Yosemite Valley with Half Dome in the distance.

Yosemite Valley (pronounced "Yo-SEM-it-ee", IPA [joʊˈsɛməti]) is a world-famous scenic location in the Sierra Nevada of California. It is the centerpiece of Yosemite National Park. Download high resolution version (1024x768, 145 KB)Half Dome in Yosemite Meadows, Yosemite National Park. ... Download high resolution version (1024x768, 145 KB)Half Dome in Yosemite Meadows, Yosemite National Park. ... Half Dome is a granite dome at the eastern end of Yosemite Valley, possibly the Valleys most familiar sight. ... Yosemite Valley is an unincorporated community and census-designated place located in Mariposa County, California. ... The symbols of the International Phonetic Alphabet can be used to show pronounciation in English. ... This article is about the mountain range in the Western United States. ... Official language(s) English Capital Sacramento Largest city Los Angeles Area  Ranked 3rd  - Total 158,302 sq mi (410,000 km²)  - Width 250 miles (400 km)  - Length 770 miles (1,240 km)  - % water 4. ... Yosemite National Park (pronounced Yo-SEM-it-ee, IPA: ) is a national park located largely in Mariposa and Tuolumne Counties, California, United States. ...

More than 100 million visitors have come seeking what John Muir wrote about: John Muir appears on the California quarter John Muir (April 21, 1838 – December 24, 1914) was one of the first modern preservationists. ...

Description

Yosemite Valley map

Yosemite Valley is located in the central part of the Sierra Nevada, on the western slope. It stretches for only 7 miles (11 km) in a roughly east-west direction, and is about 1 mile (1.5 km) wide. More than a half dozen creeks tumble from hanging valleys at the top of granite cliffs that can rise 3000-4000 feet (900-1200 m) above the valley floor, which is at 4000 ft (1200 m) above sea level. These streams combine into the Merced River, which flows out from the western edge of the valley, down the rest of its canyon to the San Joaquin Valley. The flat floor of Yosemite Valley holds both forest and large open meadows, which provide breathtaking views of the surrounding crests and waterfalls. Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (3000x2000, 863 KB) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Yosemite National Park Yosemite Valley Curry Village ... Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (3000x2000, 863 KB) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Yosemite National Park Yosemite Valley Curry Village ... Close-up of granite from Yosemite National Park, valley of the Merced River Quarrying granite for the Mormon Temple, Utah Territory. ... “Precipice” redirects here. ... The Merced River is in California. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ...

Tunnel View

Below is a short verbal tour of these features, looking first at the walls above moving west to east as a visitor does when entering the valley, then visiting the waterfalls and other water features, returning east to west with the flow of water. Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (2576x1932, 747 KB) This is the best picture of Yosemite Valley that I have ever seen. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (2576x1932, 747 KB) This is the best picture of Yosemite Valley that I have ever seen. ...

Granite walls

The first open view from the lower (western) end of the Valley is great granite monolith El Capitan on the left and Cathedral Rocks on the right with Bridalveil Fall. Just past this spot the valley suddenly widens with the Cathedral Spires then the pointed obelisk of Sentinel Rock to the south. Across the Valley on the northern side are the Three Brothers, rising one above the other like gables built on the same angle -- the highest crest is Eagle Peak, with the two below known as the Middle and Lower Brothers. El Capitan is a 3,000-foot (1000m) vertical rock formation in Yosemite National Park, located on the north side of Yosemite Valley, near its western end. ... This article is about Bridalveil Fall in Yosemite. ...

To this point, the Valley has been curving gently to the left, to the north. Now a grand curve back to the right begins, with Yosemite Falls on the north, followed by the Royal Arches, topped by North Dome. Opposite to the south is Glacier Point, 3,200 feet (975 m) above the Valley floor. At this point the Valley splits into two, one section slanting northeast, with the other curving from south to southeast. Between them both, at the eastern end of the valley, is Half Dome, the most famous and most recognizable natural feature in the Sierra Nevada. Above and to the northeast of Half Dome is Cloud's Rest; at 9926 feet (3025 m), the highest point around Yosemite Valley. Glacier Point, as seen from Yosemite Valley. ... Half Dome is a granite dome at the eastern end of Yosemite Valley, possibly the Valleys most familiar sight. ... A squirrel atop Clouds Rest. ...

