February 1950

YOSEMITE

Nature Notes

VOL. XXIX FEBRUARY, 1950 NO. 2

HOW LOVELY IN SNOW

By Elizabeth Godfrey Baker The meadows are weird, as a frost-bitten beard And the branches of oaks are as bold pen strokes. The leaves on the ground make mysterious sound, As they 're lifted and rushed in a sudden chilled gust There 's a feeling of tension and keen apprehension As the blue-fronted jay mocks the overcast gray. At last snow is falling in flakes most enthralling, To smother the earth with a heavy, white birth. The fawn and the doe walk through the first snow; Enchanted they seem, as though in a dream! The bear in his hold will sleep through the cold; The squirrels helter-skelter will find a snug shelter, But where is a cover for the fawn and its mother? See, they bed now, 'neath the cedar 's low bough. The devilish howl of the coyote on prowl, Will come with the dawn and frighten the fawn. The morning is bright, a fairyland sight. How lovely in snow, are the fawn and the doe! Cover Photo : Winter. Yosemite Valley. By Ansel Adams from "Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada, " text by John Muir, 64 photographs by Ansel Adams. Reproduction by kind permission of Houghton Mifflin Company.

THE MONTHLY PUBLICATION OF THE YOSEMITE NATURALIST DIVISION AND THE YOSEMITE NATURAL HISTORY ASSOCIATION, INC.

C. P. Russell, Superintendent D. E. McHenry, Park Naturalist H. C. Parker, Assoc. Park Naturalist R. N. McIntyre, Asst. Park Naturalist

VOL. XXIX FEBRUARY, 1950 NO. 2 THE SIERRA NEVADA BIGHORN IN YOSEMITE

By Fred L. Jones It is known that the Sierra Nevada Mr. Guy Scott, for many years State bighorn once occurred in numbers Game Warden at Soulsbyville, Tuolumne Co., packed into Yosemite Park. According to accounts of to plant trout in some of the lakes. early mountaineers hunting and die- On this trip they heard of bighorn ease were the chief factors that having been seen in the northern caused the population steadily to part of the park somewhere between decline until the animals finally dis- the Matterhorns and Tuolumne Mea- appeared from the region. It has dews in that year. Mr. Scott told generally been believed that the Guinn that he had heard other re- last of the sheep were gone from ports from prior years of bighorn Yosemite before 1900. In Animal Life having been seen in the back coun- in the Yosemite Grinnel gives the try of his district. In a report on 1870's or 1880's as the latest years mountain sheep submitted to the of occurrence, with the possible ex- division of Fish and Game in 1912 ception of wandering individuals. In (now 'on file at the Museum of Ver- 1898 in an article in the Atlantic tebrate Zoology, University of Cali- Monthly entitled "Among the Ani- fornia) Warden Scott states that the mall of the Yosemite" John Muir last sheep he had heard of were stated that there were still a few seen about eight years prior (circa bighorn present in Yosemite. This 1904) near the summit of the Sierra is the latest mention of live moun- Nevada in his district. This, of tain sheep occurring in the park that course, was before he heard of the can be found in natural history lit- account related above. erature. In August of 1949 while gathering Since none of these observations information about the history of the are first hand from Mr. Scott or Mr. bighorn that had occurred north of Guinn and were unconfirmed by the park, I made the acquaintance them they do not carry the full of Mr. Bill Guinn, retired packer and weight of certainty. However, the cattleman, of Sonora. Mr. Guinn has reports were received in good faith had wide experience in the Sierra by reputable men and can so be Nevada and recalls accurately con- added to the meager knowledge of ditions that prevailed in the early the last years of the Sierra Nevada 1900 's. He stated that in 1914 he and bighorn in Yosemite National Park. 1. Mr. Jones is Junior Game Biologist with the California division of Fish and Game.

