



Produced by Dan Anderson and Andrew Sly. Thanks to the
John Muir Exhibit for making this eBook available.
http://www.sierraclub.org/john_muir_exhibit/










The Yosemite

by John Muir



Affectionately dedicated to my friend,
Robert Underwood Johnson,
faithful lover and defender of our glorious forests
and originator of the Yosemite National Park.


Acknowledgment

On the early history of Yosemite the writer is indebted to Prof. J. D.
Whitney for quotations from his volume entitled "Yosemite Guide-Book,"
and to Dr. Bunnell for extracts from his interesting volume entitled
"Discovery of the Yosemite."


Contents

   1. The Approach to the Valley
   2. Winter Storms and Spring Floods
   3. Snow-Storms
   4. Snow Banners
   5. The Trees of the Valley
   6. The Forest Trees in General
   7. The Big Trees
   8. The Flowers
   9. The Birds
  10. The South Dome
  11. The Ancient Yosemite Glaciers: How the Valley Was Formed
  12. How Best to Spend One's Yosemite Time
  13. Early History of the Valley
  14. Lamon
  15. Galen Clark
  16. Hetch Hetchy Valley
  Appendix A. Legislation About the Yosemite
  Appendix B. Table of Distances
  Appendix C. Maximum Rates for Transportation




Chapter 1

The Approach to the Valley


When I set out on the long excursion that finally led to California I
wandered afoot and alone, from Indiana to the Gulf of Mexico, with a
plant-press on my back, holding a generally southward course, like the
birds when they are going from summer to winter. From the west coast