July 1976

YO SEMITE JULY, 1976 VOLUME FORTY-FIVE, NUMBER 3

ONE HUNDRED YEARS AGO. visitors to Yosemite Valley in 1876 experienced the dry, parched dustiness of a drought on the land. As if by some grand scheme, a similar circumstance awaits Yosemite travelers exactly one hundred years later. I n most respects, however, the quality of a trip to the park has changed so vastly from that time that comparisons allow fascinating observations on our changing perceptions of wilderness, recreation, and leisure. Twenty-five years after Major James Savage and his Mariposa Battalion entered Yosemite Valley in 1851 in pursuit of "recalcitrant" Indians, most visitors journeyed to the park by horse, mule, wagon, buckboard, or stagecoach. In the two previous years, three new wagon roads had been completed to the Valley. In contrast to earlier patterns, a majority of 1876 visitors chose the comfort and efficiency of a horse-drawn vehicle. There were no entrance fees or stations, but tolls were imposed for use of the privately owned and maintained Yosemite turnpikes. A further transportation cost was incurred at Ira Folsom's toll bridge, spanning Eagle Creek, which flowed down a canyon west of the Three Brothers. Most begrudgingly paid the duty of fifty cents per head, as the prospect of fording the stream after a long day's journey was not an exciting one. Given the substantial market for lodging in Yosemite Valley (1,917 persons visited in 1876), the quality and size of available accommodations were surprisingly deficient. The three Valley inns, Black's Hotel, Leidig's Hotel, and the Coulter and Murphy Hotel (formerly Hutchings House), were somewhat crude and ramshackle. Room partitions consisted of stretched muslin, water was fetched from a community barrel in the hallway, and homemade mattresses were stuffed with fern boughs or hay. Messrs. Coulter and Murphy recognized the need for more "modern" quarters, and began construction of the Yosemite Falls Hotel (later to be called The Sentinel Hotel) in 1876. The structure was completed the following year, and heralded a new prosperity for Yosemite concessioners. Meals served in each of the hostelries were considered plain and repetitive, yet "rectangular". Mrs. Leidig earned plaudits for her cooking, and this skill helped attract hungry, dissatisfied patrons from her competitors. But it seemed nothing could lure Yosemite travelers from the Valley's only saloon. The Cosmopolitan Saloon and Bath House (across the road from the Coulter and Murphy Hotel) was an elegant, comfortable, and popular establishment. Replete with carpeted baths, full-sized billiard tables, and a well-stocked bar, the building provided those luxuries yearned for in the rude hotels. For a nominal charge, the dusty, road-weary traveler could bathe, feel the relaxing warmth of fine spirits, and even get his hair cut. With the increased baggage hauling capacity that wagon travel afforded, more visitors than ever before camped out in 1876. Unlike today, Yosemite Valley represented one huge campground. Vacationing parties pitched their tents and made their camps at pleasing locations throughout the Valley. All camping gear and most foodstuffs had to be packed in, for as yet there was no store operating. There were at least two sources of edible provisions. Without the restrictions of an established wildlife management policy, campers commonly hunted for their dinners. Valley animals, from ground squirrels to black bears, were viewed somewhat more hungrily than they are today. For a brief time during the summer, the harvest of James Lamon's

