1957

[text unclear] [text unclear] —Ansel Adams

Sugar Pine Forest, Yosemite National Park [Photo by Van Amur, [text unclear], Conservation Committee]

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

John C. Preston, Superintendent D. H. Hubbard, Park Naturalist G. D. Gallison, Assoc. Park Naturalist W. C. Bullard, Asst. Park Naturalist R. W. Carpenter, Park Naturalist (Trainee)

VOL. XXXVI JANUARY 1957 NO. I A SIERRA TRAIL

By Gerald O. Mayland Across the stream a deer trail patchwork of flowers, tiny blossoms beckons one to explore. Dense matured firs, straight as a shaft of blues, yellows, and whites, some light, grow to great heights. Stand-plain, others with stripes on their ing with dignity, these trees with petals, as if painted by an artist, mellow, weathered bark, seem age-covers this knoll. less. Signs of a trail are disappear-Many birds make up the forest ing as the trees heal the wound choir. Their song is distant and somemade by the trail axe. Further on a times overhead. The western tanwhole group of red fir rest on the ager, scarlet, yellow and black, is ground. The huge crater produced seen as is the popular robin. Many by the root system as the tree topples sparrows of different species are is quite large and deep. The roots present. The red-breasted nuthatch are still clinging to the rocks and frequents the firs in search of food. soil that once was the foundation A lonely twisted gnarled pine of the tree. The thick red bark lay grows atop a barren rock. Barely 2 in a loose row along the sides of feet in height, it seems to challenge the fallen giants and here many the weather and the wind to unseat young trees, uniformly branched, it. The trunk of the tree disappears begin their life. into a crevice in the rock. On higher Snow is refusing to melt in little ground, a shearing off of rock is patches and only a trickle of water more evident and solid wavy sheets wanders on to join the brook. The roll upward to form the massive wind stirs the needles on the down-knoll. At the base of the rock a swept branches of fir and the sound spring trickles forth to add its water of the brook invades the solitude to the brook. Near the spring many that has closed in the forest. The old trees have fallen. All that retrail disappears and the noisy brook mains of some is a shattered stump is the guide. Through a clearing and broken branches; half naked rocks and a knoll are observed. A of bark, they lie solitary and still.

tree is ringed by a mass of lichennow and lazy little pools of water bark and forest duff. This pedreddy near the rocks. Trout can be earthy brown is about a foot seen in their clear depths. Motion-The trail wanders on top as far as less one moment, they burst forth the ridge permits and descends the next in a display of speed and surely. color. At times the fish stay fixed in Under the shade of a red fir, one position while the stream carries little grouse chicks are seen their food to them. A gust of wind in plump mother grouse, brown mid-afternoon ripples the water in buff, is scurrying and whirring to the still places. The dead branch attract attention to herself. The of a tree comes crashing down, dis-chicks, amid all this excitement, flee turbing the scene. A half-submerged to cover. Farther on another mother log serves as a bridge to cross the grouse is seen protecting her young; stream. decoying and fluttering, she leads Scarcely 50 feet from the stream her brood to safety in the tall grows a startling red flower. About grass near the ferns. 9 inches high and colorfully stout, The deep grass grows near the it has bell-shaped flowers clasped bank of a little brook. So tiny is the about its stem. A halo of scales brook that the grass is parted to forms its crown — a snow plant so make sure of its course. A small striking and so beautiful, it grows marshy place lies beyond. In the apart from any of its own kind. It is swamp, onions are found here. The unusual to see a flower with stem tiny spikes are miniatures of the and blossom all one color. domestic variety. The hooves of The young trees near the stream many deer have worn a deep groove have dried grass and twigs wedged in the soft earth of the trail. in their tiny branches. The spring The game trail ascends over scree thaw has swept the stream bank of rocks. In many places slides have its litter and only the little trees stand notched their impressions and in its path. spilled rock and gravel on the path. The blue of the sky above, the Huge boulders of granite lie in the green of the grass along the stream, bed of sand and gravel. Rounded the brown of the matted forest floor, corners, smooth and textured tops and the varied colors of the rocks indicate that the original glacial acin the water all blend together to tion has been softened by the wind make a scene restful to the eye and and water. An immense boulder, the calming to the soul. shape of a hull of a capsized ship, Farther up the mountain is a seems to divide the trees from the stream bed long since dry, with only flowers. A graveyard of trees lies sand, gravel and polished rocks to beyond. Some have lost their crowns indicate its path. The trail becomes while others appear to have been difficult in the dense manzanita and blasted in the middle, lying in crissbrush. Finally it emerges on a high cross rows like a vast burial plot. plateau, so still and tranquil amidst Upon the trunk of a standing dead a patch of wildflowers. Again the tree a beautiful, cream colored funstartling snow plant makes its ap-gus is growing, nearly encircling onepearance as if to say it could only third of the tree at a height of 2 feet. grow in unusual terrain. Beautiful A tiny chipmunk scampers across a young red firs grow beneath a tall log; he seems alone and small in his remarkable red fir. The base of the kingdom of trees. Over a knoll of

