The Geologic Story of Yosemite Valley

The Geologic Story of Yosemite Valley
By N. King Huber
In the footsteps of François E. Matthes (1922, revised 1929 and 1938)
U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 1595, 64p.

For its towering cliffs, spectacular waterfalls, granite domes and spires, glacially-sculpted and polished rock, and beautiful alpine scenery, Yosemite National Park is world famous. Nowhere else are all these exceptional features so well displayed and so easily accessible. Artists, writers, tourists, and geologists flock to Yosemite - and marvel at its natural wonders. Yosemite Valley itself is deeply carved into the gently sloping western flank of the Sierra Nevada, the longest, the highest, and the grandest single mountain range in the United States outside of Alaska. And although other valleys with similarities exist, there is but one Yosemite Valley, the “Incomparable Valley” of John Muir, California's most famous naturalist.

https://geomaps.wr.usgs.gov/parks/yos/topobk.html

This is the first chapter in Huber's final collection of essays "Geological Ramblings in Yosemite" which was published just a few months after his death. (for bargain hunters, I'll mention that the book was $16.95 when I bought it a decade ago, but I see that the Yosemite Conservancy has now slashed the price to $7.99!). It's a fascinating book that gives you a real sense of the geology of the place we all love so dearly without getting into the sort of technical detail that only a trained geologist could love (or follow!). It's loaded with great drawings, maps and old photos and is much recommended to any of you who have a personal library of Yosemite books!



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/30/2018 07:45PM by DavidK42.