward via Road Trip VI, +and Yosemite five miles eastward via Road Trip I. + + + + +YOSEMITE TRAILS + + +For an ideal vacation-land, Yosemite could scarcely be surpassed. Of +the 600 miles of trails in the park probably half are within two days +walking distance of the valley. It is this portion of the park which +is described in the following trail trips--the region which may be +seen on walking tours from the valley as a base camp. + +For the person whose days in Yosemite are limited, Glacier Point +undoubtedly offers the most attractive one-day excursion. It is +reached by a number of trails, chief of which are the beautiful Vernal +and Nevada Falls Trail, the steep but thrilling climb up the narrow +Ledge Trail, and the dusty, toilsome ascent of the Short Trail. Most +thrilling of all Yosemite Trails is the ascent of Half Dome, made +possible by the recent construction of a cable-guarded route up its +north shoulder. Further northeastward is the commanding summit of +Clouds Rest, a long one-day round trip, but well repaid by a +magnificent panorama of the High Sierra. North of the Yosemite walls +the most comprehensive views may be had from Eagle Peak. The top of +North Dome is also a vantage point of the first order, but the round +trip is a long one-day climb. The summit of El Capitan, although +exceedingly lofty, is rather disappointing except for the view over +its rim into the abyss below. Sierra Point is but one hour's climb +above the valley and offers an especially good panorama. + +Many ideal two-day walking trips from Yosemite are made possible by +accommodations at the lodges in the High Sierra. Chief among these +excursions are the trips to Lake Tenaya, Tuolumne Meadows and Merced +Lake. Other charming trails are described in the following text. + + +TRAIL TRIP 1 + +YOSEMITE TO GLACIER POINT _via_ VERNAL AND NEVADA FALLS AND RETURN +_via_ THE SHORT TRAIL + +Reverse of Trail Trip 2 + +(16 miles--8 hours) + +If one were so time-poor as to have but one day in Yosemite, he should +by all means climb to Glacier Point via Vernal and Nevada Falls and +return via the Short Trail. This most scenic trip is easily made afoot +in one day and should be taken as follows rather than in the opposite +direction because (_a_) one faces the falls in ascending, and (_b_) +the gradual ascent is less tiring. Early in the season it is a good +plan to carry a sack or newspaper for protection while passing thru +the mist of Vernal Falls. + +The ~Vernal and Nevada Falls Trail~ starts near Happy Isles Bridge, +2.3 miles from Yosemite Village. The trail leaves the road at the +right just beyond the bridge, or we may take the footpath through +~Happy Isles~, crossing the river on a foot-log and joining the main +trail a quarter mile above. Ascending the canyon, the trail climbs 200 +feet above the roaring Merced, which was here called by the Indians +the "Yanopah" or "water cloud," referring to the mist of Vernal Falls. +A quarter of a mile from the bridge is a fine spring. Here the ~Sierra +Point Trail~ (Trail Trip 12) turns left. Rounding the base of ~Grizzly +Peak~ we pass opposite the mouth of ~Illilouette Canyon~ and see +~Illilouette Falls~ (Drop 350 feet) at its head. The name is a +corruption of the Indian name, Too-tool-a-we-ack. The small dam in the +river below diverts water to the Happy Isles Power House. To the left +of Illilouette Canyon is ~Panorama Cliff~, along the rim of which our +trail runs after a three-hour climb by the Mist Trail (one hour longer +by horse trail). + +Descending 100 feet the trail crosses ~Vernal Bridge~, from which is a +fine view of ~Vernal Falls~, a half mile distant. Near this point was +the old Indian Camp of Ap´-poo-meh. Straight ahead the horse trail +climbs 1600 feet and then descends to the top of Vernal Falls. +Pedestrians should take the much more scenic ~Mist Trail~, which turns +left just beyond the bridge, saving thereby one hour and several +hundred feet climb. Paralleling the river we pass ~Lady Franklin +Rock~, from whence may be obtained excellent photographs of Vernal +Falls. The trail mounts thru the boulder-strewn forest and finally +rounds a rocky point on a narrow ledge. Use extreme caution on +slippery wet rocks! We now enter the mist, traversing the luxuriant +garden of flowers and grasses which gives the fall its name. Between +10 and 12 a.m. beautiful ~circular rainbows~ may be seen in the mist. +Climbing the steep slope at the right we obtain fine profiles of the +fall. The trail then swings beneath an overhanging cliff and mounts a +steep narrow ledge to the top of ~Vernal Falls~ (Alt. 5049, Drop 317 +feet). The Indians called the fall "Yan-o-pah," or "water cloud," +which was also the name for the canyon below. Over the rim of the +natural granite parapet we have an excellent outlook down the canyon. +By climbing along the rim southeast of the falls we find a ladder and +hanging trail descending to a grotto, from which a good view of +Glacier Point is obtained. + +Above Vernal Falls we pass a glacial tarn called ~Emerald Pool~, at +the upper end of which the Merced rushes down over smooth granite, +forming the beautiful ~Silver Apron~ and ~Waterwheel~. + +Just above is the ~Diamond Cascade~ and bridge. Our trail now joins +the horse trail, which descends from the slope above. Crossing the +river at Diamond Cascade, the trail ascends to ~Snow Flat~ below +~Liberty Cap~ (Alt. 7072), which towers above to the left. This +granite dome, the Mah'-ta, or "Martyr Mountain" of the Indians, can be +ascended by a difficult climb up its eastern flank. Good rock-climbers +will find an interesting scramble up the deep defile between this dome +and ~Mt. Broderick~ (Alt. 6705) just northward. At the left of the +trail is the site of the old La Casa Nevada Hotel (The Snow House), +which was built in the early days and burned down in 1897. The old +register is in the Yosemite Museum. The rockslide to the left fell +from the face of Liberty Cap in 1918. Fishing is fair from Diamond +Cascade to Nevada Falls. The trail turns left and mounts 500 feet by +the famous ~Nevada Falls Zigzags~. When white men first visited +Yosemite, part of the Merced descended in a cascade where the trail is +now built. At the top of the switchbacks the trail to ~Little +Yosemite~, ~Clouds Rest~, ~Tuolumne Meadows~ and ~Merced Lake~ (Trail +Trips 13, 5, 8 and 7) continues up the canyon. There is here a +government telephone (Central 1 ring). The new location of a +refreshment stand and rest house in the vicinity is indicated by a +sign. + +Our trail turns right and crosses a small bridge, thence turning +southwest to the top of ~Nevada Falls~ (Alt. 5910, Height 594 ft.). +Nevada is "snow" in Spanish and replaces the old Indian name Yo-wy-we. +Note especially the shooting spray rockets. These are most wonderful +when painted by first rays of sunshine at 7.30 to 8 a.m. Many claim +that, looking down from the rim, the Nevada is the valley's most +fascinating and beautiful fall. Above this point the river was called +by the Yosemite Tribe "Yo-wy-we-ack," or the "twisting rock" branch. + +Crossing the river just above the falls, the trail climbs abruptly 700 +feet by switchbacks. At the summit the ~Mono Meadow~ and ~Merced Pass +Trail~ up ~Illilouette Creek~ turns left (Trail Trip 23). Our trail +turns right and follows the rim of ~Panorama Cliff~ almost level for +about one mile to ~Panorama Point~ (Alt. 6224). From here is a fine +view of ~Royal Arches~, ~Washington Column~ and ~North Dome~ across +the head of ~Yosemite Valley~, and of ~Half Dome~ and ~Grizzly Peak~ +to the right. The trail descends 400 feet to the top of ~Illilouette +Falls~ (Alt. 5850, Fall 370 ft.). Good fishing is reported in upper +~Illilouette Creek~. Exploration up this canyon will well repay those +interested in glacial phenomena. + +Climbing out of the ~Illilouette Canyon~, the trail runs north thru +open forest. The fallen trees and prostrate bushes are caused by +snow-slides from ~Illilouette Ridge~ above (Alt. 8250. Fine view from +summit). As the trail climbs, the view of ~Mt. Starr King~, ~Mt. +Clark~ and the ~High Sierra~ gradually unfolds. The trail joining from +the south leads to ~Buena Vista Lake~ and ~Royal Arch Lake~ (Trail +Trip 22). From one point in the ascent is an especially good profile +of ~Half Dome~ across the canyon. Following along granite ledges the +trail passes ~Glacier Point Hotel~ (Alt. 7200), from which is a most +comprehensive panorama of the High Sierra. Accommodations are +excellent and one should remain here over night if possible to see the +sunrise. ~Glacier Point~ and the overhanging rock are about 200 yards +beyond the hotel. This lookout point was called Patill'ima by the +Yosemite Tribe. From here we obtain what is without doubt the vastest +and most awe-inspiring view readily accessible to tourists. The valley +floor is 3250 feet below. An inclined shaft elevator thru solid +granite from the foot of the cliff is being planned. For trips from +Glacier Point see Trail Trips 16 to 23. + +The descent from Glacier Point to Yosemite is generally made by the +~Short Trail~ (5 miles, 1-1/2 hour walk). From the hotel the trail +follows westward along the canyon wall. Rounding a point we get an +excellent profile view of the ~Gates of the Valley~ with ~Sentinel +Rock at~ the left and ~El Capitan~ at the right. Descending 900 feet +by switchbacks thru a forest of fir, sugar pine, yellow pine, Douglas +fir and incense cedar, we reach ~Union Point~ (Alt. 6314--2350 feet +above the valley floor). There is here a refreshment stand where +cooling drinks and light lunches may be obtained. A short distance +from the point is a shelter cabin and a government telephone (Central +1 ring). + +Descending past ~Agassiz Column~, a huge balancing shaft of granite, +the trail zigzags down the mountain side, emerging at several vantage +points from which are obtained especially fine views of ~Half Dome~ +and the north end of the valley. The character of the forest now +changes, oaks and laurel entering to replace the diminishing fir. The +trail terminates at the foot of ~Sentinel Rock~ at the site of the old +Camp Awahnee and the more ancient Indian village of Loi'-ah. Yosemite +is 1.3 miles distant by road to the right. During the season a regular +auto-bus service is maintained between this and other valley points. + + +TRAIL TRIP 2 + +YOSEMITE TO GLACIER POINT _via_ THE SHORT TRAIL AND RETURN _via_ +VERNAL AND NEVADA FALLS + +Reverse of Trail Trip 1 + +(16 miles--8 hours) + +The Glacier Point excursion is a most scenic one-day trip and this is +the most widely used of Yosemite trails. Parties are advised to take +the reverse of this trip (Trail Trip 1) thereby obtaining views of the +falls which are unnoticed on the down trip. The ascent is also more +gradual and therefore less tiring. + +The ~Short Trail to Glacier Point~ starts from the Bridalveil Road 1.3 +miles west of Yosemite at the site of old Camp Awahnee and of the