Summering in the Sierra. John Muir, the Naturalist, Tells us Something about Yosemite Valley-How it Impresses the Visitor at Different Seasons. Falls, Streams and Foliage-Some Royal Views-A Touch of Winter. (Special Correspondence of the Bulletin.).

• Main Author: Muir, John
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Published: Scholarly Commons 1875
• Subjects: John Muir; Bibliography; Kimes; William F. Kimes; Maymie B. Kimes; pamphlets; journal articles; speeches; writing; naturalist; annotation; Glacier Point; Indian; Nevada Creek; Valley View; Ice Sheet
• Online Access: https://scholarlycommons.pacific.edu/jmb/26; https://scholarlycommons.pacific.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1025&context=jmb

Summering in the Sierra John Muir, the ' Naturalist, Tells; us ScmetMmg about Yosemiite Valley— How it Impresses the Visitor at SMfferemt Seasons. Falls, SJireanis and Fo3ia.se—Swine Royal Views j —A Touch of Winter. I fSFECIAL CORRESPONDENCE OP THE BULLETIN.] Yosemite Valley, June 14,1S75. THE SUMMER. FLOOD 01' TOURISTS. As soon as the winter snow melts, an ungovernable avalanche of tourists comes pouring pell mell into Yo- semite, flooding tbe hotels, and chafing and grinding against one another like rough-angled bowlders in a pothole. Tbe cause of this disorder, so destructive to all real enjoyment, is the strange misconception that Yosemite is the only feature ot. the Sierra worth seeing that the tails form the main feature of Yosemite; and that the falls, unless seen in the nick of time, that is during the spring flood, ' are not worth seeing at all. Now, 1 would by no. means seek to divert travel from Yosemite to other valleys . of the range, because few travelers have the necessary time and money for more extended excursions, and perhaps ao other valley offers as great a quantity f all that, is most beautiful and subiime in mountain scenery. Yet, nevertheless, one's enjoyment of a visit to Yosemite will be heightened and made more rational, and be divested of much of its feverish friction by a recognition of the simple fact that the. variable waterfalls torm only a subordinate feature of the valley, while its sublime architecture, and the lofty mountains by whiGb. it is surrounded remain almost unchanged and unchangeable throughout the year. YOSEMITE FALLS—YOSEMITE CREEK. As far as the talis are concerned, it seems to be pretty generally believed that the greater the quantity of water the greater the beauty; and it certainly seems pathetic that at this stage of human evolution it shoul d be necessary to state that every waterfall has an individual character, and that each possesses a series of beauties feaanglryj with. v,is seasons, aii snj varying types of beauty blending with one another inseparable an;! incomparable. The broad rocky basin from which the waters of Yosemite Fall are derived has a more southerly exposure than any other Yosemite basin; therefore, its stream *s the first in, flood and the flrst to fail in summer beat Only cue cf its larger affluents takes its rise in perpetual snow, while Nevada creek, that forms the Nevada and Vernai Falls, sends back many a orancD. to the eternai snow and ice of the very summit of the range. Consequently, it is the last to become flooded, and tne last to reach low-water mark. Yosemite creek is usually at its greatest height between the months of May and June and at its lowest between October and November. The first winter storm usually falls on the mountains sometime in December, after which it flows with a moderate current all winter. When the stream is lowest; ft is a mere dribble. During the spring freshet it is aoout thirty feet wide and ten feet deep, with a current running eight or ten miles an hour, measured just at the top of tbe wail before it makes the tremendous leap. The average summer size, measured at the same place, is about twenty feet wide and three feet deep, with a current of three or four miles an hour. The winter size is somewhat less. Tne Nevada Bridal Vail and Iliilonette reach their highest development a week or two later, and flow with line, stately, well- sustained currents all through tbe summer. THE SEASONS IK THE CHEAT VALLEY. Spring tourists will find flocded meadows and waterfalls, with few flowers. Those of summer will find a maximum of birds and flowers, - and water cf finer forms and voices, bu less emphatically sublime. In autumn the loud booming thunder tones of the falls are hushed, and all their waters are woven into lace. Glorious clouds of color are displayed along the river-bank in thickets of maple and dogwood and poplar; and all around the meadows, in patches of withered brecken and straggling groves of oak—every color enhanced by floods of thick golden sunshine, and by the delightful calmness and repose of Indian summer ripeness. In winter the rocks and trees wear the divine'jewelry of snow and ice; booming avalanches shoot from the lieights like waterfalls, and mountain storms are beheld in all their imposing grandeur. Tims all times and seasons are best for visiting Yosemite Valley. Nature is still