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Re: Yosemite Trails

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avatar Yosemite Trails
April 02, 2009 11:13PM
It's been a running joke how many yosemite trail guidebooks I have trashed over time(in frustration) The one I keep going back to is the oldest, dog-eared volume of the lot: YOSEMITE TRAILS, by Lew & Ginny Clark. I flipped thru this volume once again and was surprised to find little nuggets of poetry tucked between the trail descriptions. Here is my favorite:

The twinkling stars of Sierra nights
Look down on the mountains wrapped in snow
A chorus of winds along the lofty heights
Mingles with the roar of streams below

Home of the rosy finch, polemonium, and cony
And alpine willow and cassiope dwell;
In meadows, chimneys, and landslides stony
The wildfolk of nature live in its spell.

Land of antiquity! Going back in time
For its glacial crags and cirques;
Engaging the elements of every clime
To carry on its tremendous works.

With summer's rain and winter's snow
The quarrying glaciers grind their flour;
And the rivulets and streams in canyons below
Carry the unending toil of creations's hour.

Lewis W. Clark
1904-1979
avatar Re: Yosemite Trails
April 03, 2009 03:40AM
Bee,

I wish I were a mountain breeze
That wanders on o'er hill and dale
Sighing softly through stalwart trees
And caressing flowers in mountain vale

LWC


I love his hand drawn maps...
and excellent sections on flora and fauna

smiling smiley
avatar Re: Yosemite Trails
April 03, 2009 08:16AM
Bill-e-g: I wish I were a mountain breeze

That was the first one I saw! i read it a bunch of times and was hooked: this man was serranading his "mistress". I LOVE this book

His hand drawn maps were my introduction to the concept of TOPOS. My dad gave me this volume, and its a sentimental favorite, because YO-sem-MITE was the first US park papa had ever seen.

(I half cringed when I opened this thread 'cause I expected to get massacred by the cynics winking smiley

B
avatar Re: Yosemite Trails
April 03, 2009 10:18AM
Bee,
I love the book too. He's really hiked the trails and you feel it in his words.
I really love in one section where he talks about the North Country
(Jack Main Canyon) and says something like
"you want to try to limit the number of canned goods you bring with you".
It was just a different time... although I'm taking a can of Hormel Chili
with me this weekend into the backcountry. smiling smiley
Alot of the guidebooks out there aren't much. Once you really know how
to read a topo map all you need is a good map with some mileages on it.
Then just go baby! You can only get so much out of a book.
The fun is going to see it and "discover" it for yourself.
I love to go to the same place in different seasons too!
That being said... I have plenty of trail books too smiling smiley I'm addicted...
Happy Trails
smiling smiley
avatar Re: Yosemite Trails
April 03, 2009 10:41AM
bill-e-g: I really love in one section where he talks about the North Country
(Jack Main Canyon

when you spoke of Jack Main Canyon a bit back, I looked it up in this book; its a great narrative.


Bill-e-g: >although I'm taking a can of Hormel Chili
with me this weekend into the backcountry. smiling smiley<

HA! I always include one can of baked beans when I pack. The group camping near me was laughing over the fact that I carried a CAN(gasp!)....until they smelled that yummy mix of molasis et al, while they choked down their dehydrated MRE's.

have a great trip this weekend....mine is planned for the first DAY that Tioga is open.

B
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