Water

Snow melting in the Sierra forms creeks and lakes. In the surrounding region, these creeks flow to the edge of the Valley to form cataracts and waterfalls.

A fan of creeks and forks of the Merced River take drainage from the Sierra crest and combine at Merced Lake. The Merced then flows down to the end of its canyon (Little Yosemite Valley), where it begins what is often called the Giant Staircase. The first drop is Nevada Fall, which drops 594 feet (181 m), bouncing off the granite slope below it. Below is Vernal Fall, 317 feet (97 m) high, one of the most picturesque waterfalls in the Valley. The Merced then descends down rapids to meet Illilouette Creek, which drops from the valley rim to form Illilouette Fall. They combine at the base of the gorges that contain each stream, and then flow around the Happy Isles to meet Tenaya Creek at the eastern end of Yosemite Valley proper. Little Yosemite Valley is, as the name implies, a smaller valley near the Yosemite Valley. ... Nevada Fall (the National Park Service spells this as singular) is a 594 ft (181 m) high waterfall on Merced River in Yosemite National Park, California. ... Vernal Fall is a large waterfall on the Merced River just downstream of Nevada Fall in Yosemite National Park, USA. It is 317 feet (97 m) high. ... Illillouette Fall is a 370 foot (112 m) waterfall in Yosemite National Park. ...

Tenaya Creek flows southwest from Tenaya Lake and down Tenaya Canyon, finally flowing between Half Dome and North Dome before joining the Merced River. The following falls tumble from the Valley rim to join it at various points: Tenaya Lake is surrounded by granite domes and peaks. ...

• Yosemite Falls (2,425 ft) Upper Yosemite Fall (1,430 ft), the middle cascades (675 ft), and Lower Yosemite Fall (320 ft). (Yosemite Creek)
• Snow Creek Falls (2,140 ft)
• Sentinel Falls (1,920 ft)
• Ribbon Fall (1,612 ft)
• Royal Arch Cascade (1,250 ft)
• Lehamite Falls (1,180 ft)
• Staircase Falls (1,020 ft)
• Bridalveil Fall (620 ft). (Bridalveil Creek)
• Silver Strand Falls (574 ft)

Yosemite Falls is the highest measured waterfall in North America. ... Snow Creek Falls is a long series of cascades located in Yosemite National Park, in a small crevice in the rear portion of Yosemite Valley, at the head of Tenaya Canyon. ... Sentinel Falls is a long series of cascades descending into Yosemite Valley alongside Sentinel Rock, at , . It is a tiered waterfall consisting of 6 major drops totaling 1,920 feet, the longest single drop being 500 feet. ... Ribbon Fall[1], located in Yosemite National Park in California, flows off a cliff on the west side of El Capitan, and is the largest single-drop waterfall in North America. ... Royal Arch Cascade is a waterfall located on the north wall of Yosemite Valley and the Yosemite National Park, USA, within walking distance from the Ahwahnee Hotel. ... Lehamite Falls is located in Yosemite National Park, at , . It consists of a long series of steep cascades that fall 1,180 feet into Yosemite Valley, in a manner similar to Sentinel Fall. ... Staircase Falls is a series of waterfalls located on Gossamer Creek in Yosemite National Park, at , . The falls descend a total of 1,020 feet into Yosemite Valley over a series of steps. ... This article is about Bridalveil Fall in Yosemite. ... Silver Strand Falls drops 574 feet (175m) along Meadow Brook, at the western end of Yosemite Valley, within Yosemite National Park. ...

Natural Yosemite Valley

Early morning light in Yosemite Valley.

Download high resolution version (1024x768, 130 KB) Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Download high resolution version (1024x768, 130 KB) Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ...

Geology

See Geology of the Yosemite area for regional information The exposed geology of the Yosemite area includes primarily granitic rocks with some older metamorphic rock. ...