living and working. Her Jiand still rests on rock and water and sky, f ashionin- Her glorious temple to more completeness and beaaty The varying changes that circle round the year are thus seen to be notes of one Larmony. and the man who comes with ears to hear will bear.' YOSEMITE TOURISM. The Yosemite stream of tourist travel Is one of the most remarkable on the globe, taking its rise in every nation, and forming one of the most hopeful and significant si&ns of the times. Here, however, we have no intention of sinking out of sight in the philosophy of the thing, yet we may be indnlgsd in remarking, that like all the rivers of California, these streams of sight-seeing travel are ail p-n-t- glacial in age, and .that they flow up mountains instead of down. The western or Japan tributary of the Yosemite travel stream is more masculine and indefectible than the eastern, yet ;all Yosemiie gtrib- utaries seem to suffer mysterious perturbations in the vicinity of San Francisco. Eoad-agents, hired runners and other similar forces may perhaps be the chief causes of the phenomena. Tourists should avoid agents as much as possible. There is not the slightest I dlfflculry in getting into the valley, choose which way you will. ROADS TO THE VALLEY. Three well-constructed wagon roads conduct into j the valley, viz., the Mariposa, Couiterville and Big j Oak Flat, and according to the rival measurements of j the several agents all three are,the shortest, least j dusty, and conduct through the finest scenery. Is j seems to me tnere is no great choice between the sev- 1 eral routes; all are good, for it is impossible to 1 reach Yosemite without passing through the grandest forest scenery in the world, as far as miles j are concerned, tbe Mariposa route is perhaps the longest, the Big Oak Flat the shortest, but all necessarily ' pass through the same forest groves; and to those who love leafy dells, cool rushing streams, and flowing wooded ridges plaited together m graceful braids, the longest route will be the best. " DOING" THE VALLEY. Once arrived in the valley and choice made of the hotels, it is important to know what, to do with one's self. I would advise sitting from morning till night under some willow bush on the river bank where there Is a wide view. This will be " doing the valley" far mere effectively than riding along trails in constant motion from point to point. The entire j valley is made up of " points of interest." Sumlgat streaming over tne walls and falling upon the rivsr and silverv foliage of the groves; the varied rash, and boom of the falls; the slipping of the crystal river; birds, flowers, and bine, Alpine sky, are then seen most fully and impressively, without the blurrin" distractions of guiding, riding and scrambling. Few, However, will believe this, and anxious inquiries will alwavs be made for ponies, points, and guides. Per- Jhaps"the best of the special points is Glacier. Point, reached from tne valley by a fine, wide trail, from which all the main rocks ana falls are seen in striking positions and combinations. After a height of abont 500 feet is reached, a wide sweeping view is obtained down the valley over the tops of th thickest pines between the Caxhedral Rocks and El Capitan. Higher, the Merced is seen curving- tran- i quilly through meadow and grove, the crystal ' river complementing the white boomiug falls, and the green, nchly-broidered meadows, the massive granite rocks. At an elevation of 1,500 feet, the upper portion of the valley comes into view, bounded by the great Half Dome, poised majestically in the pure azure like the very Uoaess of the Valley. VIEW FROM GLACIER POINT. From Glacier Point we look down over the edge of a sheer granite wall 3,000 feet upon soft green meadows and innumerable spires of yellow pine. On the opposite side of the valley the sculpture of the walls is seen in grand proportions; tbe Koyal Arches, North Dome, Indian Canyon, Eagle Cliff, and beyond the dome-paved basin of Yosemite ereek, Mt. Hoffmann, tlloud's Best, Mt. Starr King girdled with forests, the glacier-carved peaks of the Merced group. The dark, crowded clusters of the Lyell group, wide swaths of forests growing upon ancient moraines, all of which are in clear view, forming one of the noblest Alpine landscapes the eye of man ever beheld; while the Vernal, Nevada and Yosemite Falls sing in full accord, plainly heard as if we were standing in their spray. Here the attentive observer will not fail to pereeive that all this glorious landscape is new-made, newly brought to ligut from beneath the universal ice sheet of the glacial period, and that the loftiest domes were overswept by it just as bowlders are overswept by a flood of water. Hence all the hardest and most resisting portions of the landscape are also the highest. Every dome, ridge and mountain in the fore and middle has rounded outlines, while all those of the summit peaks are SDlky and sharp, because the former were oner-flowed- by the heavy, grinding folds of the ice sheet, while the latter were https://scholarlycommons.pacific.edu/jmb/1025/thumbnail.jpg