more +ancient Indian village of Loi'-ah. Turning southward we ascend +abruptly thru a dense forest of oak, mountain laurel, scattered pines, +cedar and Douglas fir. As the trail climbs rapidly by switchbacks, +broad-leaved trees disappear, their places being taken by sugar pines +and true firs from above. Frequently the trail emerges at vantage +points from which are obtained especially fine views of ~Half Dome~ +and the north end of the valley. A climb of 2350 feet takes us past a +balancing shaft of granite, ~Agassiz Column~, to ~Union Point~ (Alt. +6314). At this fine view-point are a government shelter cabin and +telephone (Central 1 ring.) + +The remaining 900-foot climb to Glacier Point is thru a dense forest +with some vast views to the northeast. A short level stretch near the +end leads to ~Glacier Point~ (Alt. 7214). The view from the vicinity +of the overhanging rock is without doubt the vastest and most +awe-inspiring sight readily accessible to tourists. The Yosemite Tribe +called this lookout point Patill'ima. Yosemite is 3250 feet below. An +inclined shaft elevator thru solid granite from the foot of the cliff +is being planned. For trips from Glacier Point see Trail Trips 16 to +23. + +The ~Glacier Point Hotel~ and cottages are but 200 yards distant. The +panorama of the ~High Sierra~ from the hotel balcony is especially +fine. Accommodations are excellent and it is recommended that the +tourist remain over night if possible to see the sunrise. + +Passing the hotel the trail descends gradually along granite ledges +revealing a most impressive profile of ~Half Dome~ across the canyon. +During the descent into the canyon of the Illilouette several patches +of fallen trees and prostrate brush are passed. These are caused by +the frequent snow slides from the ~Illilouette Ridge~ above (Alt. +8250. Fine view). At a trail forks, the ~Buena Vista Trail~ (Trail +Trip 22) branches south up the ~Illilouette Canyon~. An abrupt descent +by zigzags takes us to a point from which is obtained a good view of +the lace-like ~Illilouette Fall~. The name is a corruption of the old +Indian name Too-tool-a-we-ack. A few feet below we stop at the lip of +the fall (Alt. 5850). The canyon above abounds in glacial phenomena +and will well repay a side trip for those interested in geology. +Fishing is good up the canyon. + +A climb of 375 feet takes us to ~Panorama Point~ (Alt. 6224), from +which is an imposing view of the upper end of the valley and the mouth +of ~Tenaya Canyon~. To the right is the sheer edge of ~Panorama +Cliff~, along which our trail now follows almost level for about a +mile. In the canyon below can be seen our route of about two hours +hence. At a trail forks the ~Mono Meadow~ and ~Merced Pass Trail~ +(Trail Trip 23) turns right into the ~Illilouette Creek Basin~. + +Now begins an abrupt descent of 700 feet by switchbacks to the ~Merced +River~ which, above this point, was called by the Yosemite Tribe the +Yo-wy-we-ack or "twisting rock" branch. A few steps from the bridge is +the top of ~Nevada Falls~ (Alt. 5910, Drop 594 ft.). Nevada is Spanish +for snow and replaces the old Indian name Yo-wy-we. Many claim that +the view from the overhanging ledge is the most fascinating +water-vista of Yosemite. Note especially the shooting spray rockets. +These are most wonderful when painted by the first rays of sunshine at +7:30 to 8 a.m. + +About a quarter of a mile upstream the trail crosses a small bridge +and is joined by the ~Clouds Rest~, ~Sunrise~, ~Lake Merced~ and +~Little Yosemite Trail~ (Trail Trips 5, 8, 7 and 13). Here is a +government telephone (Central 1 ring). Fishing is good about two miles +upstream in ~Little Yosemite~. In the following abrupt 500-foot +descent by zigzags some fine profile views of ~Nevada Falls~ are +obtained. When white men first visited Yosemite part of the Merced +cascaded down the steep slope where the trail is now built. As the +trail crosses ~Snow Flat~ at the foot of Nevada Falls, the ruins of +the old "La Casa Nevada," or "Snow House," are seen at the right of +the trail. The old register, which dates back to 1871, is in the +Yosemite Museum. ~Liberty Cap~ (Alt. 7072), which the Indians called +Mah'ta or "Martyr Mountain," towers above to the right. It may be +ascended from the east and good rock climbers will find an interesting +scramble up the deep defile between this dome and ~Mount Broderick~ +(Alt. 6705) just northward. The talus of huge rocks above the trail +fell from the face of Liberty Cap in 1918. + +A bridge across the Merced takes us directly over the ~Diamond +Cascade~. Below is the ~Silver Apron~. From the bridge upstream is +fair fishing. A short distance beyond the crossing is a fork where the +main or "horse trail" turns to the left and climbs 350 feet up the +canyon wall in order to pass Vernal Falls. Pedestrians should turn to +the right and take the far more scenic ~Mist Trail~, thereby saving a +half hour and several hundred feet climb. Following down the river we +pass the ~Silver Apron~ and ~Waterwheel~, below which is a perfect +glacial tarn called ~Emerald Pool~. Near its mouth is the rim of +~Vernal Falls~ (Alt. 5049, Drop 317 ft.). From behind the natural +breast-high granite parapet we have another excellent outlook. The +fall was called by the Indians Yan-o-pah, or "water cloud," which term +was also applied to the canyon below. By climbing along the rim +southeast of the falls we find a ladder and hanging trail descending +to a ~grotto~, from which is a good view of ~Glacier Point~. + +Nearer the fall the ~Mist Trail~ suddenly drops over the edge of the +cliff and follows down a steep, narrow ledge which is well guarded by +chains and iron posts. From here and from the zigzags just below we +obtain excellent profiles of the fall. We now enter the mist, passing +down thru a luxurious growth of grasses and flowers, which caused the +fall to be given its present name. Between 10 and 12 a.m. the +beautiful ~circular rainbows~ may here be seen. Use extreme caution on +slippery wet rocks! Following around the base of a cliff on a narrow +ledge, the trail again enters a forest and parallels the river. We +stop at ~Lady Franklin Rock~, where is obtained one of the best vistas +of the falls (good photograph). A short distance downstream the two +trails reunite just before crossing ~Vernal Bridge~, from which is a +good distant view of the falls. In the canyon below was the old Indian +camp of Ap´-poo-meh. + +The trail now mounts about 200 feet above the riotous Merced and in +rounding the base of ~Grizzly Peak~ offers a clear perception of the +deep recess below ~Illilouette Falls~. + +Again approaching the river we pass a spring and water trough where +the ~Sierra Point Trail~ (Trail Trip 12) joins from the right. The +~Happy Isles Bridge~ on the main road is a quarter of a mile distant. +We have the choice of descending by the main trail or crossing the +foot-log to ~Happy Isles~, and thence by several bridges and footpaths +to the main road. + +The road to the right leads to Mirror Lake. We turn left. Camp Curry +is one mile distant and Yosemite Village 2.3 miles. + + +TRAIL TRIP 3 + +YOSEMITE TO NORTH DOME _via_ YOSEMITE FALLS AND RETURN _via_ MIRROR +LAKE + +Reverse of Trail Trip 4 + +(19.5 miles--10 hours) + +The ~North Dome~ trip is a strenuous one-day climb and should be taken +as follows rather than Trail Trip 4, thus avoiding the hot ascent of +the Mirror Lake zigzags. One should start early, reaching the top of +the falls before the heat becomes excessive. + +The ~Yosemite Falls Trail~ was built in the early days and operated as +a toll trail. It leaves the road a short distance west of ~Yosemite +Lodge~. In the first mile we ascend by sharp zigzags thru a shady +grove of golden oak and laurel, emerging above into the open and +climbing granite ledges to ~Columbia Point~ (Alt. 5031). From here is +a splendid view, especially of the upper end of the valley. Turning +north, the trail ascends a few feet and then follows along a granite +ledge beautifully shaded by oaks, laurel, Douglas fir and pines. At +the left of the trail about a quarter of a mile above Columbia Point +is a spring. A short, rather steep descent takes us to ~Valley View~, +a lookout point a short distance to the right of the trail, from which +is an excellent view of the valley and the ~Upper Yosemite Fall~. +Skirting the base of an almost perpendicular cliff at the left, the +trail approaches the foot of the upper fall and bears to the left. +From this point it is possible to leave the trail and climb to the +foot of the upper fall, entering the cave under its base except during +high water. The climb is dangerous because of slippery rocks. + +By switchbacks the trail ascends the steep slope west of the falls, +crossing a small stream after a quarter-mile climb. During the hour +ascent of the zigzags, ~Mount Clark~ (Alt. 11,506), ~Gray Peak~ (Alt. +11,581) and other High Sierra summits may be seen to the southeast. +Across the canyon are ~Glacier Point~ and ~Sentinel Dome~. At a trail +junction 100 feet beyond the canyon rim is a government telephone +(Central 1 ring). Here the ~Eagle Peak~ and ~Yosemite Creek Trails~ +continue straight ahead (Trail Trips 9, 10 and 11). Our trail turns to +the right and crosses a small stream. Just beyond, the main trail +passes over a low rise. A branch to the left follows south along the +open ridge for a short distance to the top of the falls. From the +railed lookout point, peering into the chasm below we see what Muir +describes as one of the most impressive phenomena of the valley. +Retracing our route to the main trail and turning left, we cross +~Yosemite Creek~ and climb 300 feet on the further side, thence +turning southward. A short trail to the rim takes us to ~Yosemite +Point~ (Alt. 6935), from which is a vast view of the valley and the +High Sierra. The granite spire at the right and just below is "Le +Hammo," the Lost Arrow of one of the most beautiful Yosemite Indian +legends. + +Returning to the main trail we climb parallel to the eastern rim of +the cliff. To the right are ~Castle Cliffs~ and the flat summit of +~North Dome~ beyond. After a climb of 400 feet the trail crosses a +ridge and traverses a dense forest of fir and pine, descending 400 +feet and crossing ~Indian Creek~. Directly south is ~Indian Canyon~, +called by the Yosemite Tribe "Le Hamite," because of the arrowwood +which grew there. Their main trail into Yosemite followed along the +precipitous east side of the canyon. + +The ~Little Winkle Branch of Indian Creek~ is crossed a half mile +beyond the main stream, and here the ~Snow Flat Trail~ continues +upstream. Turning to the right, our trail passes thru a fir forest +about one mile to ~Indian Ridge~, which it follows south over +disintegrating granite and thru stunted forest to the rounded summit +of ~North Dome~ (Alt. 7531). The view is most comprehensive and the +sheer vertical wall of ~Half Dome~ gives an