A TRIP TO YO-SEMITE IN 1874 - PART 5

                                               A TRIP TO YO-SEMITE IN 1874 – PART 5

So . . . we left my great grandfather in Yo-Semite Valley drinking mint juleps at White’s Cosmopolitan House, taking an evening stroll along the Merced river, and making plans for the trip to Vernal & Nevada Falls the next day.  And onward we trek . . .

After a hearty breakfast, we got in the saddle early, and stopped at Vernal Falls cabin*, but Mrs. Conant and myself were the only ones to go clear to the falls at the expense of a complete ducking as we had neglected to get rubbers.

*This cabin was at Register Rock – so called because people used to carve their names in the rock – and one could rent rubbers there to keep from getting drenched if one decided to go all the way to the falls or up the ladders.  One also paid a toll there if they were continuing on to Nevada Falls. Though J.K. mentions going clear to the falls, he doesn't say anything about going up the 80 feet of ladders which were in place at that time, to get to the top of the falls, so it's assumed he didn't do that.  A tourist guidebook of the times has this to say about Vernal Falls: "The path is wet and slippery, but good oil or rubber suits keep out the wet and a good restful pause now and then keeps in the breath.  Scores of ladies go up and come down every season without accident or harmful fatigue." Wow . . . imagine that.

The cabin at Register Rock

Vernal Fall

The 80 feet of ladders to get to the top of Vernal Fall

82 years later (and a ‘few’ years ago from now) my brother and I stand on the Vernal Fall bridge.  This was in 1956.  Looks like it was a good snow year as the fall is running full.

Started for Snow's Hotel and Nevada Falls. (a rather arduous trek up a series of zigzag switchbacks!)  Took dinner.  What a time here.  Some of the party bothered the old lady (Mrs. Snow, who was apparently well-known for her wry humor).  Her old standby is to ask the guests when they ask hurriedly for beans or something to eat: "How many days did it take the Lord to make this earth, Sir?  Well, then He rested, didn't he!"  "Then give us a rest." said I. "Please pass the pie."

The zig-zag trail up to Nevada Fall

Snow’s with Nevada Fall behind.

Mrs. Snow

Liberty Cap with tiny Snow’s below about 3/4^th of the way down the photo.

The river at Nevada Falls is indeed grand, and to rest at the large flat rock and look up to the Cap of Liberty way up so high, seeming to touch the heavens - oh it was lovely.  Mrs. Whitehouse and I took it all in.

After a good rest at Snow's, we left for the hotel.  Had a nice visit with Mr. and Mrs. Conant in the parlor.  (Likely the parlor in the Cottage by the Rocks as the parlor in the main hotel was built – by John Muir - around a living tree trunk and I think J.K. would have mentioned such a thing.)

The parlor in the main hotel built around a tree.

The slanted scar from Hutching’s parlor roof can still be seen on the cedar tree that once stood inside the main hotel parlor.

I remember a little terrier at Snow’s that followed us all the way down and seemed so worn out that Mrs. C. took him in her lap and he slept and snored like a tired school boy and someone got a piece of meat and held it in front of his nose and soon he woke up evidently been dreaming of chasing something of the kind and devoured it as if he had not had anything for a month.  We took a stroll that night in the moonlight.

The next morning, got up at 5:00.  Met Miss Crocker. Took a walk and had a splendid chat with her.  She is good company and a fine lady.

Apr. 26: We had a lovely time at Mirror Lake.  Oh how I wish she (Ella) could have been there!  All so quiet and serene.  No voices, just a murmur, watching for the rising sun.  Every-thing looked so good.  The trees, mountains, clouds, all reflected so beautifully.  The blue, blue sky - so pretty.  I took it all in.  One did not need to die to know what Heaven was.  It was like the sunshine of her love, once my darling Ella now so different.  Maybe I judge her wrong, but no.  I did all I could, she would laugh at me.  (Sounds like perhaps she'd wanted to make the trip with him, but he'd nixed the idea?)

Mirror Lake back then.

