Re: Looking for info about annual Native American Trek along Mono Trail

I'm looking for information on the annual trek done by local Native Americans that follows the Mono Trail from the Mono Lake area up and across the sierra. I have read some on the historical basis for this, although it isn't clear what tribe(s) was involved (Miwok, Paiute, Mono) -- perhaps all were. Nevertheless when we were in Yosemite a ranger I believe was talking about this "trek" (and I think anyone who wants can join it). My nephew was recounting this to one of his teachers in TN who was interested in learning more about it. He (the nephew) couldn't really find anything, so I looked around (googled) and could not come up with anything either to speak of. Perhaps I am using the wrong search terms.

Does anyone know of any source of information on the current annual trek? If you could point me in the right direction that would be a great help.

Thanks so much!

Frank

You might try sending a PM to Yosemite_Indian. He hasn't posted for about a year but may respond.

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Old Dude

Previous discussion (w/ map) of the Mono Trail:
http://yosemitenews.info/forum/read.php?3,58253,58275

There is a Mono Pass trail in Yosemite that reaches Mono Pass and Summit Lake, and another Mono Pass trail (btw Mammoth Lakes and Bishop) that reaches another Mono Pass and another Summit Lake.

I'd go to the Yosemite Museum when the library is open and ask there...
Or call them on a weekday.
My best guess is that this trek simply involves hiking up Bloody Canyon and
then into Tuolumne Meadows via Mono Pass / Mono Pass TH and then
along Old Tioga Road to TM. I'd be surprised if they went any further.
Wouldn't be surprised if they ended it at Mono Pass TH.

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I thought they might trek all the way to the Tamarack Flat Campground along the original Mono Trail during the annual pow wow they have at the campground each year in June.

.

No way.

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We were hiking on the JMT a few years ago and were just past the Tuolumne HSC, heading "south" toward the bridges over the Lyle Fork. We were near smiley face rock and met a group of native Americans going the other way. They said they were on their annual trek from Mono Lake, coming up bloody canyon. I don't know if they stopped at TM or not.

If they were going the other way... I'd presume they spent the night at TM campground.
That is the most feasible route for a large group. Up Bloody Canyon to TM. Spend the
night... back out the next day. Maybe even spend a night in Bloody to make it easier.
That's my guess. Of course I'm just speculating... but I'm a good speculator.

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I tried PMing Yosemite_Indian as suggested by mrcondron, but I have not received a response. I recall reading something about this last year and the year before, but now I just can't find any info. I sorta had it in my mind that they travelled further than TM, but then I realized that the old Mono Trail north of the Valley is, I believe, not even easily found. Perhaps I'm confused on that point, but I seem to recall multiple posts about some folks here trying to locate the original trail at various times.

Realizing that Native Americans have travelled around Yosemite for a very long time adds an additional dimension to the myriad of reasons to love and have a connection to the place. I have tried a bit to read some historical accounts of Indian movement through the area along the Mono Trail, but it seems that even that is not particularly clear. Different accounts suggest that the Paiute, the Miwok and the "Mono Indians" all used the trails. I'm not sure if Mono Indians is a separate thing or if it is a different type of reference to the Mono Paiutes. And then I stumbled into the apparent disagreement and tension regarding what tribe inhabited the Valley and did various things. Some contend that the Miwok are being credited for historical activity that should be attributed to Paiutes. If so, that is unfortunate.

In any case, It seems that the Mono Trail came up from Mono Lake area through Blood Canyon and then split at Tenaya Lake, with one arm continuing west through the land north of Yosemite Valley where there were various paths used to descend into the Valley, and another arm of the trail headed south, past Nevada Falls, through the Illiluoette area, and perhaps on to the Wawona area. Maybe all of these branches were traveled by various tribes to meet other tribes for trade and to simply move to more a more favorable climate as the seasons changed. I haven't read enough about it to have the various Native Americans, the places the inhabited and the paths they travelled clear to me yet.

A ranger in the park first mentioned this to us a year or two ago. My nephew was mentioning it to a teacher of his, who then became interested in the intersection of the past and the present, where one goal is to keep the culture// traditions alive within the current generations of Native Americans.

Just as an aside. There is at least one major mortar stone site (twenty something holes spread among several rocks) off of Tioga Road somewhat east of Gin Flat. It would seem that long term dwelling took place in the Gin Flat area. Tamarack Flat Campground is nearby.

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Old Dude

Have you seen this account of the trek ?
http://awalkinyosemite.blogspot.com/2008/03/traditional-walk-with-yosemite-miwok.html

Or this
"From 1990 to 2003, founded and lead the Traditional Walk originating at Mono Lake traveling to Yosemite. Lead hundreds of Native Americans and others over the Eastern Sierra Nevada to connect with their ancestral ties, to create personal spiritual awakening, to teach and preserve cultural history and a balance and harmony with earth. This was an ongoing tradition practiced hundreds of years, which had lapsed the 1930’s."
http://www.globalpeacefoundation.org/GoldenEagleBio.html



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/23/2013 05:41PM by The Other Tom.

I have seen the former link but not the latter. Thanks.

I have this lingering thought that this "trek" that is now done annually in a commemorative fashion must be publicized somehow, and I seem to recall reading something about it in the last year or three. Maybe I saw something about it while in Yosemite, and perhaps it is not widely advertised or advertised through sources indexed online. I'll run across it someday somewhere!

Thanks

Frank