impression of massiveness +nowhere else obtained. To the north of the trail near the summit is +~Slipper Rock~. + +In returning to Yosemite we take all main trails to the right. +Retracing our path up ~Indian Ridge~ it is possible to follow the +trail back to the ~East~ or ~Little Winkle Fork of Indian Creek~, and +turn right on the ~Snow Flat Trail~, but the better and the shorter +way is to follow the plain blazes which turn to the right about a half +mile from the North Dome summit and just west of the crest of ~Indian +Ridge~. Running thru a beautiful forest this trail joins the main +~Snow Flat Trail~ at the ~Little Winkle Branch of Indian Creek~ just +west of ~Indian Rock~. + +It is also possible to leave the trail and follow up Indian Ridge from +North Dome, gradually bearing to the right of ~Indian Rock~ and +intersecting the main ~Mirror Lake Trail~ near the top of the zigzags. + +Our trail follows up the ~East~ or ~Little Winkle Branch of Indian +Creek~, at the source of which the ~Porcupine Flat Trail~ branches to +the left. The ~Mirror Lake Trail~ swings north of ~Indian Rock~, and +descends east to a branch of ~Snow Creek~, passing ~Snow Creek Falls~. +Further down Snow Creek is the junction with the ~Lake Tenaya Trail~ +(Trail Trips 5 and 6). Turning right we further descend Snow Creek and +pass over the rim of the canyon between ~Basket Dome~ (Alt. 7602) at +the right and ~Mt. Watkins~ (Alt. 8235) at the left. In the next one +and a half miles a descent of 2500 feet is made by 108 switchbacks to +the floor of ~Tenaya Canyon~. Following down the canyon one mile, the +trail joins the road at ~Mirror Lake~. Yosemite is three miles distant +by road. + + +TRAIL TRIP 4 + +YOSEMITE TO NORTH DOME _via_ MIRROR LAKE AND RETURN _via_ YOSEMITE +FALLS TRAIL + +Reverse of Trail Trip 3 + +(19.5 miles--10 hours) + +This is a strenuous one-day climb. The advantage of taking the trip as +follows and seeing the sunrise at ~Mirror Lake~ is more than offset by +physical penalty of climbing the hot and steep ~Tenaya Trail~ zigzags. +The trip is better taken in the reverse direction (Trail Trip 3). If +the following route is adhered to, it is best to leave Yosemite as +early as possible, carrying a canteen which should be filled about +three-quarters of a mile above Mirror Lake. + +~Mirror Lake~ is three miles distant by road from Yosemite. Here our +trail leaves the end of the road and skirts the west shore. Following +up the canyon beneath the dense forest about one mile we suddenly turn +left and start the 2500-foot ascent. From the 108 switchbacks are many +fine views. After a long, tiresome climb the trail passes over the +canyon rim between ~Mt. Watkins~ (Alt. 8235) at the right and ~Basket +Dome~ (Alt. 7602) at the left. A short distance takes us to ~Snow +Creek~, which cascades beautifully further down its rough canyon. +Turning upstream we soon arrive at a trail fork where the ~Tenaya Lake +Trail~ (Trail Trip 6) turns right. We turn left, following up the west +branch about a mile further. In high water ~Snow Creek Falls~ is +especially attractive. The trail now makes a wide detour to the north +of ~Indian Rock~ (Alt. 8526). If desirable, pedestrians may leave the +trail and climb to its summit, from which are good views, thence +following south down the long open ridge to the summit of ~North +Dome~. + +The trail keeps at a lower elevation, passing thru almost level fir +forests and meadows with a charming diversity of wild-flowers and +trees. Gradually bearing southward our trail follows down the ~East~ +or ~Little Winkle Branch of Indian Creek~ from its source. The main +~Snow Flat Trail~ continues down this stream, but we turn left on the +plainly blazed ~cut-off trail to North Dome~. Passing thru the dense +forests on the west flank of ~Indian Ridge~, we finally emerge on the +open disintegrated granite at the crest of the long slope leading +southward to North Dome. Here the ~Yosemite Falls Trail~ joins from +the west. The rounded summit of ~North Dome~ (Alt. 7531) is now easily +reached by a walk thru the open forest and over granite pavements, +which here exhibit very well the geological phenomenon of exfoliation +or weathering in concentric shells. Near the summit and to the north +of the trail is ~Slipper Rock~. From the top is a vast outlook, +especially westward toward the ~Gates of the Valley~ and eastward +where the great wall of ~Half Dome~ dominates the entire landscape. +The floor of ~Yosemite Valley~ is partly hidden by the projecting +~Royal Arch Cliff~. Daring rock climbers who have made the descent to +the edge describe this dizzy precipice as one of the most impressive +in the park. + +In returning to Yosemite we take all main trails to the left. +Retracing our path for about half a mile up ~Indian Ridge~, we turn +westward. One mile more thru dense forest takes us past a small stream +and to the ~Little Winkle Branch of Indian Creek~, where the main +~Snow Flat Trail~ joins from upstream. The steep canyon below was +called "Le Hamite" by the Yosemite Indians because of the arrowwood +which grew there. Their main trail into Yosemite followed along the +precipitous east wall of the canyon. + +A climb of 400 feet thru the forest now takes us to the summit of a +long ridge which we follow southward, finally paralleling the edge of +a deep precipice just westward from ~Castle Cliffs~ and emerging +abruptly at ~Yosemite Point~ (Alt. 6935). This is one of the justly +famous view-points of Yosemite and offers a remarkable combination of +depths and distances. The granite spire just below and at the right is +the ~Lost Arrow~, the "Le Hammo" of the Yosemite Tribe, the story of +which is one of their most charming legends. + +Returning a short distance to the main trail we descend to ~Yosemite +Creek~. On the open ridge just beyond the crossing is a secondary +trail which leads to the rim of the ~Upper Yosemite Fall~, a few +hundred feet distant. The wonderful view from this point is most +thrillingly described by Muir. + +Returning to the main trail we cross a small stream where is the +junction with the ~Yosemite Creek~, ~Eagle Peak~ and ~Ten Lakes +Trails~ (Trail Trips 11, 9 and 10). There is here a government +telephone (Central 1 ring). Turning left we descend abruptly 1600 feet +by sharp, dusty switchbacks, finally skirting the bottom of the almost +vertical cliff west of the falls. At this point one can leave the +trail and climb to the foot of the upper fall, in times of low water +even entering the cave beneath its base. The climb is dangerous +because of the slippery rocks. + +The trail now passes southward along a granite ledge beneath the shade +of oaks and laurel. A short steep descent at the left of the trail +takes us to ~Valley View~, an excellent lookout point. Less than +one-half mile further is ~Columbia Point~ (Alt. 5031) from which is a +particularly wide and effective panorama. The following 2000-foot +descent to the floor of Yosemite Valley is first along granite ledges +among scattered Douglas firs and golden oaks, and finally beneath the +dense laurel and oak forests of the lower talus slopes. At the foot of +the trail is the ~El Capitan Road~. Auto busses run between this and +other valley points on half-hour service. ~Yosemite Lodge~ is a short +distance eastward and ~Yosemite Village~ is about three-quarters of a +mile distant via Yosemite Lodge and the foot-bridge. + + +TRAIL TRIP 5 + +YOSEMITE TO TENAYA LAKE _via_ CLOUDS REST AND FORSYTH PASS AND RETURN +_via_ MIRROR LAKE + +Reverse of Trail Trip 6 + +(32.25 miles--2-day trip) + +Owing to the stupendous mountain scenery and the charming diversity of +meadows and forests thru which this trail passes, it deserves to be +ranked among the most scenic of Yosemite Trails. Two days should be +taken for the trip. Excellent accommodations will be found at Tenaya +Lake Lodge, but reservations should be made in advance from Yosemite. + +From Yosemite we take the road past ~Camp Curry~ to ~Happy Isles +Bridge~. Here we turn to the right on the main ~Glacier Point Trail~ +and follow Trail Trip 1 as far as the trail junction at the top of the +~Nevada Falls~ zigzags. At this point we turn left, rising rather +abruptly about 200 feet and then following up the north bank of the +Merced river. About a half mile takes us to a junction where the +~Little Yosemite Trail~ (Trail Trip 13) continues on up the ~Little +Yosemite Valley~. Our trail turns to the left uphill and mounts by +switchbacks thru a dense stand of pine, fir and cedar. A climb of 1000 +feet in one and a half miles takes us to the junction where the ~Half +Dome Trail~ (Trail Trip 14) turns to the left. Our trail turns right +along a gently inclined bench and in one-half mile again branches. To +the right is the ~Sunrise Trail~ (Trail Trip 8). By taking this trail +and branching north on the cut-off route about two miles further, some +distance can be saved by those who do not wish to visit Clouds Rest. + +The main trail, which turns to the left, should be followed. It +continues the climb towards the northeast. About half a mile westward +are the two ~Quarter Domes~ (Alt. 8160 and 8276). At an altitude of +8200 we pass a spring. Above this the trail rises sharply by zigzags +to the base of the ~Pinnacles~ (Alt. 9451). A climb of a few hundred +feet along their east flank takes us near the summit of ~Clouds Rest~ +(Alt. 9924). A short branch trail up the steep and rocky slope leads +to the crest, from which is a vast view in all directions. This is the +highest of the Yosemite Valley summits. + +We descend again to the trail, which turns northeast and follows along +the canyon rim, keeping generally just east of the crest. In two miles +the cut-off trail from Little Yosemite joins from the right. After +gradually bearing to the left, now on the Tenaya Canyon slope, we pass +a small lake at the right of the trail. The lake contains no fish, but +upstream one mile is ~Mildred Lake~ (Alt. 9600), in which are some +very large trout. + +Traversing ~Forsyth Pass~, the picturesque trail now descends 1000 +feet in the next two and a half miles over rough granite to the rocky +meadows just below ~Lake Tenaya~ (Alt. 8141). This large, deep glacial +lake is beautifully surrounded by granite crags and domes. Its Indian +name, Py-we-ack, meant "lake of the glistening rocks," referring to +the glacier-polished granite at its upper end. The lake and the peak +to the east were renamed "Tenaya" when the last remnant of Chief +Tenaya's Yosemite Tribe was captured here by the Mariposa Battalion on +June 5, 1851. There is here good camping, and pasturage seems +abundant, but horses do not like it and should therefore be hobbled to +prevent straying. The lake was stocked with Loch Leven trout in 1911 +and with rainbow, eastern brook, black spotted and steelhead in 1917, +1918 and 1919, but fishing is only fair. Crossing the meadows at the +outlet our trail joins the ~Tioga Road~, which follows the western +margin of the lake to the ~Tenaya Lake Lodge~, about one and a half +miles distant, where good accommodations will be found. The road +continues up the canyon to ~Tuolumne Meadows~ seven and a half miles +distant, and to Mono Lake. + +From Tenaya Lake to Mirror Lake are two trails, which unite after +about two and a half miles. The first of these starts from the road +just beyond the sharp bend about one and a quarter miles from the lake +and bears southwest thru the forest. The other, which is far more +scenic, crosses the meadow and park-like forest below the lake, +passing a beautiful little unnamed lake where good camp sites and +horse-feed will be found, but no fishing. Beyond this is a gradual +300-foot ascent along an open ridge. Below is the deep chasm of the +inaccessible and little known ~Tenaya Canyon~. The unbroken granite +abutments of ~Clouds Rest~ sweep down almost 4000 feet. After each +snowstorm these cliffs shed avalanche after avalanche. At about two +and a half miles from Tenaya Lake the less scenic trail from the Tioga +Road joins from the right. Descending southwest thru timber the trail +passes ~Hidden Lake~ (Alt. 8400--picturesque but no fishing) which is +to the left of the trail but invisible without making a detour. About +two miles further is ~Tenmile Meadow~ (Alt. 8400) on a small tributary +of ~Tenaya Creek~. This is a good place to noon. There is here fine +horse-feed, also good camp sites, but no fishing. + +An abrupt climb of 650 feet now takes us over a spur ridge and to the +source of the east branch of ~Snow Creek~. There is here a small +meadow at the left of the trail, where good horse-feed and camp sites +will be found. A 1500-foot descent by zigzags thru scattered timber +takes us down a side canyon to ~Snow Creek~, across which is a +foot-log. About 300 yards beyond the crossing, the ~North Dome Trail~ +(Trail Trip 4) turns northwest and follows up the west branch of Snow +Creek. We turn left, passing thru a beautiful forest of Jeffrey pine, +lodgepole pine and fir. Fishing is fair, but the trout are small. +About one mile below the crossing we suddenly emerge at the rim of the +canyon between ~Mt. Watkins~ (Alt. 8235) at the left and ~Basket Dome~ +(Alt. 7602) at the right. The following abrupt descent of 2500 feet by +108 switchbacks takes us to the bottom of ~Tenaya Canyon~. Turning +downstream our trail enters a dense forest of oaks, laurel, pine and +cedar. One mile of almost level path takes us to ~Mirror Lake~, where +we skirt the west shore to the end of the road. Yosemite is three +miles distant by road. + + +TRAIL TRIP 6 + +YOSEMITE TO TENAYA LAKE _via_ MIRROR LAKE AND RETURN _via_ FORSYTH +PASS AND CLOUDS REST + +Reverse of Trail Trip 5 + +(32.25 miles--2-day trip) + +~Tenaya Lake~ is one of the gems of the High Sierra. The very scenic +two-day round trip from Yosemite is too long and strenuous to be +attempted in one day. Excellent accommodations will be found at Tenaya +Lake Lodge, but reservations should be made in advance by telephone. +If the trip is to be taken in the following direction one should start +early to avoid the intense heat of the zigzags above Mirror Lake. +Water should be carried. + +The trail starts at ~Mirror Lake~, three miles from Yosemite. One +should plan to see sunrise there (about 8 a.m. in summer). Skirting +the west shore the trail follows up the canyon about one mile, thru a +dense forest of oak, laurel, yellow pine, Douglas fir and incense +cedar. Then begins a long, hard climb of 2500 feet up 108 switchbacks +(one and a half miles--two hours). + +Above the rim of the canyon the trail follows the west bank of ~Snow +Creek~. Fishing is fair but the trout small. Further down stream are +picturesque cascades. After passing thru a forest of Jeffrey pine, +lodgepole pine and fir for about one mile the trail to North Dome and +Tioga Road (Trail Trip 4) branches to the left. Our trail turns right +and crosses ~Snow Creek~ (foot-log) about 300 yards beyond. We then +climb 1500 feet by zigzags up an east branch of Snow Creek thru +scattered timber. At the headwaters of this creek is a small meadow at +the right of the trail, a good campsite with forage fairly abundant. + +Rising over a spur ridge, the trail drops abruptly about 650 feet to +~Tenmile Meadow~ (Alt. 8400) on a small tributary of ~Tenaya Creek~. +This is a good place to noon. It is a fine camp and horse-feed is +abundant, but there is no fishing. Climbing to the northeast thru +timber the trail passes ~Hidden Lake~ (Alt. 8400--picturesque, but no +fishing), which is a short distance to the right of the trail but not +visible from it. About two and a half miles beyond Tenmile Meadow the +trail forks. The left branch leads to the ~Tioga Road~, about one mile +distant, which may then be followed to Lake Tenaya. The trail to the +right is far more scenic. It follows an open granite ridge revealing +the wonderfully glaciated canyon below and ~Clouds Rest~ opposite. +Down the canyon are Half Dome and the head of Yosemite Valley. +Descending about 300 feet the trail passes a beautiful little unnamed +lake, where are good camp sites and abundant pasturage, but no +fishing. From here the trail traverses almost level meadows and a +scattered forest of lodgepole pine one mile to ~Lake Tenaya~ (Alt. +8141). This large, deep glacial lake is beautifully surrounded by +granite crags and domes and is a splendid place for a permanent camp. +Its Indian name was Py-we-ack, or "lake of the glistening rocks," +because of the glacier-polished granite pavements near the north end. +On June 5, 1851, when the last remnant of old Chief Tenaya's Yosemite +Tribe was captured here by the Mariposa Battalion, the lake and the +dominant pyramidal peak at the east were renamed "Tenaya." Forage is +abundant in the vicinity but it is not liked by horses, so stock +should be hobbled. The lake was stocked with Loch Leven trout in 1911 +and with rainbow, eastern brook, black spotted and steelhead in 1917, +1918 and 1919, but fishing is only fair. The ~Tioga Road~ follows +around the western margin of the lake to ~Tenaya Lake Lodge~, about +one and a half miles distant, where good accommodations will be found. +The road continues up the canyon to ~Tuolumne Meadows~, seven and a +half miles distant, and to ~Mono Lake~. + +Our return trail starts just below the lake. Crossing the meadow it +mounts the east slope steadily climbing 1000 feet up the rough granite +to ~Forsyth Pass~, two and a half miles distant. Fine views are +obtained all along the trail. Near the summit a small shallow lake can +be seen east of the trail. By leaving the trail and following up the +small stream about one mile, ~Mildred Lake~ (Alt. 9600) can be +reached. This little lake contains some very large trout. From Forsyth +Pass the trail follows southwest along the rim of Tenaya Canyon about +two miles and then forks. The trail to the left descends thru timber +about three miles and joins the ~Sunrise Trail~, making the shortest +route to Yosemite. The trail to the right leads to Clouds Rest and is +far more scenic than the cut-off. It follows just east of the canyon +rim for about two miles and joins the ~Clouds Rest Trail~. A short, +steep ascent by foot over rough granite takes us to ~Clouds Rest~ +(Alt. 9925), the highest point near Yosemite. From here is a vast +panorama to all sides. Returning to the trail we descend thru stunted +forest and rough granite. To the right are ~The Pinnacles~ (Alt. +9451). The trail descends about 1000 feet by switchbacks to a spring. +~Quarter Domes~ (Alt. 8160 and 8276) are half a mile west on the +canyon rim. The trail descends thru denser and denser forest. A short +distance below, the ~Sunrise Trail~ joins from the east. After +trending westward along a bench the trail is joined from the northwest +by the ~Half Dome Trail~. Descending thru the pine forest, we now and +then are treated to glimpses of ~Mt. Starr King~ across Little +Yosemite. About one-third of a mile takes us to another junction where +a branch trail turns left descending 400 feet into Little Yosemite. +The main trail passes to the right of a granite knob and reaches the +floor of ~Little Yosemite Valley~ near the lower end, where it is +joined by a trail from up the canyon. Turning right we pass ~Liberty +Cap~ and after a 200-foot descent join the main Glacier Point Trail at +the top of ~Nevada Falls~. There is here a government telephone +(Central 1 ring). We turn right. Yosemite is six miles distant via +Trail Trip 2. + + +TRAIL TRIP 7 + +YOSEMITE TO LAKE MERCED + +(16.5 miles--6 hours) + +The round trip from Yosemite to ~Merced Lake~ is an exceedingly scenic +two-day excursion. One should telephone in advance for accommodations +at the Merced Lake Lodge. Pedestrians may save an hour's hard climb by +taking the Mist Trail to the top of Vernal Falls. An excellent +three-day trip may be made by combining Trail Trips 7 and 6. First +day: Lake Merced. Second day: Clouds Rest and Lake Tenaya via Forsyth +Pass. Third day: Yosemite via the summit of North Dome and Yosemite +Falls Trail. + +From Yosemite we take the road on the south side of the valley past +Camp Curry to ~Happy Isles Bridge~. Here we turn right on the main +Glacier Point Trail and follow Trail Trip 1 to the junction at the top +of the ~Nevada Falls~ switchbacks. The ~Glacier Point Trail~ (Trail +Trip 1) turns right and crosses a small bridge. We take the left-hand +trail, which rises about 200 feet and follows up the ~Merced River~. +About half a mile beyond, the ~Little Yosemite Trail~ (Trail Trip 13) +continues up the canyon. The main trail turns to the left and zigzags +upward thru a dense stand of pine, fir and cedar. A climb of about 800 +feet in one and a half miles takes us to the junction with the ~Half +Dome Trail~ (Trail Trip 14), which branches left. Our trail turns +eastward along a gently sloping bench. After a quarter of a mile the +~Clouds Rest Trail~ (Trail Trip 5) continues to climb to the left. The +~Merced Lake Trail~ turns right, fording a small creek and thence +following up the west bank of ~Sunrise Creek~, crossing about a mile +above to the east bank. About half a mile above the crossing is +~Hopkins Meadow~, where the ~Sunrise Trail to Tuolumne Meadows~ (Trail +Trip 8) branches to the left. + +We turn right, passing thru almost level open granite country for the +next two miles where we obtain grand views of ~Little Yosemite~, of +the deep canyon of the ~Merced~, and of ~Mt. Clark~ and ~Mt. Starr +King~ toward the south. Descending some short, steep switchbacks the +trail again becomes almost level and passes the picturesque little +~Duck Lake~ at the right of the trail. Rising a few feet we now +descend abruptly into ~Echo Creek Canyon~, crossing ~Echo Creek~ about +a quarter of a mile from the Merced River. Here at ~Echo Valley~ are +good camp sites, excellent feed and fine fishing. Echo Creek was +stocked in 1905 with eastern brook trout. Steelhead and German