1925

~'. oltime IV. _ :. - Ax st 25 •'1~`~s Number Id

A PERSONAL INVITATIOT

YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK 18 YOURS! WE OF THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE WANT TO HELP YOU TO MAKE FRIENDS WITH YOUR PARK AND TO UNDERSTAND IT IN ITS EVERY MOOD. ALL OF THE FOLLOW'

ING SERVICE IS OFFERED TO YOU free sy YOUR GOVERNMENT: Visit the Yosemite Museum! Here you will learn the full Story of the Park ---- what tools were used by the great Sculptor in carving this mighty granite-walled gorge, who lived here before the white man came; how the Days of Gold led to Yosemite's discovery; how the pioneers prepared the way for you; and how the birds and mammals and trees and flowers live together in congenial communities waiting to make your acquaintance. Plan your trail trips on the large scale models in the Geography Room. The Yosemite Library in the museum provides references on all phases of Yosemite history and natural history. Popular lectures on Yosemite geology and other branches of natural his, tort' are given by nature guides at scheduled times each day. The nature guide on duty will be more than willing to answer your questions on any subject. Go Afield with a Nature Guide! Take advantage of this free service that will help you to know your Park. A competent scientist will conduct you over Yosemite trails, and from him you may learn firsthand of the native flowers, trees, birds, mammals, and geological features. See Schedule of Nature Guide Field Trips. Visit Glacier Point Lookout! From there you will obtain an unexcelled view of Yosemite 's High Sierra. The binocular telescope will bring Mt. Lyell to within one third of a mile from where you stand; you can recognize friends climbing trails several miles away. The Nature Guide in attendance will help you to operate it and will explain what you see. A small library is at your command. You will enjoy the informal nightly campfire talks given here. Attend the Nature guide Campfire Talks! In addition to the museum lectures members of the educational staff give talks as a part of the evening program at Camp Curry and Yosemite Lodge. Non-technical explanations of how Yosemite came to be; what you may expect of Yosemite bears; how the local Indiana lived; what birds you see about your camps; what trout you will catch in Yosemite waters; how you may beat visit the wondetland of the summit region; and scores of similar subjects are given by the National Park Service Nature Guides.

ALL OF THESE OPPORTUNITIES ARE PROVIDED FREE OF CHARGE BY YOUR GOVERNMENT. —TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THEM—

'Fume IV August 25, 1925 Number 14

THE LURE OF THE HIGH SIERRA

By David D. Keck A

CONTRAST to the green and brown monotones of Yosemite Valley one should visit at this time of year the rock bound lakes above timberline. These cold waters are surrounded by beetling cliffs and crags well patched with dirty snow banks whose melting soaks the soil so that all have some green spots or flowering shoreline about them. The situation appears most unfavorable for plant growth, yet above tree line we find some of our choicest flowers. The ruggedness of the granite, the coldness of the nights and the sharpness of the wind's blasts do not deter these pioneers from living their short, beautiful lives. The whites and purples are the predominant shades. One notes that the yellows seem to be symbols of sunshine rather than cold. The heathers are among the most attractive alpine flowers. Nature freely uses them in her rock gardens. The white Cassiope is found fringing huge boulders which grant but slight protection in return for the additional beauty nature has bestowed. Bryanthus forms large A Rock Rabbit 00nly the bleat of a cony disturbed the hush." carpets of fine design with the magenta flower clusters liberally dotting the green foliage beneath. The Camassia with its purplish bloom is another delicate flower to be observed. The white columbine `s a striking plant when in full flower. Also, two or three kinds of daisies may be found and the desert naturalist will be surprised m find one of the Indian paint brushes above tree line. The writer was in a severe hail storm at the Gaylor lakes above Tioga Pass. The waters were lashed by the stones into a turbulent sea and the water was running off the ground everywhere. Not a shelter was in sight, and in walking across the slope one was forced to wade. Crossing a cliff of small granite blocks a flock of Aleutian rosy finches was disturbed and all flew into the storm, abandoning their wet nooks. Then the storm ceased! A sharp wind quickly cleared up the scattered clouds and soon the sun burst through to dry the wet meadows. The flowers still bobbed merrily, not to be beaten down by a single hail storm. The wind subsided and the lakes were again placid to reflect the colorings of a sunset made memorable by a cloud-decked sky. Only the splash of a hungry trout or the bleat of a cony disturbed the hush. Thus is nature continually showing many moods in a single day in the High Sierra.