The features in Yosemite Valley are made of granitic rock that was emplaced as plutons miles deep during the late Cretaceous. Over time the Sierra Nevada was uplifted and this rock was exposed at the surface where it was modified by erosion. Close-up of granite from Yosemite National Park, valley of the Merced River Quarrying granite for the Mormon Temple, Utah Territory. ... Devils Tower, an igneous intrusion exposed when the surrounding softer rock eroded away. ... The Cretaceous Period is one of the major divisions of the geologic timescale, reaching from the end of the Jurassic Period (i. ... This article is about the mountain range in the Western United States. ... Severe soil erosion in a wheat field near Washington State University, USA. For erosion as an operation of Mathematical morphology, see Erosion (morphology) Erosion is displacement of solids (soil, mud, rock and other particles) by the agents of ocean currents, wind, water, or ice by downward or down-slope movement...

The oldest of these granitic rocks occur along the Merced River Gorge west of the valley and are thought to be 114 million years old. The El Capitan pluton intruded the valley forming most of the granitic rock that makes up much of the central part of the valley including Cathedral Rocks, Three Brothers and of course El Capitan. The youngest pluton of Yosemite Valley is the 87 million year old Half Dome granodiorite which makes up most of the rock seen at Glacier Point, the Royal Arches and its namesake Half Dome. El Capitan is a 3,000-foot (1000m) vertical rock formation in Yosemite National Park, located on the north side of Yosemite Valley, near its western end. ... Half Dome is a granite dome at the eastern end of Yosemite Valley, possibly the Valleys most familiar sight. ... Glacier Point, as seen from Yosemite Valley. ...

Cathedral Rocks at Sunset

For the last 30 million years, glaciers have periodically filled much of the valley. The most current glaciation, the Wisconsinian was not, however, the most severe. Ice ages previous to the Wisconsinian were colder and lasted longer. Their glaciers were huge and covered nearly all the landmarks around Yosemite Valley except Half Dome, Eagle Peak, Sentinel Dome, and the top of El Capitan. Wisconsinan glaciers, however, only reached Bridalveil Fall in the valley. The glaciers widened the valley, but much of its width is in fact due to previous stream erosion and mass wasting along vertical joints in the valley's walls. Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (2592x1944, 1729 KB) Cathedral Rocks at sunset in winter. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (2592x1944, 1729 KB) Cathedral Rocks at sunset in winter. ... A glacier is a large, persistent body of ice, formed largely of compacted layers of snow, that slowly deforms and flows in response to gravity. ... A glaciation (a created composite term meaning Glacial Period, referring to the Period or Era of, as well as the process of High Glacial Activity), often called an ice age, is a geological phenomenon in which massive ice sheets form in the Arctic and Antarctic and advance toward the equator. ... Variations in CO2, temperature and dust from the Vostok ice core over the last 400 000 years For the animated movie, see Ice Age (movie). ... Eagle Peak is a 6955 ft. ... Sentinel Dome is a granite dome in Yosemite National Park, United States. ... This article is about Bridalveil Fall in Yosemite. ... Mass wasting, also known as mass movement or slope movement, is the geomorphic process by which soil, regolith, and rock move downslope under the force of gravity. ...

After the retreat of many of these glaciers, a stand of Lake Yosemite developed. The valley floor owes its flatness to sediment deposited by these stands (the last glaciers in the valley were small and did not remove much old lake sediment). The last stand of Lake Yosemite was about 5.5 miles (8.9 km) long and was impounded by a terminal moraine near the base of El Capitan. It was later filled by sediment, becoming a swampy meadow. Moraine at Mono Lake, California, United States Moraines clearly seen on a side glacier of the Gorner Glacier, Zermatt, Switzerland. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ...

The parallel Tenaya Canyon and Little Yosemite Canyon glaciers were, at their largest, 2,000 feet (600 m) deep where they flowed into the Yosemite Valley near the base of Half Dome. They also formed Cloud's Rest behind Half Dome as an arête. Surprisingly, Tenaya Canyon is not one of the best hikes in Yosemite. ... A squirrel atop Clouds Rest. ... The Garden Wall, an arête in Glacier National Park (U.S.) An arête is a thin, almost knife-like, ridge of rock which is typically formed when two glaciers erode parallel U-shaped valleys. ...

