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John Muir’s walk to Yosemite

Muir walked from SF to Yosemite in 1868. True. Walked. This walk was duplicated by Peter and Donna Thomas of Santa Cruz in 2006. I’ve mentioned them before but now you have a chance to hear how they did it.

The Thomas’ wrote a book (I have assigned copy) “Muir Ramble Route: Walking from San Francisco to Yosemite in the footsteps of John Muir.” It’s full of detailed info. They did a ton of research to get it right. Muir wrote some about the trip but they had to dig deep. Some neat maps included. Yes, YOU can do this walk if so inclined. Learn how.

They will be at select REI stores in the greater Bay Area soon.  Talks are free and at begin at 7pm. Call to register to make sure you get a seat. I’ll be at the Saratoga one…tomorrow.

Feb 21: REI Saratoga; Feb 23: REI Berkeley; Feb28: REI Marina

Unrelated thought worth quoting: “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.” – Lao-tzu, circa 500 BCE

*MrHalfDome™ – Rick Deutsch – www.HikeHalfDome.com

One Best Hike: Yosemite’s Half Dome…

Marketing Yosemite

Jeff Hentz, Executive Director of Destination Yosemite/Mariposa County Tourism Bureau, at the Bay Area Travel & Adventure Show in Santa Clara. He moderated and spoke on a panel of “Driveable Destinations” experts. Kings Canyon/Sequoia and Lodi were also represented.

Unrelated thought worth quoting: So my darling and I make love in the sand. To salute the last moment ever on dry land. Our machine it has done its work played its part well. Without a scratch on our body when we bid it farewell. Starfish and giant foams greet us with a smile. Before our heads go under we take our last look at the killing noise. Of the out of style. The out of style out of style.” – continuing 1983 (A Merman I Should Turn To Be) – Jimi Hendrix

*MrHalfDome™ – Rick Deutsch – www.HikeHalfDome.com

One Best Hike: Yosemite’s Half Dome…

BASE jumping at Yosemite – one more

I have no record of the 7 deaths at Yosemite from BASE jumping that Somke referred to….only these 4:

In 1982 Jimmy Tyler, tried a jump off the face of Half Dome. He did it on a cloudy day with a slight wind. The breeze put him into the wall.

In 1988 Mitch Reno did the same and delayed opening his chute and impacted the talus just as his chute was rolling out.

In 1993, when Susan Oatly, jumped off El Cap. She held her head skyward for too long, lost altitude awareness, and backed into the wall in her 15th second of freefall. This jump began the process of insisting people who begin BASE jumping have at least 150 previous parachutes jumps.

The jump that ended it all was in 1999 when 5 jumpers planned a protest jump off El Cap in front of Park Rangers and the media. Jan Davis was the third to go off while her husband down below filmed it. By prior arrangement, Park Service officials agreed not to prevent the jumps but insisted jumpers would be arrested upon landing and their gear would be confiscated. It’s not against the law to talk about jumping …

Vintage Ansel Adams film

Rare video footage of Ansel Adams at the real Half Dome Diving board…at the far west side of the rock.

Click <HERE>

A tip of the hat to our Hamburg, Germany office for this find.

Unrelated thought worth quoting: “Off we go into the wild blue yonder. Flying high into the clouds. Here we go, making a sound like thunder. Flying high, feeling proud. Down we dive, spouting our flame from under, off with one mighty roar. It’s you and me. We’re flying free. Nothing’ll stop the U.S. Air Force.” – Air Force theme song

*MrHalfDome™ – Rick Deutsch – www.HikeHalfDome.com

One Best Hike: Yosemite’s Half Dome…

Buffalo Soldiers

Last week, the US House passed a proposal to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a study of alternatives for commemorating and interpreting the role of the Buffalo Soldiers in the early years of the National Parks and for other purposes.  These men were African-Americans in the US Army. Their contributions included service in: the American Indian Wars, Spanish-American War, Philippine-American War and World War I and 2.

Buffalo Soldiers

The name “Buffalo Soldier” was believed to be coined by American Indians who thought their hair resembled the tight black weave found on bison.  In 1899 through 1903, they managed Sequoia and Yosemite parks before the creation of the Park Service.

Editorial note: Be sure to page back for blogs that do not appear on the front page. I will be posting shorter snippets occasionally.

