My First Summer in the Sierra

The total height of the three falls is 2600 feet. The upper fall is about 1600 feet, and the lower about 400 feet. Mr. Muir was probably the only man who ever looked down into the heart of the fall from the narrow ledge of rocks near the top.

From a photograph by Charles S. Olcott

SHEEP IN THE MOUNTAINS 8

Since the establishment of the Yosemite National Park the pasturing of sheep has not been allowed within its boundaries, and as a result the grasses and wild flowers have recovered very much of their former luxuriance. The flock of sheep here photographed were feeding near Alger Lake on the slope of Blacktop Mountain, at an altitude of about 10,000 feet and just beyond the eastern boundary of the Park.

From a photograph by Herbert W. Gleason

A SILVER FIR, OR RED FIR (Abies magnifica) 90

This tree was found in an extensive forest of red fir above the Middle Fork of King’s River. It was estimated to be about 250 feet high. Mr. Muir, on being shown the photograph, remarked that it was one of the finest and most mature specimens of the red fir that he had ever seen.

From a photograph by Herbert W. Gleason

THE NORTH AND SOUTH DOMES 122

The great rock on the right is the South Dome, commonly called the Half-Dome, according to Mr. Muir “the most beautiful and most sublime of all the Yosemite rocks.” The one on the left is the North Dome, while in the center is the Washington Column.

From a photograph by Charles S. Olcott

CATHEDRAL PEAK 154

This view was taken from a point on the Sunrise Trail just south of the Peak, on a day when the “cloud mountains” so inspiring to Mr. Muir were much in evidence.

From a photograph by Herbert W. Gleason

THE VERNAL FALLS, YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK 182

From a photograph by Charles S. Olcott

THE HAPPY ISLES, YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK 190

This is the main stream of the Merced River after passing over the Nevada and Vernal Falls and receiving the Illilouette tributary.

From a photograph by Charles S. Olcott

THE THREE BROTHERS, YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK 208

The highest rock, called Eagle Point, is 7900 feet above the sea, and 3900 feet above the floor of the valley.

From a photograph by Charles S. Olcott

MAP OF THE YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK 264

From the United States Geological Survey

FROM SKETCHES MADE BY THE AUTHOR IN 1869

HORSESHOE BEND, MERCED RIVER 14

ON SECOND BENCH. EDGE OF THE MAIN FOREST BELT, ABOVE COULTERVILLE, NEAR GREELEY’S MILL 14

CAMP, NORTH FORK OF THE MERCED 38

MOUNTAIN LIVE OAK (Quercus chrysolepis), EIGHT FEET IN DIAMETER 38

SUGAR PINE 50

DOUGLAS SQUIRREL OBSERVING BROTHER MAN 68

DIVIDE BETWEEN THE TUOLUMNE AND THE MERCED, BELOW HAZEL GREEN 86

TRACK OF SINGING DANCING GRASSHOPPER IN THE AIR OVER NORTH DOME 140

ABIES MAGNIFICA (MOUNT CLARK, TOP OF SOUTH DOME, MOUNT STARR KING) 142

ILLUSTRATING GROWTH OF NEW PINE FROM BRANCH BELOW THE BREAK OF AXIS OF SNOW-CRUSHED TREE 144

APPROACH OF DOME CREEK TO YOSEMITE 150

JUNIPERS IN TENAYA CA—ON 164

VIEW OF TENAYA LAKE SHOWING CATHEDRAL PEAK 196

ONE OF THE TRIBUTARY FOUNTAINS OF THE TUOLUMNE CA—ON WATERS, ON THE NORTH SIDE OF THE HOFFMAN RANGE 196

GLACIER MEADOW, ON THE HEADWATERS OF THE TUOLUMNE, 9500 FEET ABOVE THE SEA 204

MONO LAKE AND VOLCANIC CONES, LOOKING SOUTH 228

HIGHEST MONO VOLCANIC CONES (NEAR VIEW) 228

ONE OF THE HIGHEST MOUNT RITTER FOUNTAINS 240

GLACIER MEADOW STREWN WITH MORAINE BOULDERS, 10,000 FEET ABOVE THE SEA (NEAR MOUNT DANA) 248

FRONT OF CATHEDRAL PEAK 248

VIEW OF UPPER TUOLUMNE VALLEY 252

MY FIRST SUMMER IN THE SIERRA

CHAPTER I