rock and manzanita the trail strands shines brightly from the blue sky. down the slope. An old forest False Solomon seal grows in a wet, provides a new stand of red fir, boggy place near trees. Large green left in; growing gracefully apart leaves, widely spaced on a husky from the other. Not confined by close stem, makes this a welcome sight. company they clothe themselves Butterflies and bees seek out the from both their base to their top with flowers and the birds sing in the green, evenly-spaced branches. nearby woods. The trail enters a Two young fawns dart out from corridor of trees, each with yellowbeneath an overhanging shelf of green lichen on its bark and branchrock. One bounds up into the brush. Passing through the trees the and the other races away down trail winds along the tree-lined bank a face of polished rock. Both are as of a mountain stream. Peaceful now, startled as the intruder. The fawns it glides along in a deep channel. are lost from view as the trail passes It must have been a torrent in early between two large boulders and de-spring. Entire trees, roots still intact scends a steep brush-covered bank. in a clump of earth, have slid down Lizards move hastily out of the way the bank and all appear to be alive. and a startled doe bounds out from Blue daisies border the trail in sunny cover and leaps in graceful arcs out spots, while ferns choose to grow in of sight. It is a genuine struggle the shade. A tiny leopard lily, orange to keep track of the path and watch and yellow petals with a spotted nature's children. Down the slope on center, grows in a place where the a bit of flat land, moles are digging stream overflowed its bank. The their mines. Long rows of hilled soil trail approaches the opposite bank indicate the work of these miners. from which it began in the morning Across the meadow, walled in by and it ends, as it began, by the trees, the trail continues. The sun stream.

NOTES FROM MY TUOLUMNE JOURNAL

By Will Neely, Ranger-Naturalist Conquer a peak? The "conquest" zites, over compressed, hard, of Everest, they call it... as though ing layers of old sea-bottom one can conquer a peak by scram-whose extinct shores are now bling around on its top, as though lapped by clouds, whose ancient that fly which alights on my table pools are now cirques where glaciers has conquered it! I remember the eddy and flow. The summit is but the Chinese fable of the monkey who smallest part of a mountain. I get traveled for months across great there soon enough, but must come plains until he came to the place again and down a ridge where the where he said the end of the earth wind might be blowing with even dropped off into space and where more wildness, and I find it then five pillars supported the sky, when singing a mighty tune. It breathes actually he had been running of Pacific air, whose ocean vapors around the palm of Buddha's hand are now icy crystals and sleet and and found his five fingers. These mists. How fine it is to be breathed little people who run upon moun-upon by this sharp wind. I feel I am tains and call themselves mountain-being etched. eers... have they, or have their I work across a narrow ridge and gadgets, their ropes, pitons, expan-look down the precipice to the glacier sion bolts and ice axes earned the and its moraines below, while in the credit? lee side a flock of rosy finches gaily I am alone on the mountain today, flies across the abyss, their songs one of Tuolumne's most regal and ringing echoes from the walls, then majestic mountains, and I find my-like descending snowflakes, they self wandering along the flanks and alight on the glacier ice to feed. swelling base, and then am lead When at last I start down to the upward over the rocks, for I have meadows toward camp I wonder heard of a rare succulent, a Clay-why it is necessary. Am I going tonia growing in one of the seepy, back? Must we always go back to rocky streams halfway up. But I some place, to a camp or tent or gradually forget about Claytonia, house? Perhaps that is why the sumfor dark clouds have come up or mit has such exaggerated importmaterialized overhead and the great ance, because it represents the turnold mountain has become bigger ing back place where one starts and more somber, and its regal face home. But why not let the top be now frowns in warning. I seem to be the beginning? All places can be entering the great vaulted hall of starting places, and where one is, Wotan. Above in the clouds old Thor is where one is going. A mountain is rumbling in his beard. climber nowadays is tied by a long I climb on, possessed by a glori-elastic cord to his home base which ous, free wildness, going from rock sooner or later pulls him in again. to rock, over slates and rusty quart-But when one is truly free, one need