THE FRIENDLESS HUNTER

By John F. Nolan, Ranger Naturalist "Say, Ranger, what are those morning, when suddenly there was things on your hat?" a terrific commotion among the "Porcupine quills, sir. We have many little chipmunks and golden- quite a few porcupines around the mantled ground squirrels that were vicinity of Glacier Point." always scampering about. The "Well, maybe you can tell me front yard was full of these little what I saw among the rocks as I rodents darting this way and that drove up to Sentinel Dome. It was a way, as though it were the difference long, very slender animal with a between life and death. Many were brown back and a creamy, suede going into their burrows, while like surface below. Its fur was very others were seeking out a perch on smooth and his legs short. His head top of several large stumps not too was quite small and pointed at the far away. nose, with large round ears. " From this vantage point each be- "Mister, you saw a mountain gan a loud and continuous chatter weasel. Every once in a while we that could be heard at the far end of see one around Glacier Point. Their the Glacier Point Campgrounds, and head and body average eight to lasting for approximately twenty eleven inches in length, with a slender twenty minutes. Suddenly, I got the answer der tail that averages a little over to the cause of this bedlam—a half the length of both. He sees with weasel darted out from under the beady looking eyes, and weighs cabin. First he would dash to the from seven to twelve ounces. His left where several rodents were coloration changes from brown dur- making a terrific amount of noise, ing the summer season to white dur- then to the right, where there were ing the winter, except for the tip of a few more doing the same thing, his tail which always remains black. when his attention apparently was These changes allow him to forage caught by three holes at the base of the year round. an old stump about fifty feet above "Glacier Point isn 't the only place the cabin. in the park where this very vicious After smelling the entrance to little animal is found. Probably the these holes he suddenly disap- easiest place to see a weasel is on peared into one and was gone for the floor of Yosemite Valley, where just a few seconds when he reap- they are moderately common. Occa- peared with a young golden-mantle sionally they are seen between Chin- in his mouth. After looking around quapin and Glacier Point, or around for a second, he dashed across the Crane Flat, Ten Lake Basin and open area to go under the cabin Tuolumne Meadows to Mono Lake with his kill. It was about this time on the east side of the high Sierras." I decided that in their effort to warn The weasel is a very bloodthirsty each other of the impending danger little animal that will apparently kill they only assisted the weasel in let- for the sheer joy of killing long after ting him know their whereabouts, he has satisfied the demands of his otherwise he might have left be- appetite. I remember standing on cause of poor hunting. In a span of the porch of the ranger naturalist twenty minutes this weasel had cabin at Glacier Point one quiet July killed four golden-mantles.

Apparently there are times when three litters per year. Their nests are the size of the weasel ' s opponent usually constructed of grasses and does not mean much to him. In this dried leaves and are found in holes, situation I want to cite the case of under woodpiles, in the burrow of a Assistant Park Naturalist Robert Mc- ground squirrel, among the talus Intyre who, while walking to work slopes or even in a hollow high up by way of the meadow between his in a tree. residence and the Yosemite Mu- Because of his physical structure, seum, was suddenly attacked by a the weasel is able to invade the bur- weasel that evidently had its lair row of a rodent, or pursue his vie- near by and was attempting to drive tim through a dense thicket with McIntyre away. Time and time again this little animal returned to great speed and agility, and even the attack, nipping and tugging at ascend the trunks of smaller trees. the man's trouser cuffs. Possibly her This factor, added to his lust to kill, lair had some young in it and she makes him an enemy to bird life as was trying to protect them. well as to rodents. He will eat dead Weasels have from four to six flesh as well as that which he has young in a litter and from two to just killed.

GIBBS GLACIER1

By Harry C. James Another glacier has been redis- This past summer they planned to covered and added to the list of make a real study of the region and, those already known in the Sierra equipped with proper ropes and Nevada. Although only a remnant other mountaineering equipment of its once proud self, and in the and accompanied by Park Service last stages of senility, unless weath- Naturalist Dr. Carl Sharsmith, they er conditions change during the next left early in the morning of July 21 few years, it is, nevertheless, a real for that purpose. glacier with definite signs of life in The route of the party led up the its old ice-beds. wide pass between Mt. Dana and In 1945 a party of boys from The Mt. Gibbs. In a short Time they had Trailfinders School was on a camp- reached the spring which is the ing trip in the Tuolumne Meadows source of one of the main tributary region of Yosemite National Park. streams of the Dana Fork of the Tu- In exploring around the wild coun- olumne River, and then the summit try located between Mts. Dana and of the pass was reached and the Gibbs, they noted a large snowbank search began for a route either down sloping down to a series of moraines the cliffs or over the main snow field. in the lower part of a glacial cirque. The snow field was too dangerous On careful examination by binoc- to consider but a relatively safe ulars the boys felt sure that they route was found where the snow had happened on a small glacier. field ran into the rocks. The sun had However, it was too late to attempt melted away the snow here and we to descend the broken cliffs of the found a narrow, ' winding cleft be- cirque for confirmation. tween the snow and the cliff. In 1. Discovered and recorded by I. C. Russell on his map, "Existing Glaciers of the Sierra Nevada," opposite page 310, Fiftieth Annual Report, United States Geological Survey 18831884-Editor.