How I wish I could write up Mirror Lake as some - not a ripple on the water, all below so well-defined even better than by looking upward.  And when the sun came peeping up, then burst full upon us, or rather peeping down, for we all were looking into the water, there was a bunch of trees on the mount and as the sun came through them, it did look so pretty.  Then the tint on the clouds.  There can be nothing finer.  There is nature in all her loveliness.  I think God made Yo-Semite and Mirror Lake on purpose, for there we cannot help but think of Him.  I did want somebody there.  It's the Angels' trysting place.  (Actually, I think he did rather well with his description and he’s right on the money with it.  Years ago I saw Mirror Lake at sunrise that way and it was every bit as breathtaking as he describes it.)

He would not have been happy to know the year after they visited Mirror Lake an enterprising fellow built a cabin at one end which he opened as a saloon and rowboat rental place.  A year later it was leased by another fellow who built a 40’ x 60’ dance floor out over part of the lake, nor would he be happy to see it as it is today: 'Mirror Meadow’.  This, because in their efforts to return the park to its "natural state" the park no longer dredges the sand and silt, carried down the mountains by Tenaya Creek, from the meadow in order to maintain the lake.  What a shame.  While the lake may not have been a natural phenomenon as J.K. thought, it was a spectacularly beautiful place and perhaps, should be maintained regardless of its non-natural state.  I think naturalists get a bit carried away sometimes!

          We lingered there a long time, and were loath to leave, but we had set out to see Yo-Semite Falls that day, so we reluctantly turned our animals toward the Falls - returning to the hotel for lunch or some spent remainder of the day writing home and strolling around.  Had our pictures taken that morning.

Mirror ‘Lake’ now – back to its natural state as Tenaya Creek.  What a shame.

          We went to Union and Moran Points that afternoon.  It was a lovely sight all the way up the trail (Four Mile Trail) and oh so high--magnificent view.  Yo-Semite, Nevada, El Capitan and Royal Arch Falls, and Merced River valley all so beautiful.  Oh why did I not have my girl there to enjoy the scene!  Wrote my name on a pine tree on Union Point - the tree having a white flag.    From the Point we could see North Dome, Half Dome, South Dome and Mt. Starr King in the distance.  Cut a fine cane at Moran Point of manzanita under the snow.  Chat in the rocks with Miss Teegarden of Ohio.  The trail is good but steep.  All seemed to enjoy it.  Mr. and Mrs. Conant did, I know.  That was about the finest day's work of any – going up the trail. The sound of Yo-Semite Falls booming like discharges of artillery was grand.  We could overlook the falls across the valley and see great volumes of water rushing over and falling below, turnout after turnout.  We took our leave, arriving at the Hotel at 5PM.

Yosemite Falls behind a group being professionally photographed.  Upper and Lower falls can be seen.  The Middle falls are out of sight here.  I’m not sure who would have been included in the professional photograph J.K. mentions being taken?  Just he and his carriage companions?  Or the whole group he associated with once they all got together?  I’m supposing the latter. I wish we had a copy of the photo, but we don’t.

The view looking west from Union Point.

View up Tenaya Canyon from Moran Point.

It appears they ended their trek short of Glacier Point at the top of the trail because of the snow as he doesn’t write anything about overhanging rock where nutty people did crazy things 3000 feet above the valley floor, and I’m pretty sure he would have mentioned it had he been there and seen it – if not going out on it himself as his future son-in-law did several years later!

My Granddad Bradley, J.K.'s son-in-law, sitting on Overhanging Rock at Glacier Point a 'few' years later.  I’m not sure which fellow he is, but either way – Ack!

There was a warning sign, but determined folks didn’t pay it much mind.

In the evening I had the pleasure of a chat with Miss Teegarden in the Cottage parlor.  Miss T. wanting to make some notes and as I was just closing my notes for the day, I loaned her my pencil over which we had so much fun afterward.  Poor Clarke was hunting for me, and I -- well, I was doing well enough.  Chatted till 10 o'clock.  On one rock is a fish profile. On another, an old man profile.  Beautiful moonlight.

To be continued

:->

La Nightingail