View from Peak of Mt. Dana, Mt. Lyell and the Lyell Glacier to the Right of Center. —Anderson never leave the mountain, but can Among them is an even rarer plant, browse upon it, like a mountain a little white flower which has misheep, up and sideways, always grated thousands of years ago from back, always home, always there the arctic regions, perhaps from the ... the mountain being food and Bering Straits. You will not find home. its name in any of the Yosemite Below the alpine meadows begin, flower lists, nor even in Jepson's and I leave the rocks and follow Flowering Plants of California. It has the streams into the tufty alpine crept in, unnoticed by most, found grasses. Water gurgles in little me-company with the snow willows and anders in the sod, and I lie down settled down to someday surprise in the soft grass to watch the drifting collecting botanists. I will keep its clouds as the storm moves off to the incognito existence a secret. east. Turning over and examining The sun is long since down and I the meadow at a frog's-eye view, I walk home through the forests in the discover a patch of the rare snow dark, not at all wearied. But I am willow (Salix nivalis), half an inch still home-bound and food-bound high. Few ever see it in Yosemite and have not yet learned to survive for there are just a few spots where on a diet of rocks and wind as the it grows, and its tiny leaves poke up lichens. Did I conquer Mt. Dana? Did through the gravels and grasses and it feel the little fly crawling on its arctic sedges like little mouse-ears. top?

THE 1879 NATIONAL SUNDAY SCHOOL ASSEMBLY CONVENTION IN YOSEMITE VALLEY

By Richard L. Lehman, Ranger-Naturalist For two years, the time since the Four Mile Trail. All during the last convention, church and Sunday preceding year the Sunday School Asschool leaders from across the State sembly had conducted a nation-wide and Nation had looked forward to drive to secure funds to build the the coming Sunday School Conven-first church in Yosemite, and tion which was to take place in the occasion for the convention was the famed Yosemite Valley. As the dedication of the non-denominamonth of June 1879 neared, dele-tional chapel. gates to the convention converged At last, on the evening of the sevtowards Yosemite. From the East enth of June, Guardian Galen Clark a special train chuffed westward opened the convention. The new across the continent. From Alaska chapel, complete except for ceiling and Japan missionaries and dele-and paint, was filled to overflowing gates were arriving in San Fran-and many listened through the open cisco. Travel from up and down the doors and windows. After Rev. R. State quickened, and by the first M. Gibson of San Francisco formally days of June carriage and horse welcomed the delegates, they were traffic choked the four wagon routes treated to Chautauqua vesper serleading to Yosemite Valley. Dele-vices and an address by Rev. Dr. J. gates from 23 states and from nearly H. Vincent of Boston, in charge of all of California's counties were ar-the convention. riving, mostly in their own convey-The next morning, the eighth of ances. June, Sunday school was held for Yosemite Valley bulged with the first time in the Yosemite Chapel. people as it never had before, every With eight noted teachers headed sleeping place in hotel and home by Dr. Vincent, and 116 pupils from filled half-a-dozen to the room, and 16 states, the first lesson, "The Reeven the stable lofts and sheds storation of the Israelites," was prefound occupants. Tents dotted the sented. The chapel was formally valley floor and evening campfires, dedicated at the morning service surrounded by groups of happy with Rev. Thos. Guard of Oakcampers, brilliantly illuminated the land preaching. Yosemite. The evening air rang with The afternoon of the dedication the mirth and song of the excursion-Rev. Dr. Sheldon Jackson of Denver, ing Sunday school leaders. who was head of Indian missions As the day for the opening of the in Alaska Territory, talked on "The convention neared, church leaders Aztecs." For the whole week that anxiously watched for the progress followed some kind of program was of the men who were erecting the held in the chapel each day and chapel in which many of the assem-evening. In addition to the religious bly meetings were scheduled to be services and programs led by a held. Work on the wooden structure battery of eminent ministers and lechad been under way since early turers, including Rev. Dr. Joseph in May near the base of the present Cook and Bishop Matthew Simpson