Unrelated thought worth quoting: “Buffalo soldier, dreadlock rasta. There was a buffalo soldier in the heart of America, stolen from Africa, brought to America. Fighting on arrival, fighting for survival.” – Bob Marley

*MrHalfDome™ – Rick Deutsch – www.HikeHalfDome.com

One Best Hike: Yosemite’s Half Dome

 …

Ansel Adams prints at LA show

In LA, a gallery called “drkrm” .. .as in darkroom, will be showing some very rare Ansel Adams prints. Adams made his name at Yosemite but these are street scenes shot in Los Angeles. He was on assignment in Southern California for Fortune magazine in 1940. This will be the first time that the photos have been on public display. Limited edition prints will also be on sale, with a portion of the proceeds going to the LA Public Library. show runs from February 18 through March 17. If you live there or are heading to the southland, go to 727 S. Spring Street, Los Angeles, CA 90014 323.271.5635…

Glacier Point 1956

**Permits required for Half Dome in 2012 via lottery in March.**

**Read <HERE>.**

 The photo was posted by “Vince” on a blog site. It shows the area on Glacier Point where the wood was lit and allowed to turn into glowing embers before being shoved over the edge during the “Firefall” at Curry Village. The ritual ran from 1872 to 1968. Every summer night at 9 pm this event would take place. I’ve met people who saw it and said it was pretty neat.

If you go today this area is different. The fence railing was moved farther to the left and the wood pile is now a circular area with greenery.

A comment on the Superbowl this Sunday. So is it really the Commercial Bowl with some football thrown in between? With the 49ers out of it, the game will play second fiddle to the commercials. Jerry Seinfeld and Jay Leno are to appear in one. Have you noticed that spots out now do not say “SuperBowl?” They say: “buy a ginormous TV to watch the Big Game” or “stock up on Sudso Beer for the Game of the Year.” Turns out the NFL …

For Solitude in Yosemite, Go Now!

Today we feature a guest blog from Maureen L. of Oakland. Note: Weather is finally changing with precip coming. Hike safe.

Last Thursday morning, I hiked to Sentinel Dome and saw one other party. There was some packed-down snow and ice at the start of the Sentinel Dome trail, but the trail was mostly clear, and walking up to the top of Sentinel Dome was the same as in the summer.  By early afternoon, there were people at Glacier Point, but nothing compared to the summer!

I had a wonderful hike in the Mariposa Grove on Tuesday.  I ate lunch by myself on the porch of the Mariposa Grove Museum. No tram tour noise. Not many human voices.  Instead, chickaree scolding, birds calling, pileated woodpecker drumming. Near the parking lot at the end of my hike, I heard several owl hoots close by, though didn’t see it.  Many, many more cars/people by mid-afternoon, but parking lot nowhere near full.

The park is set for the winter, but all roads are open. The sky is incredibly blue, in contrast to the haze in the Central Valley and the murk we have in the Bay Area.

Cold in the morning; frost on …

Yo-sem-i-ty

Lafayette Bunnell was the medical man in the Mariposa Batallion that “discovered” Yosemtie Valley. He led the naming of many places in the valley. In his book he states:

“As I did not take a fancy to any of the names proposed, I remarked that “an American name would be the most appropriate;” that “I could not see any necessity for going to a foreign country for a name for American scenery—the grandest that had ever yet been looked upon. That it would be better to give it an Indian name than to import a strange and inexpressive one; that the name of the tribe who had occupied it, would be more appropriate than any I had heard suggested.” I then proposed “that we give the valley the name of Yo-sem-i-ty, as it was suggestive, euphonious, and certainly American; that by so doing, the name of the tribe of Indians which we met leaving their homes in this valley, perhaps never to return, would be perpetuated.”

Unrelated thought worth quoting: “The name game” – Shirley Ellis 

*MrHalfDome™ – Rick Deutsch – www.HikeHalfDome.com

One Best Hike: Yosemite’s Half Dome…

Brits on a mission

The United Kingdom’s mountain Search and Rescue force is an all-volunteer group. There is virtually no government funding and dedicated men and women give of their time and money to help others.

In 2009, I learned of a fund-raising project called “360 to Yosemite.”  This was to be a fund-raising effort organized by 3 men from Wales, UK. I contacted Dave Fildes to offer my support since I only live 5 hours from this great American  National Park. I felt qualified to help get them to the top. The name of their effort came because all three were turning 60 that year!

Their goal was to hike to the summit of the Park’s signature landmark, Half Dome and promote the effort to sponsors and individuals to obtain money for their home Search and Rescue teams.  Dave joined with Harold Burrows and Roland Layland and agreed to my leading them.

We agreed to meet at the Fresno, California airport and I had arranged an interview on a live local TV station the next day. As things turned out, their plane connections were completely disrupted by a monster thunderstorm at Atlanta. They arrived a day late and we toured the giant …