Re: Old Topo Maps

Found these searching around.
For those who really enjoy maps check them out.
There are a number of trails which no longer exist.
(one is across falls creek near Hetch Hetchy Dome)
(another is UP table mountain)

copy the link and then scroll down to yosemite.
You may have to install some plugin to see the maps.

If anyone has found any other maps please let me know.
I'd like to see more near Merced Lake and Rock Island Lake.
Enjoy

http://www.lib.berkeley.edu/EART/CA/CA_125k/30_minute4.html

---

Everything I know I learned from

Putting this link here.
It's just too good.

http://gisserver.princeton.edu:81/navigatorMapViewer.htm?map=912

A number of old Yosemite maps are available.

Trying to figure out how to save them w/o doing a screen capture...

Hey bill-e-g,
The Princeton map tool looks cool but the link you give only took me to a single map and I can't find how to search for other maps on this site. I've got a particular interest in the old roads and this one, published in 1948, still shows most of the old BOF and Coulterville Roads but it's already omitted most of the remnants of the Old Wawona Road. I've found several sections of the OWR on my own but there are still a few spots I'm not sure about so a map that showed both the new and old alignments (and I know there are extended sections where the new road is just built on top of the old) would be really cool to find.
Thanks,
David

P.S. I just came across this forum and have been enjoying your posts. Thank you!

Looks like it is broken... but... you are in luck, just change the number at the end (912) to:

911 = 1938 Yose Valley
912 = 1948 Whole Park
913 = 1918 Valley
914 = 1920 Whole
915 = 1932 Valley
916 = 1929 Whole

And I have this one I just uploaded for you:
http://picasaweb.google.com/yosemite.chick.on/MorePoo#5559490429803202802

Feel free to save it or whatnot. That one is 1909.

I emailed the Princeton guy a while back and asked if I could get the .jpg or equiv. to
those maps above and he said they charge some ridonkulous price... so I just
do screen caps.

I love the old maps and like to hike the old trails, even if they really aren't there.


I have some other old maps I got here and there ... I'll look next week and maybe put
something more organized together.
Any tracks or whatnot you have... please share... would like to see.

Thanks

Thanks, Bill. The GPS I've been using has never been very good at holding on to a signal and I've never gotten it to stay locked on long enough to give me a whole track. I just picked up a brand new Garmin, however, so hopefully I'll come home with some good tracks after my next visit (as I mentioned elsewhere, I live in NJ right now so don't get out to Yosemite anywhere NEAR as often as I like. I'm hoping to re-locate to the Petaluma area within the next couple of years, however, which will let me get a lot more time on these trails but for now, I have to settle for the meager one or two weeks a year I get out there).

I do have some scanned images of some old USGS maps (scans of the historical maps are (or at least were the last time I contacted them) free at www.usgs.gov). You have to poke around a bit on the site to find them but this will take you to the main "historical maps" part of their online store: http://store.usgs.gov/b2c_usgs/b2c/display/(isQuery=yes&xcm=r3standardpitrex_prd&citemprod=000000000000113632&citemarea=0000000040&layout=6_1_61_50_2&uiarea=2&ctype=areaDetails&carea=0000001751&citem=00000000400000000007)/.do

I have to run now but I'll post some of these later tonight or over the weekend.

--David

That link didn't work for me.

I'll throw up a huge number of maps next week if there is a desire for them.
I have 1896, 1897, 1901, 1903, 1909, 1911, 1929, 1933 of various locales in the park.
Also screen captured a bunch of the princeton ones.
(The 1938 Yose Valley one I find exceptionally attractive)

Can't remember where I got this one but here's one from 1890 of the "Proposed Yosemite National Park"

http://picasaweb.google.com/david.kowalski42/OldYosemiteMaps#5559662371617452546

I've also got some pretty hi-rez maps from 1903, 1909 & 1961 but they're too hi-rez to post on Picasa (I assume that the 1903 & 1909 maps are the same ones that bill-e-g has). I'm experimenting with down-sampling them to retain as much detail as I can while still fitting within Picasa's max limits on resolution and file size. I've also got an interesting 1893 map that I picked up at the Coulterville Museum but I have to get that converted from PDF to JPG format so I can post it on Picasa. I've also got some specialized other maps of small areas I've picked up along the way but I have to double-check the copyright on these...might not be legit for me to repost them. I hope to get to this stuff some time within the next week.

For those of you who don't know this site, there's a wealth of historical information (including old photos and maps) at The Yosemite Online Library. WARNING: If you're a history junkie, this site can chew up the hours VERY quickly

---David K

Here's all I have:

http://picasaweb.google.com/yosemite.chick.on/YoseMaps

Turns out already had the one that you have on Picasa, David (and it's in the YoseMaps set).
As far as I know all the maps in the set are Public Domain and/or have copyright on them
and are ok to have as such. If there is any issue I will gladly delete any.. (I've yet to
make a dime on any Yosemite Pictures or whatnot) (feel free to send me cash though
by all means)

Please, anyone, send me any maps you have in digital form. Send them to the bird at:
yosemite.chick.on@gmail.com

If anyone knows any other great links ... please respond.