Royal Arch Farm supplied fresh edibles. The garden, leased to Aaron Harris following Lamon's death in 1875, was filled with fruits and vegetables (the strawberries were reportedly delectable) and could be "raided" for twenty-five cents. The trip to Yosemite demanded an effort which discouraged casual or brief excursions. At a time when three days was considered a short visit, the typical stay was of one to two weeks. Once a visitor had committed himself to the park, how did he spend his time? As is the case today, enjoyment of the scenery was a major pastime. The hotels had been - situated to maximize scenic views, and in previous years James Hutchings had provided the guests of the Coulter and Murphy Hotel with an unobstructed view of Yosemite Falls. The boardwalk which connected the upper and lower village areas was also popular for the panoramas it provided the unadventurous. Many opportunities for exploration of the territory adjacent to the Valley were handy. As hiking was not the popular activity it is today, two stables rented horses and mules. Hutchings' corral contained over 100 head. The Four Mile. Trail to Glacier Point had been completed in 1871, John Conway was extending his trail from the foot of Upper Yosemite Falls, and both the horse trail and the Mist Trail to Vernal and Nevada, Falls were attracting considerable traffic. Travel on Yosemite trails was not an inexpensive proposition, however. A trip to Vernal and Nevada Falls, for example, might cost an 1876 mountaineer several dollars. Basic horse rental was $3.00, trailbuilder Albert Snow charged 75i for use of his trail, and to have one's name painted on register Rock required a further trip to the purse. It was, incidentally, over this trail that in 1875 Miss S. L. Dutcher made her way to the back side of Half Dome. Using the rope and eye-bolts provided by George Anderson, she became the first woman ever to ascend this formidable rock. When darkness fell over Yosemite Valley in 1876, weary visitors could look forward to further entertainment. For those persons not occupied at the Cosmopolitan Saloon, James McCauley was still experimenting with his display of fire at Glacier Point. Capitalizing on the popularity of his "firefall", McCauley would enact the ritual, contingent upon the collection of $1.50 in Yosemite Valley. Had you been a visitor on such a day, you would have witnessed the firefall in one form or another. Some evenings gunny sacks or tree branches were soaked with kerosene, ignited, waved and tossed from the rim of the Valley. But most frequently, glowing embers were pushed from the point and sent streaming brightly toward the Valley floor: One hundred years ago, the value of Yosemite Valley as an unparalleled scenic resource, if not a wilderness reserve, was beginning to be realized. This brief look back was an attempt to document one generation's habits and attitudes as they related to enjoyment of that resource. In light of our increased appreciation of Yosemite's national importance, it seems appropriate that we express our gratitude for the opportunity we have to partake of the park's beauty and wealth, while we remind ourselves of our responsibilities to future Yosemite users. by Steve Medley GRAN SIERRA NEVADA. While the people living in the "thirteen colonies" of the soon-to-be-established United States were rallying for their freedom, Spanish soldiers, missionaries, and colonists were plodding their ways northward towards the San Francisco Bay, the Miwok people and other Indian tribes of the Sierra Nevada were living as they had for close to thirty-eight centuries. The eventful year of, 1776 marked the founding of the city of San Francisco, and the drawing of a map, which not only showed the Sierra Nevada, but also identified it with those words. "Sierra nevada" was a descriptive phrase commonly used by early Spanish adventurers to depict snow-capped mountain ranges. As early as November of 1542, Juan Rodriguez

I~~k D~ sue. Drawn by Father Pedro Font two hundred years ago, this map, the oldest known to still exist and show the Sierra Nevada identified as such, was prepared to accompany his account of Anza's expedition to the bav of San Francisco.