Yosemite Chapel —Ansel Adams of Boston, the Rev. Peitz of New Rev. Cook, followed the great na- York, and Rev. Dr. File, the celebrat-turalist to Glacier Point on what was ed Hutchinson singers from Lynn, perhaps the first interpretive excur- Mass., and a minstrel group from sion in the Yosemite. San Francisco performed. John Muir During the course of the convenwas present as he had been paid tion, the delegates had opportunity $100 in advance to give two ad-to turn sightseers and a good many dresses on glaciation during the explored the waterfalls, cliffs and convention. the Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequo- On the evening of June 12, Rev. ias. However, the disposition of at Joseph Cook, an orator said to be least one church leader was adthe equal of Daniel Webster, spoke versely affected by the rugged roads from the pulpit with great force, up-of the region. "At the 'trees' he holding the rending-of-the-earth's evinced the most vituperate qualities crust concept of the formation of Yo-of temper and mind in his abuse of semite Valley. Muir spoke following the gentleman who acted as guide; Rev. Cook and, in mild tones, ex-and who ought to have given the plained the evidence that the glaci-clerical offender a sound thrashing ers had left in Yosemite Valley... and he was not the only one who which he had found in his explora-murmured at every dollar that they tions. The crowded audience was had to expend... denouncing completely won over by Muir's man-everyone connected with any businer and quiet logic. The next morn-ness in Yosemite as liars, swining 200 of the delegates, including dlers, and cheats."

On June 15 the convention ad-And although the hubbub weakened, journed to meet later in the month the convention was soon forgotten, at Monterey, and after a few days the Yosemite Chapel is still to be the Mariposa Gazette reported "all seen and is still in use — a memorial the Sunday school marms and chap-to the Sunday School Assembly and el orators have left the Valley." its convention here 76 years ago.

REFERENCES

1. California Farmer, August 7, 1879. May 15, 1879. May 29, 1879. 2. Mariposa Gazette, May 31, 1879. June 14, 1879. June 21, 1879. 3. Son of the Wilderness. p. 202, Linnie Marsh Wolfe. Alfred Knopf. 1951. 4. "Brief History of the Village Chapel." Rev. Alfred Grass. Yosemite Nature Notes 24

*Galen Clark gives his reaction to the construction of the chapel in the California Farmer. "It seems to be almost a sacrilege to build a church within the grandest of all God's temples. It will clearly show the contrast between the frail and puny works of man, as combined with the mighty grandeur and magnificence of the works of God, and I hope it will do good."

THE CURIOUS COYOTE

By Ronald Bainbridge, Ranger-Naturalist I am sure that many have experi-time when most people were just enced the plaintive call of the moun-thinking of rising or, at the most, just tain coyote. Perhaps its doleful noc-getting their breakfast fire started, turnal cry makes a back country was driving in the lower part of Yovisitor feel the need of putting an-semite Valley. Through the trees on other log or so on the campfire. Be-one side of the road I spied a macause of its color — a grizzled, greyish, ture coyote nonchalantly trotting tawny hue many mistakenly take along in a path that was parallel to the coyote for a gray wolf, of which the progress of the car. I stopped there are probably none left in Cali-only to see the coyote stop in his fornia. However, his appearance tracks, eyeing us all the time. I more resembles a German shepherd started up again and so did he. As dog. I changed the speed of the car, his A never ending persecution of this pace quickened. When I slowed, his fine rodent-dispenser has made him trot also slackened. For well over a shy and coy whenever man is in-mile the companionship of coyote volved. In spite of bounties, traps, and car continued. Finally, apparpoisons and hunters, the coyote ently losing interest in the game, seems to be holding his own where-Canis latrans, changed course and ever wilderness still exists for he trotted into the woods. can rapidly adapt himself to ever-I doubt that any love or trust changing conditions. The yapping exists on the part of the coyote as far coyote who stays his distance at as man is concerned. Apparently night, might, however, take a this incident indicates but one thing, chance and furtively creep into your like his foe Homo sapiens, the coyote camp at dawn to look around. Why is a curious being. I wonder if his will they dare to invade the domain long nose ever proves to be his of their worst enemy? downfall? Curiosity could kill the One fine August morning at a coyote!

PUBLICATIONS FOR SALE AT THE YOSEMITE MUSEUM

All mail orders should be addressed to, and remittances made payable to, Yosemite NATURAL HISTORY ASSOCIATION, Yosemite NATIONAL PARK, CALIFORNIA. Prices include postage, insurance, and on proper items, California State Sales Tax 3%, plus 1% County Tax.