THE LOST LAKE OF LITTLE YOSEMITE

By Ansel F. Hall Chief Naturalist United States National Park Service Fifteen years ago was lord of.t treating glaciers. -Yos.stnite valley Rest lake somewhere in Little Ye_ itself owns its level flour to the sedimentation of just such a moan. Semite valley. Reports varied. lain lake—probably the iacgest Rumor placed it deep In the woods the Sierra. somewhere near the bate: of Half •~s the glacial mill atop,ed s)ome, but failed to disclose anyI;riirding and gave place to sunny, one who had actually s en it. A tree-planted canyons, the filling it day's search on my ptu•: only added hikes became slower, but no less in the mystery of the unknown. vermin. Gravel and sand came Two years later, looking down tumbling down along stream botfrom the summit of Half Dome, I ferns and pur ged out In deltas. u.et etas surprised t,• find a dark little like the one which Is today filling body of water snuggling close to Mirror lake, before our very eyes. the rounded southeast slope or haven the smallest lakes received "hack " of the Done. On the other [heir share of weathered rock. side of the shallow little valley though sometimes only during the Bee the round :summit of Mount tart' spring months of tiny snow Broderick.

fed torrents. Later exploration of time region Then. too, trees that had made led me through the most beautiful their homes at the water 's edge. open forest of sugar pine and Jet"- tell, floated fur a time, and then fray pine whose brown pine needle arided their bulk to the aceumulat carpet was dotted with golden td mass at the lake bottom which brudieas, pink pussy 's paws and e i. now• black with dead leaves other sun-loving blessoina. end other vegetable material sal Abruptly I steppe.l Into the deep Intl fallen into the water, and. it, shade of firs and todgep ele pities the ut,sence of all, only partly deend found a tiny stream gurgling enyed. its way through a veritable garden gilled With Peat of succulent grasses and 1'lnwerlug hinnlly this layer of peat, for plants. Lost lake lay jest bey„nd. t l us Is peat formed of vegetable it was shallow, to he sure. but !.: t, real gathering under water beautifully edged with strips of a,.,.rrnulated until it reached the meadow and with great masse; of,,,,,,.rr,,e. Now moisture-loving white and salmon onlorod aza l ea graters and reeds pushed farther blossoms. ouS f:rrth.•r out y from the reaches. I have returned ma •iy Ulna: na •.: since, •I hi. bog nos have r?mainr!1 sometimes by following tine traces nrpv for mauls yeas, but t be of an old almost ubllt• r.r'ed trail,,sine drier and drier and eventualthat once led front Little. Yosemite, it the true meadow grasses and and at,ther times climbing 11p (hint comat,lon,a the flowers, veilthrough the steep glaciated defile 'tied out into the, open. We had between Liberty can and Mount now a mountain meadow—ofttimes Broderick as "'rent it em as a High Sierra In September, 1923, 1 found the t r icatr, lake to he lost indeed. In Its lilacs was a meadow upon which one I snl even ri mountain meadow i= with us hut a short time. Tiny oth r walk orom urns. eel to an Beige-pets pines. creeping out from other dry shod. The !story of the disa;ypestrstnce of Ih, forest's Edge. Lent lake is exactly the same as nrture only to give seem planted by variety to the that of those of other Sterrett lakes. '1 ' bier green carpet—hurt time Twenty thousand years ago roost back in twenty or thirty or fifty mountain canyons were emerging ere and what has happened? The fr,,m beneath the ice of the. last avowing trees have crowded out great glacial push, leaving myriads the grasses and flowers and the of little rockbound hasinv which 1'.•r, st is in possession. had been scoured out by the grindThns is the cycle completed. ing and plucking action of the lee. Like swamp, meadow, forest—how Some of these lakes (or tarn ::, It •'itferent they look as our mountain we use the geologist 's name for tra ils reveal their many 'beauties. them) were recently t illed by the : erd how little we realize how tics fine reek flour emerging in milky :,re all related and all but phase,. streams at the snouts of the re-. : nature '., evolution.

Glacier Point showing location of the

AFIELD WITH THE NATURE GUIDES NAT'URE'S SHELTERS

Nature invites man to study and After a late dinner my coinenjoyment, and freely provides for panion and I set forth Into the all of his needs.--J. B. Newell of nark, wet forest to search for a dry the Yosemite Field school. true. We had no tent. In this pure CLARK NUTCRACKLkes tamarack forest in which we found

VISIT GL'ICIER POINT

ourselves the prospects for success fl eonspicuoua biro of the timber in our quest were not encouraging. tine country, the Clark Nutcracker. We felt the matting under one tree hat; dropped down from his timberalter another, but every tree had a liue home so that visitors to leaky roof. Finally, however, perGlacier Point are benefited. Last sisteuce was rewarded and we week several young birds followed found two tamaracks near together, t heir parents about :egging fou tight-roofed, offering a snug shelfood. In flight this bird to uko ter to the belated traveler wise itlarh tvtth conspicuous whi enough to avail himself of nccom_ hbelch unt es, but whin perched one find t,if modations thus freely provided. gray looking at diatinc'iy Small dead branches, broken g sr. burl v,itt, a jay-ti 'se bill. from the lower trunks, and their Diane a person has ben conic c I damp outer part whittled away, by thisno t ed in change le xbrd Th e soon provided us with material for to be noted a per hod bird This starting a fire. In due course our brine•n ut food of the cones Is damp garments were dried and pine nuts barked from tile cones of sleeping bags unrolled. For two the white-bark ed pme and c enie weeks it had rained every day and quenthose t is known most fiber. scnetimes all night, but no tautThe toswho visit the i ta cte Iinc. drop found its way through our Tcrow-like call is c!iat given arack roof. anti certain chatterin g notes g iven This was in the great meadow white] the bird is feeding rc mind ot the Tuolumne. Another sumone of a c'nnpany ef people buruy mer along the Kern the rain caught ta visitors 10 Clouds Rest often ael t us in the middle of the night. Our anew magpies bec+t'se of the black sleeping bags kept us dry enough, and white color}ati-;n of the Clark but our dunnage was less fortunate, Nutcracker. It is the latter bird. The sup came out so bright and however, that comes to pick up the clear In the morning that we left over lunches of travelle rs on deemed it the part of wisdom to the hirehest peak on the rim of seek out a drier boudoir where we the valley. could enjoy and defy the afternoon As the. fall season arm ooches showers. We chose, of course, a there are many treats for the gloat fir and under its protecting Lied student for b irds often cer thatch disposed ourselves in cornform a nest nesting eensnn mig'r e -