Cabrillo, the first European to sail along the coast of California, used this term to describe a mountain range which he saw from his ship. The mountains which he and his men had sighted were those we now call the California Coast Range. During the late 1760's, after the Russians had established their trading posts upon the 'Aleutian Islands, the Spanish government feared that the Russians might expand their domain to include the "unclaimed" land, which the Spanish called Alta California. To avert this, the Spanish government felt that it was now time to place key settlements in this territory. Two ships and two land parties were sent out to rendezvous at San Diego Bay to found the first outpost. On the 14th of July, 1769, Gaspar de Portola, along with Father Juan Crespi, and a number of soldiers left San Diego and headed north in search of a natural harbor. Monterey Bay disappointed them, sq before turning home, they continued northward and made the exciting discovery of San Francisco Bay. In 1772 Captain Pedro Fages, Father Crespi, and a number of soldiers traveled to the point where the Sacramento and San Joaquin rivers converge. Crespi wrote in his diary that these_ rivers "descended from some high mountains, very far distant." Obviously, he had-seen the Sierra Nevada and drew a crude, but recognizable, map of the San Francisco Bay region. On this historic map — the first to show the Sierra Nevada — he indicated a large river draining from a clump of as yet unnamed mountains. This expedition attempted to reach these mountains but found that the tule marshes, which then nearly filled the San Joaquin Valley, were too difficult to cross and to expensive to easily circumvent. Three years later, Juan Bautista de Anza, who had established the overland route from Sonora, Mexico to the San Gabriel mission, near present-day Los Angeles, was commissioned to organize an expedition of missionaries, soldiers, and colonists to found a settlement at the bay of San Francisco. Father Pedro Font, a missionary and scholar, was a member of the party. His duties included keeping a diary and making observations to prepare a map of the expeditions travels. They arrived at San Francisco Bay late in March, and then headed east. On April 2, 1776, the one hundredth day of the journey, they sighted an impressive mountain range. "Looking northeast" Font wrote in his diary, "we saw an immense plain, without any trees, through which the water extends for a long distance, having in it several little islands of lowlands. And finally, on the other side of the immense plain, and at a distance of about forty leagues, we saw a great sierra nevada whose trend appeared to me to be from southsoutheast to north-northwest." While Crespi had recorded his sighting of the Sierra Nevada four years earlier, and while there were surely other early unrecorded sightings, Font was the first to accurately locate these mountains on a map with their everlasting name "Sierra Nevada". Accompanying this text is a reproduction of the earliest available "Font" map_ Drawn in Ures, Mexico two hundred years ago this month, it was prepared to accompany his seventynine page account of the Anza expedition which he was preparing at that time. Four distinct versions of Font's diary are believed to have existed. The first was his 80 page "work copy" written during the journey. The second was a 36 page" report submitted to a superior upon his return to Mexico. The third was a 79 page account written at Ures, Mexico during the month of June 1776. The fourth, known as the "complete" diary, was a 336 page version written at the mission in Tubutana, Mexico in 1777. When the Spaniards explored, and then began settling, they attached to the land names which struck them as being significant. Many are in use today, many have drifted away. They may have thought little of referring to the Sierra Nevada as such, using the phrase merely in a descriptive sense. Perhaps the name has remained unchanged throughout these ensuing twenty decades because, compared to others, these massive mountains truly are the gran Sierra Nevada. by Dean Shenk

CONTAINER DEPOSIT POLICY - Yosemite Park & Curry Co., principal park concessioner, in cooperation with the Environmental Protection Agency, has begun a pilot system of collecting deposits on soft drink and beer containers in Yosemite. The project will help the EPA establish the effectiveness of a deposit system, which may be implemented at all Federal installations. All soft drink and beer containers sold across the counter or from vending machines are marked "Yosemite 5E Deposit" and are redeemable at certain retail outlets and at the Village Recycling Center. An EPA staff member monitors the program to determine if the deposit system increases the percentage of containers returned for reuse or recycling. If successful, it follows that resources and energy are being conserved and park litter reduced. Non-redeemed deposits will be used to cover program expenses, and the balance, if any, will be devoted.to environmental programs in Yosemite. THE WILDFLOWER BOOK - Sometime ago, members received an announcement of the publication of "Yosemite Wildflower Trails". This booklet was funded from the estate of the late Mary Curry Tresidder; the text and illustrations are the work of Dana Morgenson. We think it's a beautiful book - 88 pp., 125 color illustrations, excellent text, botanical and common names. Each chapter speaks about a different elevation : The Sierra Foothills and Approaches to Yosemite; Flowers of Yosemite Valley; Along Valley Rim Trails; The Subalpine Belt and The High Sierra Loop Trail; Treeline and Above. Following each chapter are