Thx

Wow! Got maps, bill-e-g? I thought you'd be putting up 10 or 12...not in the hundreds! Very impressive collection and some really cool ones in here. I was especially interested in the excerpts from the 1938 "whole-park" map...I kept wanting to pan them and follow features off the edge...do you know if this one (or any other topo from the late 30's) is available online in a pannable/zoomable form?
--David

Quote
DavidK42
Wow! Got maps, bill-e-g? I thought you'd be putting up 10 or 12...not in the hundreds! Very impressive collection and some really cool ones in here. I was especially interested in the excerpts from the 1938 "whole-park" map...I kept wanting to pan them and follow features off the edge...do you know if this one (or any other topo from the late 30's) is available online in a pannable/zoomable form?
--David

We love's maps. And Yosemite... and hike-on old / no longer existant trails.. and making own trails...

Please send me the map you have.
And point out what the 1938 "whole-park" map you are talking about.

Also have a 1941 map... but it's not topo... it's a guide map. will scan that eventually...

---

For the completely clueless, is there an "easy" way to download these 163 maps?

---

The cure for a fallacious argument is a better argument, not the suppression of ideas.
-- Carl Sagan

If you like old maps of Yosemite, check out the "Maps" episode of Yosemite Nature Notes:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h_U4Vwawkc0&hd=1




Of course, I recommend you watch in 720p HD and full screen. This episode even features an interview with filmmaker Ken Burns.

Quote
YosemiteSteve
If you like old maps of Yosemite, check out the "Maps" episode of Yosemite Nature Notes:

Yup. Seen that:
http://yosemitenews.info/forum/read.php?3,24658,24658#msg-24658

No such luck finding any signage on Illilouette Ridge or Boundary Hill...

---

Ah, yes. BTW, that metal sign saying "Old Yosemite Grant" is from a 1942 blister rust camp.

Pete Devine and I were actually looking for a rock cairn that Pete had been to years before, but we couldn't find it. Might have been under snow.

Quote
YosemiteSteve
Ah, yes. BTW, that metal sign saying "Old Yosemite Grant" is from a 1942 blister rust camp.

Pete Devine and I were actually looking for a rock cairn that Pete had been to years before, but we couldn't find it. Might have been under snow.

Light bulb finally went off.... I presume you are "Steven" from the film...

There was a yellow sign b/t Bluejay and Cascade with "BRC 10-40" on it too.
At the "site" itself I was able to find two yellow signs and one bench marker.
The bench marker was dated 1914. The two yellows had BRC 1942 as you mention.

I've seen signs like these in a number of places in the park... but no other Grant markers have
I found elsewhere... including Boundary Hill and Ill. Ridge. Any comment?

Regards,

---

Quote
YosemiteSteve
If you like old maps of Yosemite, check out the "Maps" episode of Yosemite Nature Notes:

Wow...betcha can't watch just one! Just watched about half of the YNN posts on YouTube and they're all wonderful! As someone who can't get out to the Park with anywhere near the frequency I'd like, this is a wonderful way to stay in touch!

--David



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/12/2011 01:40PM by DavidK42.

Hi chick-on,
The 1938 map I mentioned was referring to the large number of 1938-map snippets (based on the names of the photos) from around the Park that are on your Picasa page.
--David

I might be able to get some of the Hi rez ones that need to stay that way posted on my friends site and give you guys the link so we can distribute them. On one of my last trips I found myself with one of the old maps exploring the indian caves, locating the iron springs (which I had walked by plenty of times and never knew it), the spider caves, and some other tidbits.

Speaking of cool things, is there anything else out there that is like the El Cap Alcove Swing? I did that a few times this summer and it was awesome! I know there is one higher up called the porch swing but I am looking for stuff that you don't need to rope up and climb. (El Cap is out of my league)

Quote
Wickett
I might be able to get some of the Hi rez ones that need to stay that way posted on my friends site and give you guys the link so we can distribute them. On one of my last trips I found myself with one of the old maps exploring the indian caves, locating the iron springs (which I had walked by plenty of times and never knew it), the spider caves, and some other tidbits.

Speaking of cool things, is there anything else out there that is like the El Cap Alcove Swing? I did that a few times this summer and it was awesome! I know there is one higher up called the porch swing but I am looking for stuff that you don't need to rope up and climb. (El Cap is out of my league)

Link Pretty Please!

Awesome on the El Cap Alcove Swing! Thanks!

Quote
DavidK42
I have to settle for the meager one or two weeks a year I get out there.
--David

I share your pain.

Jim
North Carolina

Just on first glance I'm finding these old maps very interesting, thanks. Interesting enough to bookmark the various 'whole park' maps by year. That 1909 map's a keeper too, it's not of the whole park but it has a lot more than the valley.

Worthwhile to link to this:
http://yosemitenews.info/forum/read.php?3,31039,31098#msg-31098

Snag them while you can. (the entire USGS map set of Yosemite)...
nps may change the site on you at any time...

---

Great find, chick-on! Grabbing them now!