Photo by Harry C. James Mt. Gibbs Glacier, showing shade ice overlain by moraine. Arrow points to a person places where the boys had to step unstable and the utmost caution had out on the snow, rope belays were to be exercised when the party quickly fashioned by George Bloom stepped off the snow and ice and and Dr. Sharsmith. made its way toward the two great By noon the entire party of 29 pits in the ice. boys and four leaders had reached At these pits Dr. Sharsmith made the bottom of the snow field and some sketches of the exposed banks were indeed ready for lunch. of ice and several photographs were On the way down it was noticed made by different members of the that two great holes had melted out party. The ice-axes were used to in the ice underlying one of the mo- hack out great chunks of ice for raines. In the bottom of each of these closer examination. The samples of holes were small, deep ponds of ice taken proved to be rather curious water colored by glacial mud. The as the ice was peppered with small upper pond was the color of green- bubbles. pea soup and the lower one had After a careful survey of the pits begun to take on a slightly bluish the party started the descent of the tinge. moraine. These proved to be of As soon as lunch was over we much greater extent than our view started over the lower edge of the from above had led us to expect. snow field where the snow was just Moraine material from the south side beginning to melt and expose the of the cirque was of grey granite, underlying ice. Here innumerable while that from the north and small streams of icy water were west was of red and vari-colored cascading down, some of them metamorphic rock. Below the larg- heavy with mud from recent small est moraine was a splendid lake, its avalanches. waters a vivid blue from fine gla- The moraine material was very cial mud still in suspension. Below

the lake the moraine material was long, narrow bergschrund which more compact and the party made was easily seen from a ridge above better time in its long hike down to Leevining Creek, about four miles Leevining Creek. above Leevining. A week later Mr. Emmons Sebenius, one of our Trailfinder leaders, Mr. and Mrs. Charles Wilts spotted spotted another section of the glacier this same section a few days later high up the south side of the cirque from a ridge below the summit of above the lake. This section had [text unclear]

THE MARTEN IN THE WOODPILE

By Dorothy R. Mayer Every morning after a fresh snow- was very nervous and slithered back fall at Glacier Point we were in the into his dark hole with a very quick- habit of going out to examine the ly snatched mouthful, but he soon telltale tracks in the snow of the became more confident and stayed night prowlers. There was usually a long enough for me to sketch and network of trails left by the skunks, photograph him. the pack rats, mice, a Douglas squir- We tried feeding him on the porch rel and very often a coyote would where we could observe him from encircle the house, look in at the indoors, but the jays, ever alert for windows and doors, then trace a a snack, would clean the plate zigzag course to every rock or tree fore he could get to it. Then we tried where a squirrel might be hidden, holding the food until he put in an covering the whole mountain top in appearance. But he seldom reap- his peripatetic search for food. peared after a disappointed look Then one morning, late in Febaround, retiring to his quarters in ruary, new tracks joined the collec- disgust. tion on the porch. These were un- We discovered our friend had familiar to us and we could not de- been living all winter under the termine what they were. We traced steps at the north end of the house, them to the woodpile where they his entrance well guarded by the disappeared between the logs. Later woodpile, apparently sleeping con- in the day, while setting a tray of tentedly until disturbed by the dis- crumbs nearby for the ever demand- appearing wall of logs. He, however, ing jays, we heard a low growl soon discovered the warm, com- emerging from the dark recesses of fortable hideout of the skunks in the woodpile. We retired to the house the cupboard of the hot water heater to see what would happen, watching and thereafter took his meals in through the door. there with the skunks. Suddenly the jays, who were Our marten never became friend- busily wrangling over the food, flew ly and confiding like the other in- off hastily and we saw a sharp little habitants of the mountain house, nose appear between the logs. though he was always near by. We Gradually a marten emerged from could hear his various activities un- an incredibly narrow crevice eyeing der the floor at his end of the house the doors suspiciously, his rich and at night we could distinguish brown fur and busy tail silhouetted his footsteps overhead on his way against the white snow. At first he to the water tank.

Photo by Anderson A Glacier Point Pine Marten. Later in March (1949) his first keen of footprints added to those of the appetite being partially assuaged coyote around their doorsteps, and with anything he could get, his foot- we are not altogether certain that prints were discovered in the snow we still have two pack rats. There is farther afield where he had been an unusual silence under the coun- roaming in search of a more nat- er and only one appears to be liv- ural diet of fresh meat, his predatory instincts once more asserting them- ing there now. Perhaps they have selves. The squirrel holes under the gone the way of all flesh when a rocks and trees have a new tracery marten is around.

