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Savage’s Trading Post

In follow-up to yesterday’s tale of the Mariposa Battalion, I wanted to let you know that the site of Savage’s Trading Post is easy to visit. It lies on Highway 140, 26-miles from Mariposa. The South Fork merges in from the east and the site is now a motel. Nothing of the original exists, but it is fun to imagine the early days. Prior to the opening of the Yosemite Railroad in 1905 and the state highway in 1926, it was virtually impossible to travel north along the Merced towards today’s Yosemite since the mountain sloped steeply into the river. Travel in the 1850’s was therefore via trails towards Wawona then north.

Adjacent to Savage’s is a trail to Hite’s Cove. In the 1860’s John Hite’s Indian wife led him to a spot where he mined out about $3 million in gold. Today the trail is managed by the U.S. Forest Service and you can take the easy hike from Highway 140 to see the Cove.

Wednesday I’m going up to Yosemite to join the OCCUPY AHWAHNEE group. I plan to sit in the Comfy Chair until I get whatever it is I want. I’m just saying.

Unrelated …

The First Whites into Yosemite Valley

During the Gold Rush, tensions escalated between the whites and the local Indians. In retaliation for grievances against them, the Indians began stealing horses and then they did a series of attacks on trading posts. The raid of James Savage’s trading post at the confluence of the Merced and the South Fork of the Merced spurred the locals to petition John McDougal, the governor of the new state, for help. In a letter dated January 13, 1851 from Maj. James Burney, Sheriff of Mariposa County to the Governor, they described the Indian situation as:
“They have invariably murdered and robbed all the small parties they fell in with between here and the San Joaquin. News came here last night that seventy-two men were killed on Rattlesnake Creek; several men have been killed in Bear Valley. The Fine Gold Gulch has been deserted, and the men came in here yesterday. Nearly all the mules and horses in this part of the State have been stolen, both from the mines and the ranches. And I now in the name of the people of this part of the State, and for the good of our country, appeal to Your Excellency for assistance.”…

Legends – Dynamite on Half Dome

In 1904, the degraded rope system on Half Dome’s backside had pretty well stopped any ascents but Mack Kelsey, Milton Main and Lester Whittier arrived with a 4th of July plan. They carried about 125 pounds in all, including food, blankets, 190 feet of rope, Roman candles, sky rockets and twenty-one sticks of dynamite. They arrived at the rock carrying their load and scrambled up the slope as best they could. They went barefoot and found that they made better progress going up backwards. Kelsey was quoted later:

“We slipped back at every trial. A slope defied our methods and we had to resort to an acrobatic performance. Main got a firm foothold and lay face to the rock; Jordan worked his way up and stood on Main’s shoulders. Getting on Jordan, after half an hour, I lassoed an iron peg at least twenty-five feet above, and, pulling the noose tight, this last obstacle vanished into a proposition of sliding up hand over hand. When up to the peg we gasped in amazement to find that it was only loosely set in the hole. Down below bits of rock which we had loosened bounded and rebounded for minutes, it …

Yosemite Legends

NEWS UPDATE:  The body found near the base of Vernal Fall has been  identified as Ninos Yacoub, 27, of Turlock – one of the 3 who went over July 19. Saturday they also found another body – it will be examined but is probably Ramina Badal, 21 who also went over.

There are many interesting stories and anecdotes about Yosemite. Here’s one provided by our San Rafael (Marin County – hot tub land) office. It’s called simply Elmer. It relates to the accommodations named Housekeeping. Which is a funny name by itself – perhaps a future blog will reveal why it’s called that. This cluster of 3-sided cinder block “U”s offers basic (I mean real basic) overnight relief. You get some bunk beds to put your sleeping bags on and a shower curtain to close off the sleeping area. Communal toilets. Outside is a small enclosed sitting area and access to the Merced is right outside the door. Wonder if the Merced River Plan will put the kibosh on these?

Anyway, Pat T. and his family of hikers stay there annually and love it. (I’m a tent cabin guy.) Here’s his abbreviated story of ELMER.  Comment if …

I’d like to remind you guys that the Oakland Museum is hosting the John  Muir Exhibition through January 22. Suggest you carve out some time over your Christmas break and make it up there. BART is easy or I just drive. They have a safe underground parking garage.

I read a nice blog on it by Scott Williams of the “Martinez Patch.” I guess this is everything you ever wanted to know about the city of Martinez.  So, with credit to Scott – enjoy – and see the exhibit!!
We completed our loop of the lake at the Oakland Museum of California, a place worth visiting for its permanent collection, but we were here to see the John Muir Exhibit. It closes on Jan 22, 2011, and is worth the drive or Bart out to see. Beginning with gorgeous wraparound photos of the places Muir is most associated with, you can smell the forest scents, listen to its sounds, touch the roughness of its rock and look into it in a way not possible with a flat photo. These huge curved landscapes seem to expand in front of you, extending through your full field of vision. Lisa commented that this …