GENERAL

Adams' Guide to Yosemite Valley, Illustrated .............. $1.65 Auto Tour of Yosemite Valley, Self-Guiding — Beatty and Harwell .... .30 Auto Tour of Yosemite National Park — Ditton and McHenry ....... .60 Climber's Guide to High Sierra (Sierra Club) .................. 3.25 Devils Postpile National Monument — Hartesveldt ............... .30 Exploring Our National Parks and Monuments — Butcher (paper) ..... 3.75 Exploring Our National Parks and Monuments — Butcher (cloth) ..... 5.40 Going Light — With Backpack or Burro — Sierra Club ............. 2.20 National Parks, The — What They Mean to You and Me — Tilden (cloth) . 5.40 National Parks, The — What They Mean to You and Me — Tilden (paper) . 1.15 Outdoor Hazards — Real and Fancied — Hood ................... 4.25 Park Ranger — Colby .................................... 1.45 Starr's Guide to John Muir Trail and High Sierra Region ........... 2.20 Waterfalls, Famous, of the World — Brockman .................. .60 Wildlife in Color — Peterson .............................. 4.10 Yosemite Story, The — Scott ............................. 1.20

ANIMAL LIFE

Animal Tracks, Field Guide to ............................ 4.10 Birds of Pacific States — Hoffman .......................... 5.35 Birds, Western, Field Guide to — Peterson ..................... 4.10 Birds of Yosemite — Stebbins ............................ .85 Fishes of Yosemite National Park ......................... .45 Mammals, Field Guide to — Burt and Crossenheider .............. 4.10 Mammals of Yosemite National Park — Parker ................. .60 Reptiles and Amphibians of Yosemite National Park — Walker ...... .40 Survey of Sierra Nevada Bighorn — Jones ...................... .60

TREES AND FLOWERS

Broadleaved Trees of Yosemite National Park — Brockman ......... .60 Cone-bearing Trees of Yosemite National Park — Cole ............ .40 Flowers of Coast and Sierra — Clements ....................... 4.80 Sequoias, Yosemite, Guide to the — McFarland ................. .50 Trees of Yosemite — Tresidder and Hoss ..................... 2.20 Wildflowers, Common, of Yosemite — Beatty, Harwell, and Cole .... .40 Wildflowers, Western, Field Book of — Armstrong ................ 5.35

HISTORY AND INDIANS

Gold, Guns and Ghost Towns — Chalfant ...................... 3.80 Indians, Yosemite, Yesterday and Today — Godfrey .............. .30 Miwok Material Culture — Barrett and Gifford .................. 2.25 Mother Lode Country, Guide to the — Brockman ................. .60 One Thousand California Place Names — Gudde .................. 1.15 Steve Mather of the National Parks — Shankland ................. 4.30 Wilderness World of John Muir, The — Teale ................... 4.80 Yosemite's Pioneer Cabins — Uhte ......................... .35 Yosemite: The Story of An Idea — Huth ..................... .30

GEOLOGY AND MAPS

Geologic History of Yosemite Valley (Professional Paper 160) — Matthes . 5.65 Geology of Yosemite Valley, Brief Story of — Beatty ............. .20 High Sierra Camp Areas, Pocket Guide to (Clark) ................ [price unclear] High Sierra Camp Areas, Trail Guide to (Clark) .................. [price unclear] Incomparable Valley, The — Matthes (cloth) .................... 4.10 Incomparable Valley, The — Matthes (paper) .................... 2.15 Map of Yosemite National Park, Topographic .................. .45 Map of Yosemite Valley, Topographic, shaded (geology story printed on back) . .35 Map of Yosemite Valley, Topographic, unshaded (geology story printed on back) .30 North Country of Yosemite, Pocket Guide to (Clark) (paper) ....... 1.10 North Country of Yosemite, Trail Guide to (Clark) ............... 2.10 South Boundary Country, Pocket Guide to (Clark) ................ 1.10 South Boundary Country, Trail Guide to (Clark) ................. 2.10 Rates for Yosemite Nature Notes (monthly periodical) 1 year ..... 1.50 2 years .... 2.50 3 years .... 3.50

FOR CHILDREN

A Day With Tupi, An Indian Boy of the Sierra (paper) ............. 1.15 A Day With Tupi, An Indian Boy of the Sierra (buckram) ........... 2.55 Animal Friends of the Sierra (paper) ......................... 1.15 Animal Friends of the Sierra (buckram) ....................... 2.55

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