NEW LOCALITY FOR MT. LYELL SALAMANDER

By Charles G. Danforth, Ranger Naturalist On July 8, 1949, the writer had slightly back of my range of vision occasion to hike to the Firefall Ledge and some twenty feet above me. some 900 feet below Overhanging In observing the flora along the Rock at Glacier Point. The reason tiny course of the stream, it occurred for this trip was to obtain, if possible, to me to check the possibility of am- some of the glowworms (Micro photus phibian life as well. Under the first augustus) which had been seen rock overturned were found 3 small clinging to the vertical side of the salamanders which appeared to be Firefall Cliff on Sunday, July 3; when similar to the Mt. Lyell salamanders one had been collected. previously seen by me (1936) on the Apparently there was too long an top of Half Dome. After I made sure interval between the initial observa- that there was a small colony pres- tion and the follow-up, and no glow- ent, five of them were collected, worms were seen. In the course of placed in alcohol and ultimately the search—which took place short- reached the desk of Associate Park ly after 5 p.m.—a small snow-seep Naturalist Parker where the identi- or spring was located at the junc- fication was confirmed. tion of the cliff face and the sloping Since this is a new locale, a de- ledge. The exact source could not scription of the area involved is im- be seen, as it dripped from a point portant. As previously mentioned,

the general region was bare rock, up the ledge from the ash and burnt the south portion rising vertically to bark resulting from the fire-fall. The Glacier Point, and the north portion tiny pools are a yard or so separ- sloping gently towards the valley ated from their neighbors, and the floor as a wide ledge. The ledge it- salamanders must come into the self has a steep eastward slope as open if they are moving about be- well. At the point where the water tween the dirt accumulations by the ooze contacted and followed the pools. Since no salamanders were ledge-cliff contact, tiny puddles (8 seen in the open, and because they to 10 inches across) were present made violent escape motions when and granite gravel had accumulated exposed, it may be assumed that to a depth of one to two inches. Tak- they are static, or migrate, if at all, ing advantage of this "soil " were at night. lush moss banks of perhaps a (Editor 's Note : This new find adds square foot area and several pens- to our list of Mt. Lyell salamander temons. The salamanders were in habitat areas and conforms very this moist, but not wet, granite earth, closely to the general micro-descrip- underneath small, flatter rocks. In tion of locales previously described the several areas investigated, the from the park. These are: Half Dome, conditions were the same, with each 8850 feet; Ledge Trail, 6700 and rock having two or three Mt. Lyell 6900 feet; Mt. Lyell (near), 10,800 salamanders (Hydromantes platyce- feet; Tenaya Canyon, 5800 feet; phalus) under it. There were also Triple Divide Peak (near) 10,700 feet present many black beetles, the and Upper Yosemite Fall, 4995 feet. identity of which was not ascer- This form has been collected also at tained. Peeler Lake, just outside the north- The whole ledge is in direct sun- east boundary. It is one of the rar- light for only three hours or so a est of animals, being known only day, and the temperature of the from about a score of localities, ex- water keeps the micro-area quite cool. Aside from the small volume tending from Sonora Pass south to of seep water, the region is quite Silliman Gap in Sequoia National arid, and is only some twenty yards Park.—H.C.P.)

Mt. Lyell Salamander Photo by Anderson

HOT HONEY

By Duane D. Jacobs, Assistant Chief Ranger On November 28, 1948, Marshall and jerked frequently as a jacket B. "Buck " Evans (District Ranger, penetrated his fur coat and buried a Chinquapin) and the writer went to hot stinger in the flesh. He also took Gin Flat to replace the reconditioned frequent swipes with his paws across snow surveying instruments in the his face and eyes to brush the in- storage locker there. After doing this sects off. and a few other last minute chores Finally, deciding that we were preparatory to the winter season, not interested in his yellow jacket we decided to drive down the Old nest and evidently were harmless, Big Oak Flat Road to the old con he ambled quickly back to the nest trol station at what was formerly Gentry Ranger Station. to finish his feast of yellow jacket About a mile south of Gin Flat larvae and pupae plus the food while rounding a curve we came stored for them to live on. As he re small brown bear weighing sumed lunch, the yellow jackets at- upon about a 150 pounds who was standing tacked with renewed fury, but bruin in the road bed with his muzzle only twitched and wiped them off buried in the cut bark and a swarm his face without missing a bite. of yellow jackets buzzing around Then, with a final look around to him. Hastily rolling up the windows see if he had missed anything, he on our pickup we coasted past him, galloped away, indicating that as then stopped about 150 feet away. long as there was food to be had he As we passed bruin he finally be could take it but there wasn 't any came aware of the car and tore up sense in being stung for nothing. needles and dirt in his scramble up In discussing this interesting scene the bank. He, too, stopped about a afterwards, Buck and I definitely hundred feet away looking first at agreed that here was a bear who us and back to the yellow jacket had absorbed enough "heat" from nest. A large number of the yellow the stingers of those yellow jackets jackets had followed him and we to last him through many an ap- could see his loose hide twitched proaching cold winter night.

Photo by Ansel Adams Yosemite Chapel in Old Village.

Digitized by Yosemite Online Library Dan Anderson