Ansel Adams piece on auction

Need a nice piece of art to cover that hole over your mantle? Boy  are you in luck! How about an “original” Ansel Adams?  On Nov. 27, the  Cleveland based Gray’s Auctioneers will hold their 53rd auction of Fine Art, Decorations and Jewelry. This multifarious auction boasts fine art pieces from artists such as Renoir, Albert Bierdstadt and Ansel Adams. Lot 54 by Adams  is titled Monolith, The Face of Half Dome, Yosemite National Park, Calif.,  circa 1926. This lush gelatin silver print is typical of Adams, whose uncanny  eye for composition and ability to place the viewer directly into the imagery  remains unmatched. Pip pip. The photograph is signed ‘Ansel Adams’ on the mount  at the lower right and is estimated at $15,000-20,000. I bet you could get it  home for $14.995! Live online bidding for this auction is offered by LiveAuctioneers.com.  Go ahead, it;s almost Christmas!

Ranger Vickie Mates is leaving Yosemite for parks unknown to me. She served  as the Deputy Chief of Interpretation and Education and has been at the park since 2004. . She is the woman narrator for many Videos including the one shown for Half Dome safety. You can find …

Chevrolet and Half Dome

Here is the photo that in yesterday’s discussion. We’ve had a few theories as to where this shot was taken. To me it seems like a Sentinel Dome perspective. I think that Washburn Pt would make the face disappear.  What think ye?  Also, did GM fake the pix for the ads? The photos they held up do NOT look like 80 year old gems from granny’s scrapbook. Olde tyme photos have jagged edges along the borders. Click <HERE> for the complete commercial.

If you plan to attend the SF MRP Workshop on Nov 9, let us know how it goes. It’s at the Palm Room, San Francisco Film Centre. Go here for directions. it looks like it is a real working session. The workbook they created had to cost a bundle. The on-line version is huge and I need to scroll back and forth to read it.  First class and ready for the White House. They will expect you to fill in words with your position on a few topics. Then they will capture them all and collect for analysis. Wonder if the analysis is similar to a shredder or if a human will actually read and act …

Half Dome EA – Not yet

November 6 and still no Half Dome cables alternatives released. This is really odd. I know god’s uncle Fester needs to review the plan, but they were supposed to have it all reviewed and signed off in November ready to implement as the policy. So now they still have to honor a 30 day citizen comment period, then incorporate any inputs (hmmm, makes one wonder if they will) and then get the NPS and DOI to sign off.
Plus we have the big holidays in the middle – Christmas and Festivus. All this  with us lowly serfs wondering about our park. Accommodations are becoming  riskly for the summer even this far out. I hope you  have already booked a few – then worry later about getting permits.

Our poor international visitors are really going to get shafted. Not only with rooms, but air fare. Many carriers give rates now that are way less than the spring.  And still we wait.

While watching the 49ers vs Redskins today, Chevy ran a series of 100 year commercials. One came up with a car in the foreground and Half Dome in the background. It must have been fake because the view showed the …

Sierra Mono Museum

How was your 11/1/11 at 1:11 PM ??

Sierra Mono Museum

Did you know that there is a nearby museum dedicated to preserving the culture and traditions of the Mono Indians? Almost 2,000 Mono people lived in the Sierra when the first whites came to area about 1850. The Mono came from “over the mountains” from Bishop, Lone Pine, Owens Valley, Mono Lake, Yosemite Valley, and the Kings River in Tulare County. The museum features artifacts, weapons, traditional games, ceremonial items, tools, and beaded crafts. Also on display is the Tettleton Wildlife diorama collection – over 200 freestanding taxidermy animals. The museum is about a half hour from Oakhurst at 33103 Road 228 
North Fork, CA 93643. That’s at Rt 228 and 225. It’s free and gthey are ooen mosgt standard days.

FREE admission to Yosemite on Nov 11. Not because is spells out 11/11/11 (try that at 1:11 in the afternoon. No, it’s to honor Veterans Day. I served 6-years in your Air Force. Thank a vet when you see one. It can be tough duty. Our TBird club drives the vets in the San Jose Parade. Did you know we are losing 1,000 World War II …

George Anderson Day Oct 12

George Anderson was the first person to ascend Half Dome on October 12, 1875. This singular feat opened up a whole new era of mountain exploration. Today, over 60,000 people per year enjoy the experience of hiking to the top of Half Dome. Working alone, Anderson forged approximately 40 steel spikes that he perilously placed into holes he hand drilled as he ascended the 400+ vertical feet to the summit. (Over 600 feet at a 45+ degree angle.) He installed a pilot rope into eyelets on the spikes and set up a substantial rope with knots as the first method for others to reach the top. John Muir is believed to have been the 9th person to the top. His system lasted several years until weather took its toll. 

When the Sierra club installed the cables in 1919, a plaque was placed at the base of Sub Dome honoring him. It read: 

ERECTED 1919 UNDER THE AUSPICES OF THE SIERRA CLUB TO REMEMBER CAPTAIN GEORGE ANDERSON WHO FIRST ASCENDED THIS DOME IN 1875. 

The plaque has long been gone. Anderson’s ascent was especially noteworthy for two reasons:  First, no one climbed Half Dome unaided by Anderson’s method of fixed …