illustrations of the flowers mentioned in the preceding text. When we ordered the printing, we specified 200 to be numbered and bound in stiff covers. A few of these still are available - when they're gone, there will be no more. If you'd like one, let us know; the cost is $13.75, including tax and postage. The soft cover version, to members, is $2.80, including tax and postage. Please include your membership number with your order. SEMINARS, TWO IN PARTICULAR. We're elated with the response from members on our Summer '76 seminar program. Enrollment is running ahead of a year ago. Among the fifteen subjects offered, we feel that the new class, "Yosemite Indians: Displacement and Destruction" and John Lemon's "Symbiosis of Man and His Environment", probably would jiggle one's brains considerably. Jeanne Munoz's Indians course (August 16-20) will pose some moral, economic and social and ethical riddles. Who were the bad guys - the resident Miwoks or the white settlers. traders and miners? Each took his turn in the villain's role and the records aren't so dependable as to eliminate doubt. However, during the five days, participants will experience an exercise that may cause embarrassment or remorse, but which assuredly will be stimulating and informative. John Lemon's "Symbiosis of Man and His Environment" (August 23-27) mixes the biological and psychological nature of man in an evolutionary situation — why and how he has modified his environment and how this alteration has influenced him — organically and culturally. Course reading includes writings by Loren Eiseley, Rene Dubos, Theodore Roszak, all provocative people. There are daily hikes to different places to experience the stimuli in varied locations. And, on the overnight, one will experience the forces of the stars, the sky, darkness and one's associates. We quote below passages from one of the participants in last year's class. "I found the John Lemon's seminar to be reinforcing, enlightening and experiential. John organized it totally and presented the material in a subtle and effective manner_ Once he introduced us to the topics and set the mood, I was ready literally to hit the trail to elevations of the highest inspiration. "Hiking during the seminar gave me the space to collect and organize my thoughts, and to review comments presented at our group discussions, and to overcome my barriers related

to negative thoughts about man's effect on his environment. "The material presented was so inspirational that I was distracted many times during the talks by flashes of thoughts, ideas, situations that assisted me better to understand the place I come from. "The seminar was a very personal involvement and inspired strong emotional feelings and a shared experience. It opened the space for me to grow." Sgd.John Johnson Campbell, CA NATURALIST EWART: In the January issue of the members bulletin, there was a piece about Dick Ewart, who signed on in September, 1975 with YNHA as a V.I.P. (Volunteer-in-Parks). At the outset, Dick expressed firm determination to become a National Park Service Naturalist. In the months between his arrival and now, we "loaned" him two days a week to the Naturalist division, where first, he learned about being a naturalist, then practiced his skills before park visitors on nature walks and with slide shows. He had applied for a summer NPS job - but so had scores of others. His tenacity and ability were rewarded recently, when he was hired as a Valley Naturalist. We're glad to have had a hand in launching Dick in what might be his career. BACK IN PRINT : Carl P. Russell's "One Hundred Years in Yosemite" again is in print after being unavailable for several years. It is the most useful collection of information on the Park's history and, with the additions to the chronology, spans more than one hundred years. The chapter headings read: Discovery : Mariposa Hills; White Chief of the Foothills; Pioneers in the Valley; Tourists in the Saddle; Stagecoach Days; Explorers; Hotels and Their Keepers; East-side Mining Excitement; The Interpreters; Guardians of the Scene. It was originally published by the U.C. Press, later by YNHA. The present edition was printed by the National Park Service. The budget for this edition permitted only 1500 to be printed. Members wishing to acquire a copy are encouraged to do so soon. It is for sale at the visitor Center, park shops for $450 plus tax, or by mail from us for $5.40 (including tax and postage). There's no members' discount as it is not one of our publications. CLAWS, JAWS, GRIZZLY. Occasionally, we read memoranda circulated by the National Park Service. We found a recent one amusing, if not significant. We've deleted the names of certain people referred to. K3015 TO: Regional Director, Rocky Mountain Region FROM: Public Information Specialist, Rocky Mountain Region SUBJECT: "Grizzly" "The movie, "Grizzly", billed unabashedly by its producer as aimed to capitalize on the success of "jaws", will open in 700 theaters across the country on May 12. This, and following information, result from a series of phone calls after receipt of the attached clips. The feature film was made on State and private land in the mountains of northeast Georgia last winter, starring "Teddy", a 12 year old Kodiak bear born and reared on an animal farm in Washington State. Teddy goes on the rampage in "American National Park" says the director, and mayhem follows. No State is identified says the producer; one source says they used stock scenic shots in Montana and close-ups in Georgia, another says all Georgia. The Department of Community Development for Georgia (a film promotion unit) assisted them (the producers).