brown +trout will also be found in the river. The old "Merced Lake Trail," +which is shown on the U.S.G.S. map as ascending Echo Creek is in very +poor condition and is no longer used. From Echo Valley the trail +climbs about 100 feet over a granite spur, in the ascent passing thru +a beautiful forest of western yellow pine. Following for one mile +along the glaciated granite slope, the trail parallels the river, +which here descends in a series of rapids, cascades and low falls. + +We arrive finally at ~Lake Merced~ (Alt. 7300). This is one of the +most accessible and well known of the lakes in Yosemite's High Sierra. +At its shores and along the entire seven-mile canyon above are ideal +camping places. Horse-feed is abundant above the lake. Fishing is +excellent in both lake and river. The lake contains Loch Leven, German +brown and rainbow trout. Rowboats may be hired at fifty cents per hour +or $2.50 per day. Merced Lake is undoubtedly the best base camp for +trips thruout the entire upper watershed of the Merced River. + +The trail skirts the north edge of the lake, passing into a beautiful +forest of sugar pine and western yellow pine at the upper end. Just +above the lake is ~Merced Lake Lodge~, with excellent accommodations. +One may here rent a fishing outfit and some supplies may be obtained. +~Washburn Lake~ is three miles further up the canyon. + + +TRAIL TRIP 8 + +YOSEMITE TO TUOLUMNE MEADOWS _via_ SUNRISE TRAIL + +(28 miles--12 hours) + +The ~Sunrise Trail~ has long been famous as one of the most scenic +routes between Yosemite and Tuolumne Meadows. The walk is almost too +long to be enjoyed in one day and is better taken in two. + +From Yosemite Village we follow the road south of the river, past Camp +Curry to Happy Isles Bridge. There we turn left on the ~Glacier Point +Trail~ and follow Trail Trip 1 to the junction at the top of ~Nevada +Falls~. Again turning left we skirt the south base of ~Liberty Cap~ +and climb 200 feet to the ~Little Yosemite Valley~. After following +along the margin of the placid Merced we veer abruptly to the left at +the first trail junction. Straight ahead is ~Little Yosemite~ (Trail +Trip 13). Our route mounts the timbered slope to the northward and we +now and then catch glimpses of the round dome of ~Mt. Starr King~ +across Little Yosemite. A climb of 800 feet takes us to the junction +where the ~Half Dome Trail~ (Trail Trip 14) turns northwest. We take +the right-hand trail, which trends eastward along a gently sloping +bench. The ~Clouds Rest Trail~ (Trail Trip 5) now branches northward +directly up the slope. + +Our trail bears eastward and shortly crosses a small branch of Sunrise +Creek. The trail now follows up the north bank of ~Sunrise Creek~, +crossing about a mile above to the south side. One-half mile further +is ~Hopkins Meadow~ and a junction where the ~Merced Lake Trail~ +(Trail Trip 7) turns right. Horse-feed is here moderately abundant and +camp sites fair. The ~Sunrise Trail~ continues up the canyon and is +shortly joined by the ~Forsyth Pass Trail~ from the north (Trail Trip +5). Reaching the head of Sunrise Creek and ascending the east flank of +~Sunrise Mountain~ by long sandy zigzags, the trail emerges at several +vantage points from which ~Mt. Clark~ is most advantageously seen to +the south. The trail now leads almost level through lodgepole pine and +fir forests, emerging suddenly at the foot of ~Long Meadow~. To the +north is the sharp spire of ~Columbia Finger~ (Alt. 10,700) and +~Tenaya Peak~ (Alt. 10,300) at the left. Horse-feed is abundant here +late in the season but the meadow is generally cold. There is no +fishing in the creek. Just beyond the 400-foot ridge to the west is +~Mildred Lake~, in which are some very large trout. + +After following up Long Meadow, the trail rounds the eastern base of +Columbia Finger, passing over glaciated granite and thru stunted +forests. The serrate crest of ~Echo Peak~ (Alt. 11,100) towers +imposingly at the right across the canyon. A rise of a few feet takes +us over ~Cathedral Pass~ (Alt. 9850). Just beyond is a beautiful +unnamed lake above which the spires of ~Cathedral Peak~ rise +impressively at the north. Skirting the east shore of this little lake +at about timber line, the trail bears northward across a sandy plateau +where white bark pine grows abundantly. To the west, down the canyon, +can be seen the upper end of ~Cathedral Lake~ (Alt. 9250) about one +mile distant. Here camping and fishing are good. The lake was stocked +long ago and re-stocked in 1915 by fish from Tuolumne Meadows. +Continuing around the west flank of Cathedral Peak the trail gradually +bears northeast, descending into denser forests of lodgepole pine, fir +and hemlock. To the left can be seen the summit of ~Fairview Dome~ +(Alt. 9250) about one mile distant. A gradual descent through the +dense forest, which is especially noted for its many beautiful +mountain hemlocks, takes us finally to the south edge of ~Tuolumne +Meadows~, where the trail joins the Tioga Road. The ranger camp and +Sierra Club Lodge are about one mile east. + + +TRAIL TRIP 9 + +YOSEMITE TO EAGLE PEAK, EL CAPITAN AND GENTRY + +(14 miles. Eagle Peak and return, 13 miles--8 hours) + +The round trip to the summit of Eagle Peak via Yosemite Falls Trail is +one of the most attractive of one-day Yosemite excursions. From the +valley to the crest of El Capitan via the Yosemite Falls Trail, +returning via Gentry and the Big Oak Flat Road, is too long and hard a +trip to be attempted in one day except by the most hardened walkers. +The trail to Eagle Peak is excellent, but from that point to the +summit of El Capitan it is in poor condition. From this point along +the north rim to Gentry the route is so overgrown by brush as to be +almost impassable. + +From ~Yosemite~ we follow Trail Trip 3 as far as the trail junction +above the zigzags west of the ~Upper Yosemite Fall~. Here we continue +straight ahead, paralleling ~Yosemite Creek~, to another junction a +quarter of a mile above. The trail to the north leads to ~Ten Lakes~ +and ~Hetch Hetchy~ (Trail Trips 10 and 11). We turn to the left, +climbing westward near the north bank of ~Eagle Creek~ over an old +terminal moraine. One mile from the junction is ~Eagle Peak Meadow~ +(Alt. 7200), where are good camp sites and forage. Ascending the creek +to its source, the trail continues south along the ridge, climbing +abruptly the last half mile to ~Eagle Peak~ (Alt. 7333), one of +Yosemite's finest lookout points. To the east the 3800-foot precipice +gives a vast impression of depth. + +About one-third mile from the summit the little-used ~El Capitan +Trail~ branches to the west. Descending by sharp switchbacks to the +head of a small draw, the trail follows the rim westward thru a brushy +forest, undulating over the flat divides between several brooklets. +Swinging southward our trail emerges on an open transverse ridge, +which it follows a short distance to the summit of ~El Capitan~ (Alt. +7564), from which is a commanding outlook both up and down the valley. +It is possible to carefully descend towards the southeast to the rim, +where a slightly extending ledge allows one to peer over the sheer +wall of the 3000-foot cliff. + +The old ~El Capitan Trail to Gentry~ branches to the west about +one-third of a mile north from the summit and continues thru very +brushy country along the north rim to ~Ribbon Creek~, about one mile +distant. From this point if one is a good woodsman and brush-fighter, +the old blazes may be followed thru a three-mile tangle to the ~Gentry +Checking Station~ on the ~Big Oak Flat Road~. Yosemite is then 8.1 +miles distant by road. + + +TRAIL TRIP 10 + +YOSEMITE TO TEN LAKES _via_ YOSEMITE CREEK + +(One way 17 miles--7 hours) + +The recently constructed ~Ten Lakes Trail~ makes the exceptionally +beautiful ~Ten Lakes Basin~ and ~Grant Lakes~ easily accessible from +Yosemite. The round trip is too long to be attempted in one day. The +lakes offer most attractive sites for a permanent camp, and several of +them are well stocked with trout. + +We follow the ~Yosemite Falls Trail~ (Trail Trip 3) from its beginning +just west of ~Yosemite Lodge~ to the trail junction at the top of the +upper zigzags. Here the ~Yosemite Point and North Dome Trail~ turns +right and crosses a small creek. Those who have not visited the top of +the upper fall should by all means turn aside, for it is but a short +distance--less than five minutes' walk. Our main trail continues +straight ahead paralleling without crossing ~Yosemite Creek~ thru a +beautiful mixed forest where the tree-lover will find a few specimens +of western white pine. At about one-quarter mile (4.0 miles from +Yosemite) the ~Eagle Peak Trail~ (Trail Trip 9) branches to the left. +We follow up the west margin of the creek, generally thru dense +forests, but emerging at times to clatter over polished and striated +granite pavements where monster mountain junipers grotesquely spread +their gnarled branches. Great "potholes" have been formed by the +stream where it rushes over the smoothly planed bedrock. At a point +3.7 miles above the Eagle Peak Trail junction the main trail continues +to the left up the west fork (Trail Trip 11). Our trail, which turns +right and keeps on up the main fork canyon, is considerably less +traveled. In the next 2.3 miles we pass over rough granite up the west +bank of the main stream to the ~Yosemite Creek Ranger Station~ on the +~Tioga Road~. There is here a government telephone. Good camp sites +will be found at the crossing a quarter of a mile east of the cabin +and fair feed upstream. Fishing is fair to poor. There are better +camps, feed and fishing about three miles upstream. + +At the Tioga Road the trail is indistinct. We cross the bridge and +follow up the east bank of Yosemite Creek on the main road until the +blazes are sighted. The first third of a mile is easily traversed, but +the following one and a quarter miles are rough. About three miles +above the bridge is a meadow with abundant pasturage. This is a good +campsite and fishing is fair upstream. In the next three miles the +trail gradually ascends to an elevation of 9200 feet, leaving Yosemite +Creek and passing over the flat divide into the Tuolumne River +drainage. At the summit one can leave the trail and walk southeast 1.5 +miles to ~Grant Lakes~ (Alt. 9500). These are two beautiful mountain +lakes, the upper one being in a rugged cirque with sheer walls rising +above at the east. Both were stocked in 1917 with rainbow and eastern +brook trout. + +The Ten Lakes Trail continues north over the tableland and descends +600 feet by switchbacks into the ~Ten Lakes Basin~ (Alt. about 9400), +seven miles from the Tioga Road. Here are many ideal camp sites and +good forage except early in the season. The lakes were stocked with +eastern brook trout in 1908, 1913, 1915 and 1918 with Loch Leven in +1908, and with steelhead in 1918. Fishing is reported excellent. A +walk of one and a half miles due north takes us without climbing to +the summit of ~Grand Mountain~ (Alt. 9350), from which is obtained a +most impressive view of the ~Grand Canyon of the Tuolumne~ and ~Muir +Gorge~ just below. A still finer and more comprehensive panorama may +be had from the summit of ~Colby Mountain~ (Alt. 9700) on the canyon +rim 2.5 miles northeast from Ten Lakes. For this short side trip one +should leave the trail just before its descent into the basin and +follow northward on the ridge that juts out into the main Tuolumne +Canyon. + + +TRAIL TRIP 11 + +YOSEMITE TO HETCH HETCHY _via_ YOSEMITE CREEK, HARDEN LAKE AND SMITH +MEADOW + +(31 miles--12 hours) + +From Yosemite to Hetch Hetchy is a long one-day trail trip. The +following route is not especially scenic, traversing as it does the +rather flat forested plateau west of Yosemite Creek. The country north +of the Tioga Road is heavily grazed. Feed is sometimes scarce on this +account, and the numerous cattle trails are often confusing. Near +Hetch Hetchy the railroad has obliterated about three miles of trail, +making it necessary to follow the railroad grade. Further changes may +be expected as the work in Hetch Hetchy advances. + +From ~Yosemite~ we follow Trail Trip 3 to the trail junction near the +top of ~Yosemite Falls~ zigzags. Here we continue straight ahead up +the west bank of Yosemite Creek, passing beneath a beautiful forest of +Jeffrey pine, white and red fir, lodgepole pine and scattered western +white pine. At about a quarter mile (four miles from Yosemite) a trail +branches left to ~Eagle Peak~ (Trail Trip 9). In tracing the following +few miles up ~Yosemite Creek~ we often cross pavements of glaciated +granite where will be found some magnificent specimens of mountain +juniper. Note also the potholes in the creek bed. At three and +three-quarters miles from the Eagle Peak Trail Junction the ~Ten Lakes +Trail~ (Trail Trip 10) turns northeast, following up the main stream. +Our trail turns left and parallels the west branch of ~Yosemite +Creek~, two and a half miles to the ~Tioga Road~, which we now follow +northwestward for five miles, passing several meadows in which are +good horse-feed and camp sites. One of the largest of these meadows is +~White Wolf~. The small stream south of the road is the headwaters of +the ~Middle Fork~ of the ~Tuolumne River~. There is here fair fishing +but the trout are small. + +At a point where the road curves to the southwest, the ~Harden Lake +Trail~ branches to the right. About one mile northward is a trail +junction where the ~Hetch Hetchy Trail~ turns westward and the ~Harden +Lake and Pate Valley Trail~ turns eastward. ~Harden Lake~ (Alt. 7575) +is but a few steps distant but invisible from the Hetch Hetchy Trail. +It is small and contains no trout, but offers an attractive campsite +among the meadows and park-like forests. + +From Harden Lake we turn westward and for six miles ride thru unbroken +forest to ~Smith Meadow~ on ~Cottonwood Creek~. Here the ~Smith Peak +Trail~ turns northeast. The 1200 foot climb in two miles to ~Smith +Peak~ (Alt. 7835) is well worth a side trip, as it offers a superb +panorama. The north slope drops precipitously 4200 feet to the Grand +Canyon of the Tuolumne. + +At Smith Meadow another trail follows down Cottonwood Creek and leads +to ~Hog Ranch~, seven miles distant. Our trail turns northeast and in +five miles descends to the ~San Francisco Railroad~ grade, which it +intersects about halfway between Hog Ranch and Hetch Hetchy. Since the +trail has here been obliterated it is necessary to follow the railroad +grade which, with pack animals, is rather dangerous on account of the +possible meeting with a train. Two miles northward at the end of the +railroad is the city camp and offices, and a short distance beyond, +the dam-site. From here a good road descends to the floor of ~Hetch +Hetchy~, about one mile distant. + + +TRAIL TRIP 12 + +YOSEMITE TO SIERRA POINT + +(4 miles--3 hours--Round trip 1/2 day) + +For years there was a search for a point in Yosemite from which the +five great waterfalls--Upper and Lower Yosemite, Vernal, Nevada and +Illilouette--might be seen. The quest was finally ended when in 1897 +Mr. Charles A. Bailey and a friend computed the location of such a +point by triangulation. To their surprise it was not one of the +dominating summits, but occurred rather low on the west flank of +Grizzly Peak. The first ascent on June 14, 1897, proved the +calculation to be correct and the crag was named Sierra Point in honor +of the Sierra Club. + +The trail starts from ~Happy Isles~, which are 2.3 miles distant from +Yosemite. Here we turn south on the main ~Vernal~ and ~Nevada Falls +Trail~ or cross Happy Isles by the footpath. A quarter mile takes us +to a spring and water-trough, where the ~Sierra Point Trail~ branches +to the left and ascends the flank of ~Grizzly Peak~ by switchbacks. A +leisurely ascent may be made in forty-five minutes. From the point is +not only a good view of the falls but an impressive panorama. The +depths and distances are accentuated by the promontories being above +the observer and the canyons far below. + + +TRAIL TRIP 13 + +LITTLE YOSEMITE + +(Round trip, 14 to 20 miles--6 to 12 hours) + +~Little Yosemite~, although quite accessible and most charming in its +diversity of scenery, beauty and absolute restfulness, remains unknown +to most tourists. It deserves at least one day in one's Yosemite +itinerary. Fishing is reported good and those interested in geology or +botany will be well repaid by the trip. + +Above Nevada Falls the canyon of the Merced expands to broad level +meadows walled in by precipitous cliffs 1500 to 2000 feet high. Here +in Little Yosemite are exhibited all of the Yosemite features--dome +structure, exfoliation, glacial phenomena, "royal arches," etc., but +on a somewhat smaller scale. Even the forests and flowers are similar, +for the altitude is here only 6000 feet--two thousand feet higher than +Yosemite. The level floor, which has also resulted from the filling in +of an ancient lake, is broken in but three places by the crests of +terminal moraines, which extend across the valley and cause the Merced +to cascade beautifully in "silver aprons." In three miles the polished +granite walls again converge to form a narrow canyon from which the +river emerges, plunging over a beautiful cascade and into a +picturesque glacial tarn. The most outstanding scenic feature of the +valley is the perfectly formed ~Sugarbowl Dome~ (lately renamed +Bunnell Point) at its head. ~Lost Lake~, near the south base of ~Half +Dome~, is a swamp part of the season and later a boggy meadow. It is +interesting only as being in the transition stage between mountain +lake and mountain meadow. + +Kah-win´-na-bah´ was the Indian name for the valley as well as the +large summer camp located there. The river was known as the Yanopah. + +~Little Yosemite~ is reached by following Trail Trip 1 to the top of +the Nevada Falls zigzags, thence turning left and following Trail Trip +5 to the first junction, from which we continue up the canyon. The +head of the canyon is three miles eastward. The region is an excellent +place for a permanent camp away from the overcrowded valley and one +may easily arrange at Yosemite for the delivery here of a camp outfit +and supplies. + + +TRAIL TRIP 14 + +HALF DOME + +(Round trip, 20 miles--12 hours) + +From the time Yosemite was discovered, the mile-high summit of Half +Dome was regarded as unattainable. The few mountaineers who attempted +its ascent returned saying it would never be climbed. Finally there +came a young Scotchman, Captain George C. Anderson, with an +irrepressible determination to accomplish the feat. After all methods +of clinging to the smooth, steeply inclined granite had failed he +procured drills, hammer and eye-bolts, and set out to reach the summit +by rising from peg to peg. Slowly his ladder grew and finally his goal +was reached on October 12, 1875. Anderson was so enthused over the +wonderful dome and the sublime views from the summit that he +constructed a trail to "The Saddle," from whence his pegs led to the +top. Here he determined to build a hotel, but his untimely death in a +lonely cabin in Little Yosemite prevented its completion. + +In 1883 the pegs were swept away by a great, avalanche. Some were +later replaced by daring climbers, but the ascent remained so +dangerous that it was seldom attempted. From 1899 no ascents were made +until 1912, when two adventurous youths fastened ropes to the few +remaining pegs and attained the summit. Following this, the dome was +frequently climbed. In 1919 a public-spirited citizen of San Francisco +donated the money to build a first-class trail to the summit. This was +constructed under the auspices of the Sierra Club, and the once +perilous ascent finally made safe to all. + +The round trip to the summit is one of the most thrilling and scenic +one-day Yosemite excursions. Parties should start early and carry +canteens. From ~Happy Isles~ the main ~Glacier Point Trail~ (Trail +Trip 1) should be followed (take the Mist Trail if walking) to the top +of the ~Nevada Falls~ zigzags. Here we turn left and follow the +~Clouds Rest Trail~ (Trail Trip 5). A climb of 800 feet above the +Little Yosemite Valley takes us to a small stream. About 200 yards +further, in a fine grove of Jeffrey pine and incense cedar, the Clouds +Rest Trail bears to the right along a bench, while our trail climbs +the long switchbacks to the left. The remaining 500-foot climb is thru +dense forest. Anderson's old trail crosses our route in one place and +zigzags up the hillside about a quarter mile eastward. Just below the +ridge and about 200 yards to the right of the trail is a spring near +the big pile of stones, which are the only relics of Captain +Anderson's camp. Canteens should be filled here, as no water will be +found higher. A short climb takes us to the crest of the ridge at the +lowest point between ~Quarter Domes~ (Alt. 8276 and 8160) at the +northeast and ~Half Dome~ at the southwest. + +At the ridge top is a forest of lodgepole pine and a sudden transition +to pure fir as we cross to the northwestern slope where the climate is +more severe. Climbing beneath these firs we suddenly emerge at the +crest and obtain a wide view of the ~High Sierra~ on one side and the +depths of ~Tenaya Canyon~ on the other. A few minutes' walk along the +open ridge takes us to the rustic entrance which marks the beginning +of the foot trail. The pile of timbers and boards nearby were hewn and +split by Captain Anderson to be used for his Half Dome Hotel. The +foot-trail now climbs abruptly 250 feet by short zigzags and stairs to +"~The Saddle~," along the crest of which we continue to the base of +the final ascent. + +If tennis shoes are to be used they should be put on at this point. +The tool-box nearby contains ropes and safety belts for the use of the +public, but the ascent is perfectly safe without them. + +From here an 800-foot double cable railing with iron posts every ten +feet leads to the top. On the steep slopes are footholds, and at one +place a fifty-foot ladder carries us over the most dangerous part of +the ascent. Turning to the right at the top of the cableway we follow +the monuments across the surprisingly flat summit to the brink of the +great northeast face, where we find an overhanging shelf of granite. +The panorama at all sides is inexpressibly grand, but some of the +valley features suffer by being dwarfed in the great distances below. + +The descent should be started not later than 3 to 4 p.m. in order to +reach Yosemite before dark. + + +TRAIL TRIP 15 + +YOSEMITE TO GLACIER POINT _via_ THE LEDGE TRAIL + +(2.5 miles. Average 4 hours climb) + +Next to Half Dome, the ~Ledge Trail~ is the most thrilling of Yosemite +climbs. The ascent was formerly quite dangerous, but in 1918 a safe +foot-trail was constructed. The record ascent is fifty-three minutes, +but this is a steep, hard, 3200-foot climb and will take the average +individual three to five hours. + +The trail starts from the Happy Isles Road, turning southward just +east of the new ~Le Conte Lodge~. It climbs the talus slope above +~Camp Curry~ and turns westward up a steep ledge. As the trail mounts +to view-commanding heights there are many unusual and impressive +glimpses into the depths below. Reaching a steep canyon, the trail +turns sharply to the left and climbs beside a small creek. ~The water +is polluted~ and to drink it is dangerous. Near the top, the trail +gradually becomes less and less steep and finally crosses the canyon +rim only a few feet distant from ~Glacier Point~ and the ~Overhanging +Rock~. Glacier Point Hotel is about 200 yards southward. + + +TRAIL TRIP 16 + +GLACIER POINT TO SENTINEL DOME + +(Round trip, 2 miles in 2 hours) + +The short excursion from ~Glacier Point~ to the summit of ~Sentinel +Dome~ is well worth while. The round trip can easily be made afoot in +two hours and many hikers include it in their "Glacier Point" day. + +From the hotel we follow the ~Chinquapin Road~ about a quarter of a +mile. Just beyond a spring at the left of the road, the trail turns to +the right and climbs abruptly beneath the firs and pines. Gradually +the forest becomes more open and park-like, and the firs are replaced +by hardy Jeffrey pines. During the last quarter mile of the ascent we +pass over weathered granite which has exfoliated in slabs near the +top. At the rounded summit is a gnarled and wind-blown Jeffrey +pine--probably the most photographed tree in the park. To the east is +an exceptionally fine panorama of the High Sierra. + +In returning to Glacier Point we follow the trail to the south, +intersecting the road about 300 yards away. Here we turn left, noting +the soft decomposing granite which seems particularly susceptible to +weather conditions. The distance beyond to the hotel is one and a half +miles. + + +TRAIL TRIP 17 + +GLACIER POINT TO FORT MONROE _via_ POHONO TRAIL + +Reverse of Trail Trip 18 + +(11.7 miles--5 hours. Round trip from Yosemite, 24 miles--13 hours) + +This is one of the most beautiful Yosemite trails. With very little +climbing the trail parallels the south rim thru delightfully +attractive forests and wild-flower gardens, emerging from time to time +to reveal vast views across and into the valley. The round trip from +Yosemite to Glacier Point and thence to Fort Monroe via the Pohono +Trail, returning to the valley via the Wawona Road is too long a trip +to be attempted by the average walker in one day. It is best to stay +over night at the Glacier Point Hotel, starting early the next +morning. + +Leaving the ~Glacier Point Hotel~ we follow the road southwestward +about two miles, turning to the right at the ~Pohono Trail~ sign. We +now follow thru a dense fir forest for one mile, emerging at the +canyon rim at ~The Fissures~. These are great cracks only a few feet +wide and hundreds of feet deep. Just beyond is ~Taft Point~ (Alt. +7503). From here is a wonderful view, especially of the sheer +3500-foot precipices of ~El Capitan~ and ~Three Brothers~ rising as +massive buttresses of the great north wall. + +Swinging south along the rim for a short distance, the trail again +turns westward thru the fir forests passing beautiful small meadows +and wild-flower gardens and descending to ~Bridalveil Creek~. The +bridge has been destroyed but a foot-log is in place. There is fair +fishing in this stream but the fish are small. Bearing west and north +and climbing slightly, the trail emerges at ~Dewey Point~ (Alt. 7316), +another of the promontories of the south rim. From here the ~Cathedral +Rocks~ and ~Leaning Tower~ are viewed from an unusual angle, and ~El +Capitan~ and ~Ribbon Falls~ dominate the opposite wall. Following the +rim westward about half a mile we reach ~Crocker Point~ (Alt. 7090), +from which is obtained another vast outlook. Descending 430 feet thru +the forest we cross a small stream and emerge at ~Stanford Point~ +(Alt. 6659), another prominent lookout on the southern ramparts. About +half a mile westward one sees ~Old Inspiration Point~, from which +Yosemite was first seen by white men on March 21, 1851. Retracing our +path a short distance, we turn to the right and cross ~Meadow Brook~, +which flows over ~Widow's Tears~ a quarter mile below. The vicinity is +a Mecca for flower lovers. The trail continues westward, dropping 1400 +feet in the next one and a half miles to ~Fort Monroe~ (Alt. 5540), an +old stage relay station on the ~Wawona Road~. Yosemite is eight miles +eastward by this road. + + +TRAIL TRIP 18 + +FORT MONROE TO GLACIER POINT _via_ POHONO TRAIL + +Reverse of Trail Trip 17 + +(11.7 miles--5 hours. Round trip from Yosemite, 24 miles--13 hours) + +The ~Pohono Trail~ trip is one of the most beautiful of Yosemite +excursions. Striking eastward from Fort Monroe on the Wawona Road, it +traverses a delightful wooded country in which are some of the finest +wild-flower gardens of the park. From time to time it emerges at the +rugged ramparts of the south wall and affords many vast panoramas. The +round trip from Yosemite to Fort Monroe via Pohono Trail and return to +the valley via the Short Trail is too long to be attempted by the +average walker in one day. Even the trip to Glacier Point by this +route is a long one, and it is suggested that the itinerary outlined +in Trail Trip 17 be followed in preference. At Fort Monroe, an old +stage relay station on the Wawona Road, is a fairly good auto camp. +From here one may visit all the lookout points on the south rim by an +easy one-day walk, or may continue to the Glacier Point Hotel (11.7 +miles), returning the next day. + +The ~Pohono Trail~ turns eastward from the Wawona Road at ~Fort +Monroe~, eight miles distant from Yosemite. In the long steady climb +of 1400 feet in the first two miles we cross two small mountain +streams and near the top of the ascent pass about a quarter mile south +of ~Old Inspiration Point~ (Alt. 6603), from which Yosemite was first +seen by white men on March 21, 1851. The gently sloping trail now +winds beneath the firs thru most luxurious gardens of wild-flowers. +Shortly we cross ~Meadow Brook~ which, a quarter mile below, plunges +over ~Widow's Tears~. Trending northward about half a mile we now +emerge at ~Stanford Point~ (Alt. 6659), one of the promontories of the +south rim. From here, as from all other lookouts along the top of the +great south wall, is a vast panorama. Retracing our path a short +distance we turn to the left, cross another small brook, and climb 350 +feet in the next half mile to ~Crocker Point~ (Alt. 7090). Closely +paralleling the rim for another half mile we halt at ~Dewey Point~ +(Alt. 7316), the imposing apex of one of the great granite buttresses. +~Cathedral Rocks~ and the ~Leaning Tower~ are here viewed from an +unusual angle. To the northward ~El Capitan~ dominates the north wall +and ~Ribbon Falls~ is most advantageously seen. + +A long detour to the southeast now takes us into the ~Bridalveil Creek +Basin~. The trail bridge has been destroyed, but a foot-log is in +place. Fishing is fair, but the trout are small. Turning again +eastward we continue thru the fir forests, passing beautiful small +meadows and wild-flower gardens until we again approach the canyon +rim, which we follow northward for a short distance to ~The Fissures~. +These are great cracks only a few feet wide and hundreds of feet deep. +Just beyond is ~Taft Point~ (Alt. 7503). From here is a wonderfully +vast view, especially of the sheer 3500-foot precipices of ~El +Capitan~ and ~Three Brothers~ on the north wall. Following eastward +along ~Profile Cliff~, our trail again enters the fir and lodgepole +pine forest and leads across the gently sloping plateau about one mile +to the ~Glacier Point Road~. We here turn left and an easy walk of two +miles takes us to the ~Glacier Point Hotel~, where excellent +accommodations will be found. The lookout point and overhanging rock +are about 200 yards northward. For trail trips from Glacier Point +consult Trail Trips 16 to 23. + + +TRAIL TRIP 19 + +GLACIER POINT TO WAWONA _via_ ALDER CREEK TRAIL + +(20.5 miles--7 hours) + +This is one of the oldest trails in the region and was the main +thorofare to Yosemite prior to the construction of roads. The "old +timers" like to tell of the famous hostelries along the +route--Clark's, Westfall's, Peregoy's and McCauley's--which have long +since ceased to be. The trail is not of great importance from the +scenic stand-point, but offers a short-cut between its termini. +Throughout most of its course it is maintained in good condition. + +From ~Glacier Point~ we follow the road southwestward about two and a +half miles. A short distance beyond the Pohono Trail turn-off, our +trail branches to the right and enters the fir and pine forest. In the +next four miles we first climb over a low spur and then descend into +the basin of ~Bridalveil Creek~, where we cross the ~Glacier Point +Road~ at ~Peregoy Meadow~. This is a good camping place and forage is +abundant. Fishing in Bridalveil Creek is rather poor near the road. +Bearing southward, our trail emerges in one mile at ~Westfall Meadow~, +another good campsite. Passing across an almost imperceptible divide +we cross the headwaters of ~Alder Creek~ and follow along the west +side of its canyon thru a beautiful forest of western yellow pine, +sugar pine, fir and cedar, part of which has lately been logged. About +three and a half miles below Westfall Meadow is ~Empire Meadows~, +where feed is abundant and camp sites good. Fishing is fair but the +trout are small. The nearest campsite downstream is at the creek +crossing three miles further. Here there is a fair camping place but +forage is scarce. + +From this crossing Wawona is about six and a half miles distant. +Rising a short distance above the stream, the trail