fort and watched the showers, lien, Birds from she high com ity which appearing true to schedule, drop to lower elevations aryl birds drenched the forest, except for the from the foothills climb higher.-charmed circle. the center of which H. C. Bryant,

vas the trunk of our stalwart pro1.11ArllN =

S. FAWN

teeter.

TO WATER

Again it rained, this time at a The forests along the banks of higher altitude, where the trees ` n^`mite creek near Lost Arrow were less well equipped to give us trail afford excellent opportunities shelter. I remembered a great rock for the li ce t to observe the deer canopy half a mile down the stream of the valise. Scarcely a day passes which drained the lake. called Bullthat we who are fortunate enou gh frog•, by the side of which we were to live near fail to see from two to encamped. This rock, fallen from u s deer osw'sith among the ferns, the cliff, lay upon high boulders, e ll ally does with Pawns : occasionthe was some forty feet square With y "little of space with level ceiling ten feet ti ll as lttle persuasion the deer from the ground, and the drainage will cant escend the eat from one's was such that this ground was permothers-a, keeph the dues, like on the fectly dry. Here we lived secure otherskelponcewatebru] to a ev il n d ? ve in athhouse which will stand as long from temptation. and face n a while d the as e world stands them aw;y. The deer have been known to acknowlAt timberline, by a lake dotted edge favors offered by rearing nn with many islands, while some of their hind legs and ripping the my companions carelessly threw clothin g of the feeder with their down their blankets upon the grass sharp fore feet. of the open, cold. wet meadow, 1 Last week we sew a doe and tiny clambered up to an Alpine pine, so fawn on the opposite bank. The ensconced among the rocks as to mother was pushing the little one give little promise of sleeping into the stream for a drink. Evenquarters. Considerable digging out tr.aily the fawn entered the water, of rocks and transference of thick drank copiously, and lingered to e n -Packed mases of leaves wedged Joy the scenery. The mother evtamong the rocks provided a level g ently was displeased with the debed. half of which was sheltered by lay. She walked behind the fawn, the low branches of the little tree. stopped for a moment, and getting This shelter I supplemented with a no action, deliberately kicked the small piece of canvas, carried for loitering one. Needless to say. there use in such an emergency. These was immediate response and both v ere the cosiest quarters one could departed at full speed.—Edith Beal conceive of. of the Yosemite Field School.

E YOSEMITE NATURA4 HISTORY,ASSOCIATION ITS PURPOSES

To gather and disseminate information on the wild-life of the Sierras. To develop and enlarge the Yosemite Museum (in coation with the National Park Service) and to establish subiary units, such as the Glacier Point lookout and branches of ilar nature. To promote the educational work of the Yosemite Nature Guide Service. To publish (in cooperation with the U. S. National Park Service) "Yosemite Nature Notes To study living conditions, past and present, of the Indians of the Yosemite region. To maintain in Yosemite Valley a library of historical, scientific, and popular interest. To further scientific investigation along lines of greatest popular interest and to publish, from time to time, bulletins of non-technical nature. To.s'tric`tly limit the activities ofthe association to purposes which shall be scientific and educational, in order that the organization shall not be operated for profit.

MAY WE SEND YOU EACH. ISSUE OF YOSEMITE NATURE NOTES?

Your check for $2.00 sent to' the Park Naturaligt, Yosemite tional Park, will help to pay the cost of its publication for e year and make you a member of the Yosemite Natural 'dory Association for the same period.

OM THE NATIONAL CONFERENCE ON OUT-DOOR RECREATION

Called by PRESIDENT COOLIDGE

HAT THE CONFERENCE ENDORSE NATURE STUDY IN SCHOOLS D THE EXTENSION OF THE NATURE STUDY IDEA TO EVERY ERICAN SCHOOL AND FAMILY; THAT THE ESTABLISH, OF MUSEUMS OF NATURAL HISTORY IN NATIONAL PARKS 'LL INCREASE THE EDUCATIONAL RECREATIONAL VALUE OF THE

y,. W.--Resolution of the Conference.