The producer talks a good line, saying that he "would hope its pretty obvious that the film is not on a reality basis." He thinks bears are beautiful, thinks people don't know what to do around them, doesn't want them to be hated, etc. He claims to want to do two posters for theater display, side by side, one_ advertising the film, one explaining that "this is a fun film, but you don't need to fear bears. Our bear isn't what bears really are." He has asked us for material on safety hints if you run into a bear in the backcountry, clean camping, etc., which I will provide while being ever so careful that he can't turn it into an endorsement of the project. When I told the director of our concern that campers may be frightened or get misconceptions, he said emphatically, "You should be!" The owner of the game farm that raised Teddy tells of a mechanical bear that didn't work, followed by construction of a two-man bear suit to use in the mauling scenes. He, incidentally, is now upset; apparently didn't read the script very well in advance. He wants to protect the grizzlies! One source says there were three or four companies with similar scripts and that one, in fact, had copyrighted the name "Claws", but "Grizzly" got into production first and the others dropped their projects. When the director approached Georgia forest rangers and asked to borrow some uniforms, he was told they weren't authorized to participate. So instead he just had some designed that look "really neat, kind of. like mounties, you know." A New York PR agency put out a flyer that says that after having two teenage girls for hor d'oeuvres, "having tasted human flesh the bear can be expected to attack again." The ultimate confrontation comes when "forest rangers armed with rifles and rocket launchers come face to face with "Grizzly". Think we could get a copy for amphitheater showings at appropriate parks??? But seriously, we think it'd be appropriate for someone from both Glacier and Yellowstone to make a point to see it and brief field personnel, so they know what's happening when visitors start to babble about 18 foot bears." Sgd. SFE THE MEETING - The first annual members meeting, April 24-25, was blessed by good weather, a satisfying turnout - about 150 - an excellent lunch, served by the Yosemite Lodge - and perhaps above all, an inspired setting. Sentinel Beach, the picnic site, had been recently wind and water washed and ours were the season's first foot prints. A few clouds floated across the blue sky, pushed along by a gentle breeze. Yosemite Falls were in view; the river, there, glided swift and flat. Board Chairman Dana Morgenson's announcement that it was time to move to the visitor Center for the meeting, was greeted with a number of hoots, indicating, we presume, a preference by the hooters for the beach over a dull auditorium. But, most reassembled as asked. Dana opened the meeting with greetings, a welcome to all and an introduction of the Association Board members and staff. Director Len McKenzie then pursued the agenda topics: Update on Summer '76 Seminar program : enrollment steady and rising — optimistic enrollment forecast; probably 80% of capacity. New course subjects described — "Stars over Yosemite", an astronomy class held (at night) at Glacier Point. Instructor - Ron Oriti, Griffith Park Planetarium, Los Angeles. "Yosemite Indians - Their Displacement and Destruction - The plight of the Western Sierra Miwok following arrival of gold-seekers in the Mother Lode. Instructor - Ms. Jeanne Munoz, Long Beach State College. Among the other courses, Dr. Carl Sharsmith's alpine and sub-alpine botany classes are, as usual, highly popular. The Living Glaciers class, Dr. Marlin Dickey instructor, nearly full; (by contrast, last year at the same time, it was nearly empty). In other classes, response