Near Glacier Point there is 2,000 feet (600 m) of mostly glacial sediment with at least six separate sequences of Lake Yosemite sediments. Here, huge and highly erosive pre-Wisconsinan glaciers are thought to be responsible for excavating the bedrock valley floor, and much smaller Wisconsinan glaciers were responsible for depositing glacial debris. Glacier Point, as seen from Yosemite Valley. ...

Biology

The biological community on the floor of Yosemite Valley is a diverse one, with more than 400 species of grasses and wildflowers and thousands of species of insects having been identified there. At the most general level, the Valley can be classified as a dry Yellow pine forest with a number of large open meadows. Plant and animal species that make up a significant part of this natural community include: Yellow pine is an American foresters term for several closely related species of pine with yellow tinted wood, including Loblolly Pine, Slash Pine, Shortleaf Pine, Ponderosa Pine, Jeffrey Pine and several others. ...

Steller's Jay

• Trees - Ponderosa Pine, Jeffrey Pine, Lodgepole Pine, Sugar Pine, White Fir, Incense-cedar, California black oak, Interior live oak, Coast Douglas-fir, California laurel, Bigleaf Maple, Scouler's Willow, Pacific Dogwood, White alder, Western Balsam Poplar
• Shrubs - Whiteleaf manzanita, Mountain misery, Western azalea, American dogwood, Buckbrush, Deer brush, Sierra gooseberry
• Wildflowers - Indian pink, Soap plant, California Poppy, Miner's lettuce, Purple Chinese Houses, Purple milkweed, Star flower, Western buttercup, Pineapple weed
• Mammals - California Ground Squirrel, Western Gray Squirrel, chickaree, Mule Deer, American Black Bear
• Birds - Dark-eyed Junco, Mountain Chickadee, Black-headed Grosbeak, White-headed Woodpecker, Steller's Jay, American Dipper
• Reptiles - Gilbert's Skink, Northern Alligator Lizard
• Amphibians - Sierra Nevada Salamander