follows the +5500-foot level detouring around the west flank of a well-wooded +mountain. About three miles from the crossing, a trail to the right +descends to ~Alder Creek Ranger Station~ on the ~Wawona Road~ about +one mile distant. We now continue around the mountain, gradually +bearing to the southeast. The trail in the last two miles is rather +rough and zigzags abruptly down to the main road, which it intersects +a short distance from ~Wawona Bridge~. The hotel, store and postoffice +are just beyond. + + +TRAIL TRIP 20 + +GLACIER POINT TO OSTRANDER LAKE + +(13.5 miles--5 hours) + +At the very source of Bridalveil Creek and only five hours' easy walk +from Glacier Point lies the picturesque Ostrander Lake, famous since +the early days for its splendid fishing. The round trip from Glacier +Point Hotel (twenty-seven miles) may be made in one day by good +hikers, but it is far better to camp at the lake at least one night in +order to be there for the best fishing. Motorists, by parking machines +at the trail junction six miles southwest of Glacier Point on the +Chinquapin Road, can easily make the round trip (fifteen miles) in one +day. + +From ~Glacier Point~ we follow the ~Chinquapin Road~ about six miles +to the point where a sign indicates the ~Buck Camp and Ostrander Lake +Trail~ turning to the left. This trail bears south, crossing a small +tributary to ~Bridalveil Creek~, then continues through the open +lodgepole pine forest and crosses the main stream about two miles from +the road. A short distance beyond, the ~Buck Camp Trail~ (Trail Trip +21) continues up the south branch of the creek. Our trail turns +abruptly to the east (left) and again crosses the main stream, +following up the northeast bank. In the first two miles the trail is +good, but the remaining three miles are somewhat rough and steep. + +~Ostrander Lake~ (Alt. 8600) is beautifully set in a glacial +amphitheater on the north side of ~Horse Ridge~ (Alt. 9600), which +towers 1000 feet above. It is shallow on the north and west sides but +deep under the bluffs, where are generally deep snowbanks. The lake +was stocked with rainbow trout in 1892, 1893, 1899 and 1911, and with +eastern brook trout in 1893 and 1899. Fishing is excellent. + +~Buena Vista Lake~ (see Trail Trip 22) is about four miles distant and +may be reached by walking southeast about two miles through open +forest (no trail) on the north slope of Horse Ridge and joining the +~Buena Vista Trail~ in ~Buena Vista Canyon~. Here we may turn south up +the canyon, at the head of which is Buena Vista Lake. + + +TRAIL TRIP 21 + +GLACIER POINT TO CHILNUALNA FALLS OR JOHNSON LAKE _via_ THE BUCK CAMP +TRAIL + +(15.5 miles--6 hours) + +The old ~Buck Camp Trail~ connects Yosemite with the favorite hunting +grounds of the Chowchilla Tribe. It traverses a beautifully wooded +country but offers no startling scenic effects. + +From ~Glacier Point~ we follow the road southwestward about six miles +to a junction, where our trail branches to the left. Bearing southward +we cross a small stream and traverse a rather flat lodgepole pine +forest, finally fording ~Bridalveil Creek~. Just beyond, and at a +distance of about two miles from the road, the ~Ostrander Lake Trail~ +(Trail Trip 20) turns to the left. We continue southward, crossing a +tributary of Bridalveil Creek and gradually mounting the slope beyond. +As the trail turns southeast along the flat ridge, the wooded canyon +of ~Alder Creek~ is seen to the west. Two miles further on an almost +imperceptible pass is traversed. Just beyond is the source of one of +the northern tributaries to ~Chilnualna Creek~. This we follow for +about two miles to the main stream, where are good camp sites and +abundant forage. Fishing is fair but the trout are small. One mile +further is the main ~Chilnualna Falls Trail~. Westward one and a half +miles is the ~Chilnualna Ranger Station~, with good camp sites in the +vicinity, and a half mile further is the top of ~Chilnualna Falls~. +The trail eastward leads to ~Grouse Lake~ (two miles), ~Crescent Lake~ +(three and a half miles) and ~Johnson Lake~ (four and a half miles). + + +TRAIL TRIP 22 + +GLACIER POINT TO JOHNSON LAKE via THE BUENA VISTA TRAIL + +(16 miles--7 hours) + +This is a good new trail and is the most direct route between Glacier +Point and the excellent fishing lakes of the southern part of the +park. The one-way trip is an easy day's journey from Glacier Point. +For those walking from Yosemite there are good camp sites and +excellent fishing _en route_ at Buena Vista and Royal Arch Lakes. + +From ~Glacier Point~ we follow the main ~Vernal-Nevada Falls Trail~ +about two miles. Just east of ~Illilouette Ridge~ we take the right +branch and continue southeastward up the canyon of the Illilouette. +About three miles takes us to another trail junction. To the west is +~Mono Meadow~, about one and a half miles distant, and to the +northeast, crossing ~Illilouette Creek~, are the ~Merced Pass Trail~ +(Trail Trip 23) and the cut-off trail to the rim of ~Panorama Cliff~. + +Our trail continues up ~Illilouette Creek~, finally crossing a low +"hog back" and turning south up ~Buena Vista Creek~. In a glacial +cirque at its head is ~Buena Vista Lake~ (Alt. 9200). The south, or +upper side is backed by a rugged rock bluff from which huge boulders +have fallen into the water, making an excellent place from which to +fish. The lake was stocked with eastern brook trout in 1892, 1908 and +1919, and with rainbow trout in 1892. It is one of the park's best and +most accessible fishing lakes. Surrounded by open parks of timber, it +offers many beautiful camp sites, especially near the outlet. Forage +is fair downstream from the lake but is rather scarce early in the +season. Ostrander Lake is four miles northeast and can be reached by +foot. There are no blazes or monuments to mark the route. + +Our trail now mounts abruptly 400 feet to ~Buena Vista Pass~ (Alt. +9600). To the right about half a mile is ~Buena Vista Peak~ (Alt. +9600), and to the left and running east is ~Buena Vista Crest~. +Excellent views are obtained from the trail as it crosses the open +ridge. Near the summit the granite has fractured perpendicularly, +forming regular rectangular slabs. + +An 800-foot descent thru the open forest in the next two miles takes +us to the picturesque little ~Royal Arch Lake~ (Alt. 8800). This is a +small lake, deep on the north and east sides, and shallow near the +southwest margin. It is named from the arches in the steep northeast +granite wall, which are similar to the Royal Arches of Yosemite Valley +but on a smaller scale. The lake was well stocked with eastern brook +trout in 1897 and fishing is excellent, especially in the deep water +along the rocky northwest shore. There are fine camp sites here and +good horse-feed. + +Skirting the west margin of the lake our trail follows the small +stream about one mile to the main ~Chilnualna Trail~. Eastward is +~Buck Camp~ (two miles), ~Moraine Meadows~ (seven miles), and +~Fernandez Pass~ (eleven miles). We turn westward to ~Johnson Lake~ +(Alt. 8550), about a quarter mile distant. This is a small, round, +deep lake beautifully set in meadows and forest. It is bountifully +stocked with eastern brook trout and rainbow trout. The locality is +ideal for camping. Further westward are ~Crescent Lake~ (one mile), +~Grouse Lake~ (two and a half miles), and ~Chilnualna Falls~ (six and +a half miles). + + +TRAIL TRIP 23 + +YOSEMITE OR GLACIER POINT TO MORAINE MEADOWS _via_ THE MERCED PASS +TRAIL + +(From Yosemite, 22 miles--10 hours. From Glacier Point, 18 miles--7 +hours) + +The ~Merced Pass Trail~ has been replaced to a large extent by the +more scenic and better built Buena Vista Trail, which offers a +short-cut to the splendid fishing lakes in the upper basin of the +South Fork of the Merced. For those whose destination is the wild +country at the headwaters of the San Joaquin River, the Merced Pass +Trail is still the preferable route. The upper basin of Illilouette +Creek abounds in glacial phenomena and fishing is reported good. + +From Yosemite we follow the ~Vernal and Nevada Falls Trail~ (Trail +Trip 1) as far as the rim of ~Panorama Cliff~ just above Nevada Falls. +Here we turn to the right on the ~Mono Meadow Trail~, which bears due +south four miles to the main stream of ~Illilouette Creek~. To reach +this point from ~Glacier Point~ one should follow the ~Vernal-Nevada +Falls Trail~ (Trail Trip 2) for two miles, turn to the right on the +~Buena Vista Trail~ (Trail Trip 22), and after three miles more turn +to the left on the ~Mono Meadow Trail~. A short distance will take one +to the banks of ~Illilouette Creek~. + +At this point--twelve miles from Yosemite and five and a half miles +from Glacier Point--the ~Merced Pass Trail~ turns eastward, following +for ten miles up the main stream of the Illilouette and keeping always +within a short distance of its north bank. Gradually ascending to an +elevation of 9295 feet, we traverse ~Merced Pass~. To the right is the +long ridge of ~Buena Vista Crest~ (Alt. 9712). A descent of 600 feet +in the next two miles takes us to ~Moraine Meadows~. This is a +splendid camping region with abundant horse-feed and good fishing. +Nearby will be found a summer ranger outpost. A trail to the east +leads to ~Fernandez Pass~ and the headwaters of the ~San Joaquin~; one +to the southeast to ~Chain o' Lakes~, where is most excellent fishing; +and one to the west to ~Royal Arch~, ~Johnson~, ~Crescent~ and ~Grouse +Lakes~ and ~Chilnualna Falls~. + + +TRAIL TRIP 24 + +WAWONA ROAD TO EL PORTAL _via_ THE SUNSET TRAIL + +(4 miles--1-1/2 hours) + +This is a cut-off trail widely used by the Park Rangers in their +winter patrols but seldom used by the public. + +Starting from the ~Wawona Road~ one and a half miles northwest of +~Chinquapin~, the trail runs down the ridge on the north side of +~Indian Creek~. Swinging to the north, the trail passes just west of +~Lookout Point~, from which is a fine view down the canyon of the +Merced. Bearing to the right, it descends to ~Avalanche Creek~, where +it passes just below ~Cougar Falls~. The trail then zigzags down the +canyon wall to the midwinter ranger station and trail bridge across +the ~Merced River~, joining the ~El Portal Road~, about three miles +above El Portal. + + +TRAIL TRIP 25 + +WAWONA ROAD TO EL PORTAL _via_ THE HENNESSY TRAIL + +(10 miles--4 hours) + +The ~Hennessy Trail~ is no longer used by the public since the bridge +across the Merced at its lower end was washed away in 1917. Use the +Sunset Trail (Trail Trip 24). + + + [Illustration: Map of Yosemite Valley And Adjacent Region + From U.S.G.S. Topographic Map of Yosemite National Park + SCALE · 1 inch = 2 Miles + Contour Interval 100 Feet] + + +SUNSET PUBLISHING HOUSE, SAN FRANCISCO + + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Guide to Yosemite, by Ansel Hall + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 40360 *** |