satisfactory. McKenzie gave a status report on Association publications program: "Discovering Sierra Mammals", "Discovering Sierra Reptiles and Amphibians", "Domes, Cliffs and Waterfalls", all on schedule, with "Reptiles" to be in print by July; "Mammals", probably in Spring of '77; same for "Domes —" Next was revealed a proposal by the Chicago Albumen Works for YNHA to join with them in The publication of facsimile reproductions of 10-12 Muybridge photos of Yosemite. Muybridge. photographed in Yosemite in the 60's, but gained. most attention by determining with his camera that Leland Stanford's horse When at a trot lifted all four hooves off the ground at the same time. The Yosemite Museum owns a number of prints made from Muybridge negatives (18 x 22"). The C.A.W. intends to make negatives of these and print them via the same process (albumen) as Muybridge employed. These would be handsomely mounted and packaged and marketed to librarians, museums and collectors. The Board is now considering the wisdom of joining the venture. If the marriage takes place, YNHA will, after recovering its investment, share a percentage of the proceeds with the park museum. YNHA's financial aid to the National Park Service was the next topic McKenzie presented. We have described earlier all these but one. YNHA will provide $2100 to the Interpretive division for the purchase of videotape equipment. Closed circuit video is used widely by NPS for naturalist training. Members of the audience made only occasional comments during the above proceedings. But, when the agenda item "proposal for reformation of membership program" was open for discussion, the crowd livened up. Unfortunately, the recording microphones placed in the auditorium, didn't pick up all the observations made. However, we scribbled notes. These reveal that 12 suggestions were made for stimulating interest in the Association and increasing its membership. We shan't relate the details here, but they were sensible and, generally, could be implemented, a few at a time perhaps. Life member, Dr. Fred Harper of Los Angeles, led the way in the discussion; his observations are respected and appreciated. The YNHA Board is studying the proposal contents. When all opinions are in, we'll report to you.. In the closing minutes, there was lively discussion on the time and location of the 1977 meeting — the Valley in spring, Tuolumne Meadows in the fall, White Wolf. It pleased us to learn that there was so much interest IN a next meeting.. Following the meeting, all retired to the Girls Club for the wine and cheese hour. The wine and the cheese and the members held out for some two hours. All of us enjoyed talking with the members. Don Fox's evening discussion of the Yosemite Master Plan drew a great crowd and considerable comment. Fox, who had participated in a number of Master Plan workshops, took it with equanimity and was barely bruised at the session's end. Sunday's interpretive programs, led by YNHA members, were well attended. Marie Mans' Bird Walk was first off, with a dozen birders including Park Supt. and Mrs. Arnberger. Dana Morgenson's camera walk had its usual following of the faithful. Dick Ewart led a stout dozen to the top of Yosemite Falls and Rich Reitnauer had three dozen on his History Walk. Bea Weiss.and her group sketched the Valley's beauties and Lisa Rhudy shepherded a handful of tots on her children's nature walk. We've received several letters in which the writers expressed their enjoyment of the meeting. Certainly, enthusiasm was voiced at the open forum for a similar event. We enjoyed the planning and seeing it all through. What more is needed for another meeting next year? Sustaining Advertisers who contribute toward the publication of this bulletin: SERVICE PAPER PRODUCTS, Merced - Fresno / ANSEL ADAMS GALLERY, P.O. Box 455, Yosemite National Park, Ca. 93709/PINE TREE MARKET, Wawona, Ca. 95389/FLYING SPUR PRESS Yosemite PUBLICATIONS, P.O. Box 278, Yosemite, Ca. 95389/ Yosemite PARK & CURRY CO., Yosemite National Park, Ca. 95389, Reservations (800) 692-5811 (in Calif.); (out of state) (209) 372-4671/49'er SUPER MARKET, Highway 140 and 49, Mariposa, California/5 ASSOCIATES, Publishers - Ansel Adams notes & postcards, 1021 Edgewood Road, Redwood City, Ca. 94062.

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