See also: Biology of the Sierra Nevada Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (960 × 720 pixel, file size: 286 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) Cyanocitta stelleri Viewpoint location: Mist Trail, Yosemite National Park Geographic coordinates: 37. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (960 × 720 pixel, file size: 286 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) Cyanocitta stelleri Viewpoint location: Mist Trail, Yosemite National Park Geographic coordinates: 37. ... Binomial name Cyanocitta stelleri (Gmelin, 1788) The Stellers Jay (Cyanocitta stelleri) is a jay of western North America, closely related to the Blue Jay found in the rest of the continent, but having a black head and upper body. ... Binomial name Pinus ponderosa Douglas ex C. Lawson Ponderosa Pine (Pinus ponderosa) is a widespread and very variable pine native to western North America. ... Binomial name Pinus jeffreyi Balf. ... Binomial name Pinus contorta Douglas Lodgepole Pine (Pinus contorta) is a common tree in western North America. ... Binomial name Pinus lambertiana Douglas The Sugar Pine (Pinus lambertiana; family Pinaceae) is a species of pine that occurs in the mountains of Oregon and California in the western United States, and Baja California in northwestern Mexico; specifically the Sierra Nevada, the Cascade Range, the Coast Ranges, and the Sierra... Binomial name Abies concolor (Gordon) Lindley ex Hildebrand White Fir (Abies concolor) is a fir native to the mountains of western North America, occurring at altitudes of 900-3,400 m. ... Species Calocedrus decurrens Conservation status: Secure Calocedrus formosana Conservation status: Vulnerable Calocedrus macrolepis Conservation status: Vulnerable The Incense-cedars, Calocedrus, are a genus of two to three species of coniferous trees in the cypress family Cupressaceae. ... Binomial name Quercus kelloggii Newb. ... Binomial name Quercus wislizenii The Interior live oak, Quercus wislizenii is an evergeen oak, highly variable and often shrubby, found in the large areas of California in the United States. ... Binomial name Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirb. ... Binomial name Umbellularia californica Umbellularia californica is an evergreen tree of the family Lauraceae. ... Binomial name Acer macrophyllum Pursh The Bigleaf Maple or Oregon Maple (Acer macrophyllum) is a large deciduous tree to 35 m tall. ... Species About 350, including: Salix acutifolia - Violet Willow Salix alaxensis - Alaska Willow Salix alba - White Willow Salix alpina - Alpine Willow Salix amygdaloides - Peachleaf Willow Salix arbuscula - Mountain Willow Salix arbusculoides - Littletree Willow Salix arctica - Arctic Willow Salix atrocinerea Salix aurita - Eared Willow Salix babylonica - Peking Willow Salix bakko Salix barrattiana... Binomial name Cornus nuttallii Audubon The Pacific Dogwood Cornus nuttallii (syn. ... Species About 20-30 species, see text. ... Species Populus angustifolia Torr. ... Species See text See Manzanita (album) for the Mia Doi Todd album. ... Species see text Source: The Rhododendron page, and some research. ... Subgenera Cornus Benthamidia Swida The Dogwoods comprise a group of 30-50 species of deciduous woody plants (shrubs and trees) in the family Cornaceae, divided into one to nine genera or subgenera (depending on botanical interpretation). ... Species See text Ceanothus L., is a genus of about 50-60 species of shrubs or small trees in the buckthorn family Rhamnaceae. ... Binomial name Ribes uva-crispa L. Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Ribes uva-crispa The Gooseberry Ribes uva-crispa (syn. ... Species See text. ... Species Chlorogalums angustifolium Chlorogalum grandiflorum Chlorogalum parviflorum Chlorogalum pomeridianum Chlorogalum purpureum The Soap Plants, Soaproots or Amoles are the genus Chlorogalum of flowering plants. ... Binomial name Eschscholzia californica Cham. ... Binomial name Claytonia perfoliata Willd. ... Binomial name Collinsia heterophylla Buist ex Graham Purple Chinese Houses, Collinsia heterophylla, is an unusual wildflower native to California and Baja California. ... Species See text. ... Starflower is: an alternative name of the flowering plant Borage (Borago officinalis) a name for the plant Trientalis borealis. ... Binomial name Matricaria discoidea DC. The pineapple weed is an annual plant native to North America and NE Asia but which has become a cosmopolitan weed. ... Binomial name Spermophilus beecheyi (Richardson, 1829) The California Ground Squirrel, Spermophilus beecheyi (referred to in some older sources as Otospermophilus beecheyi or Citellus beecheyi), is a common and easily observed ground squirrel of the western United States and the Baja California peninsula; it is common in Oregon and California and... Binomial name Sciurus griseus Ord, 1818 The Western Gray Squirrel (Sciurus griseus) is a tree squirrel found along the western coast of the United States and Canada. ... Binomial name Tamiasciurus douglasii (Bachman, 1839) The Douglas Squirrel, Tamiasciurus douglasii, is a pine squirrel found in the Pacific coastal states and provinces of North America. ... Binomial name Odocoileus hemionus (Rafinesque, 1817) The mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) is a deer whose habitat is in the western half of North America. ... Binomial name Ursus americanus Pallas, 1780 For the Eurasian Black Bear, see Asiatic Black Bear. ... Binomial name Junco hyemalis (Linnaeus, 1758) The Dark-eyed Junco, Junco hyemalis, is the best-known species of junco, a genus of small American sparrows. ... Binomial name Poecile gambeli or Parus gambeli Linnaeus, 1766 The Mountain Chickadee, Parus gambeli or Poecile gambeli, is a small songbird. ... Binomial name Pheucticus melanocephalus (Swainson, 1827) The Black-headed Grosbeak, Pheucticus melanocephalus, is a medium-size seed-eating bird in the same family as the Northern Cardinal, the Cardinalidae. ... Binomial name Picoides albolarvatus Cassin, 1850 The White-headed Woodpecker (Picoides albolarvatus) is a non-migratory woodpecker that resides in pine forests of the mountains of western North America. ... Binomial name Cyanocitta stelleri (Gmelin, 1788) The Stellers Jay (Cyanocitta stelleri) is a jay of western North America, closely related to the Blue Jay found in the rest of the continent, but having a black head and upper body. ... Binomial name Cinclus mexicanus Swainson, 1827 The American Dipper (Cinclus mexicanus), also known as a Water Ouzel, is a stocky dark grey bird with a head sometimes tinged with brown, and white feathers on the eyelids cause the eyes to flash white as the bird blinks. ... Binomial name Eumeces gilberti Van Denburgh, 1896 Gilberts Skink (Eumeces gilberti) is a heavy-bodied medium-sized lizard of the family of skinks living in the south-western United States. ... Binomial name Elgaria coerulea (Wiegmann, 1828) The Northern Alligator Lizard (Elgaria coerulea) is a medium-sized lizard that occurs on the North American west coast. ... Subfamilies Desmognathinae Plethodontinae Lungless salamanders (Family Plethodontidae) are salamanders which do not have lungs and instead conduct respiration through their skin and the tissues lining their mouth. ... Biotic zones in Yosemite See Sierra Nevada for general information about the mountain range in the United States. ...

Hiking

Several trails lead out of the Valley, including

• The John Muir Trail --- running 212 miles (341 km) to Mount Whitney
• The Mist Trail --- with views of Vernal Falls and Nevada Fall
• The Four-Mile Trail --- leading to Glacier Point.
• The Yosemite Falls Trail --- to the top of Yosemite Falls

John Muir Trail is a long-distance trail in California, running 211 miles (340 km) from the Yosemite Valley to Mount Whitney. ... Mount Whitney is the highest point in the contiguous United States at elevation 14,505 feet (4,421 meters). ... The Mist Trail is one of the most popular short hikes in Yosemite National Park, California, USA. The hike follows the Merced River, starting at Happy Isles in Yosemite Valley, past Vernal Falls, Emerald pool, to Nevada Falls. ... Vernal Fall is a large waterfall on the Merced River just downstream of Nevada Fall in Yosemite National Park, USA. It is located at 37° 43′ 38″ N 119° 32′ 37″ W. It is 317 feet (97 m) high. ... Nevada Fall (the National Park Service spells this as singular) is a 594 ft (181 m) high waterfall on Merced River in Yosemite National Park, California. ...

History

Main article: History of the Yosemite area

Captain John, leader of the Yosemite-Mono Lake Paiutes. Captain John was one of the last historic chiefs of Yosemite.

One animal found throughout the valley is Homo sapiens - man. The recent history of the Valley is the history of human visitors, first Native Americans, then European settlers, then visitors from around the world. The known history of the Yosemite area started with Ahwahnechee and Paiute peoples who inhabited the central Sierra Nevada region of California that now includes Yosemite National Park. ... Image File history File links Captain_John_Paiute_Poko_Tucket. ... Image File history File links Captain_John_Paiute_Poko_Tucket. ... Yosemite National Park (pron. ... Mono Lake is an alkaline and hypersaline lake in California, United States that is a critical nesting habitat for several bird species and is one of the most productive ecosystems in North America[citation needed]. // Satellite photo of Mono Lake Mono Craters to the right of the image are rhyolitic... Paiute (sometimes written as Piute) refers to two related groups -- Northern Paiute and Southern Paiute--of Native North Americans speaking languages belonging to the Numic branch of the Uto-Aztecan family of Native American languages. ... Homo sapiens (Latin: wise man) is the scientific name for the human species. ...

Native Americans in Yosemite

Native Americans have lived in the Yosemite region for as long as 8,000 years. The first people that we have record of was a band of Native Americans that called the Valley "Ah-wah-nee" and themselves the "Ah-wah-nee-chee". This group had trading and family ties to Mono Lake Paiutes from the eastern side of the Sierra Nevada. They annually burned the vegetation on the Valley floor, which promoted the black oak and kept the meadows and forests open. This protected the supply of their principal food, acorns, and reduced the chance of ambush. At the time of first European contact, this band was led by Chief Tenaya (Teneiya), who was raised by his mother among the Mono Lake Paiutes. Native Americans are the indigenous peoples from the regions of North America now encompassed by the continental United States, including parts of Alaska. ... Mono Lake is an alkaline and hypersaline lake in California, United States that is a critical nesting habitat for several bird species and is one of the most productive ecosystems in North America[citation needed]. // Satellite photo of Mono Lake Mono Craters to the right of the image are rhyolitic... Paiute women and children in Yosemite Valley 1891. ... Binomial name Quercus kelloggii Newb. ... This article includes a list of works cited or a list of external links, but its sources remain unclear because it lacks in-text citations. ... Chief Tenaya (?-1853) was a Native American chief in the Yosemite Valley people in California. ...

The Mariposa Battalion and the first tourists

The first non-natives to see Yosemite Valley were probably members of the 1833 Joseph Walker Party, which was the first to cross the Sierra Nevada from east to west. But the first descriptions of Yosemite came nearly 20 years later. The 1849 California Gold Rush led to conflicts between miners and natives, and the volunteer Mariposa Battalion was formed by the state of California as a punitive expedition against natives in the Yosemite area. In 1851 the Battalion was led by Major James D. Savage, whose trading post on the Merced River had been raided by the Awaneechee. This and other missions resulted in Chief Teneiya and the Awaneechee spending some months on a reservation in the San Joaquin Valley. The band returned the next year to the Valley, but took refuge among the Mono Paiutes after further conflicts with miners. Most of the Awaneechee (along with Teneiya) were chased back to the Valley and killed by the Paiutes after violating hospitality by stealing horses. 1833 was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ... 1849 was a common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ... The California Gold Rush (1848–1855) began on January 24, 1848, when gold was discovered at Sutters Mill. ...

While the members of that first expedition of the Mariposa Battalion had heard rumours of what could be found up the Merced River, none was prepared for what they saw March 27, 1851 from what is now called Old Inspiration Point (close to the better visited Tunnel View). Dr. Lafayette Bunnell later wrote: March 27 is the 86th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (87th in leap years). ... 1851 (MDCCCLI) was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Friday of the 12-day-slower Julian calendar). ... Lafayette Houghton Bunnell (1824-1903), a noted explorer of Yosemite Valley, was born in Homer, Minnesota. ...

Camping that night on the Valley floor, the group agreed with the suggestion of Dr. Bunnell to call it "Yo-sem-i-ty", mistakenly believing it to be the native name. (Bunnell was also the first of many to underestimate the height of the Valley walls; one San Francisco newspaper demanded of him that his estimate of 1500 feet (450 m) for the valley rim -- less than half the true height -- be cut in half before publication).

James Hutchings (who organized the first tourist party to the Valley in 1855) along with artist Thomas Ayers, is responsible for much of the earliest publicity about in Yosemite, creating articles and entire magazined issues about the Valley. Two of Hutching's first group of tourists, Milton and Houston Mann, built the first toll route into the valley, with development of the first hotels in the area and other trails quickly following. Orchards were planted and livestock grazed in Valley meadows, with damage to native ecosystems as the result. 1855 was a common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ...

Yosemite: The first park

Influential figures such as clergyman Thomas Starr King and leading landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted were among those who urged Senator John Conness of California to try to preserve Yosemite. President Abraham Lincoln signed a bill on June 30, 1864 granting Yosemite Valley and the Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias to the State of California "for public use, resort and recreation," the two tracts "shall be inalienable for all time". This was the first time in history that a federal government had set aside scenic lands simply to protect them and to allow for their enjoyment by all people. Thomas Starr King (NSHC statue) Thomas Starr King, (1824 – 1864) was a Unitarian minister, influential in California politics during the American Civil War. ... Frederick Law Olmsted (April 26, 1822 – August 28, 1903) was a United States landscape architect, famous for designing many well-known urban parks, including Central Park and Prospect Park in New York City. ... For other uses, see Abraham Lincoln (disambiguation). ... June 30 is the 181st day of the year (182nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 184 days remaining. ... 1864 (MDCCCLXIV) was a leap year starting on Friday (see link for calendar) of the Gregorian calendar or a leap year starting on Sunday of the 12-day-slower Julian calendar. ... Giant Sequoia in the Mariposa Grove, Yosemite Mariposa Grove is a sequoia grove located near Wawona, California in the southernmost part of Yosemite National Park, at 37°31′ N 119°36′ W. It is the largest grove of Giant Sequoias in the park, with several hundred mature examples...

There is a difference between designating an area a park and making it work. California did not set up an administration for the park until 1866 which appointed Galen Clark as the parks guardian. An 11 year struggle followed to resolve homesteading claims in the valley. The challenge of increasing tourism, with the need to first build stagecoach roads, then the Yosemite Valley Railroad, along with hotels and other facilities in and around the Valley was met during the rest of the 19th century. But much environmental damage was caused to the valley itself at that time. The problems that Yosemite Park had under state control was one of the factors in establishing Yellowstone National Park as the first completely national park in 1872. 1866 (MDCCCLXVI) is a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar or a common year starting on Wednesday of the 12-day-slower Julian calendar. ... Galen Clark (March 28, 1814 – March 24, 1910) is known for his discovery of the Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoia trees and for his role as Guardian of Yosemite National Park for 21 years. ... Yellowstone National Park is the centerpiece of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, the largest intact ecosystem in the Earths northern temperate zone. ... Year 1872 (MDCCCLXXII) was a leap year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian Calendar (or a leap year starting on Wednesday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar). ...

Due to the difficulty of traveling there, early visitors to the valley came for several weeks to a couple of months and brought their entire family and many of their possessions. Early hotels were therefore set up for extended stays and catered primarily to wealthy patrons who could be away from home for extended periods. A good example of one of these hotels still in operation is the Wawona Hotel which was constructed in the 1880s. Dariush Grand Hotel,Kish island, Iran The 4-star Manor House Hotel at Castle Combe, Wiltshire, England. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards and make it more accessible to a general audience, this article may require cleanup. ... // Development and commercial production of electric lighting Development and commercial production of gasoline-powered automobile by Karl Benz, Gottlieb Daimler and Maybach First commercial production and sales of phonographs and phonograph recordings. ...

While the Valley was now a park, the surrounding territory was still subject to logging, mining and grazing. John Muir publicized the damage to the subalpine meadows surrounding the Valley, and in 1890, a national park was created which included a much larger territory, enclosing Yosemite Valley and Mariposa Grove. As with Yellowstone, the new federal park was put under U.S. Army jurisdiction until 1914. In 1906 the Valley and Mariposa Grove was ceded back to the federal government. The National Park Service took over Yosemite upon its creation in 1916. John Muir appears on the California quarter John Muir (April 21, 1838 – December 24, 1914) was one of the first modern preservationists. ... 1890 (MDCCCXC) was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Friday of the Julian calendar). ... 1906 (MCMVI) was a common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ... The National Park Service (NPS) is the United States federal agency that manages all National Parks, many National Monuments, and other conservation and historical properties with various title designations. ... 1916 (MCMXVI) was a leap year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar). ...

Modern history

Curry Village used to be the site where villagers and visitors watched the famous Yosemite Firefall. These "falls" were really red hot embers that were dropped in large batches from Glacier Point. This practice was stopped in 1969 as part of the Park Service's long process of de-emphasizing artificial park attractions. Curry Village, also known as Camp Curry, is located in the Yosemite Valley of Yosemite National Park. ... One of the latest pictures of the Firefall at dusk. ...

Deer wandering in the meadows, Half Dome in the distance.

On July 6, 1996 a massive rock slide, weighing an estimated 60-80,000 tons, crashed 1800 feet (550 m) into the valley from the east side of Glacier Point, travelling at over 160 mph (260 km/h). Dust blanketed that part of the valley for days, and the wind speed in front of the slide is estimated to have been 300 mph (480 km/h). One person was killed in the slide. Download high resolution version (479x640, 48 KB)Half Dome with deer, 4/7/2002 -- National Park Service photo Image uploaded by User:ClaudeMuncey (from history of Half Dome article). ... Download high resolution version (479x640, 48 KB)Half Dome with deer, 4/7/2002 -- National Park Service photo Image uploaded by User:ClaudeMuncey (from history of Half Dome article). ... July 6 is the 187th day of the year (188th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 178 days remaining. ... 1996 (MCMXCVI) was a leap year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International Year for the Eradication of Poverty. ... This entry refers to the geological term landslide. ...

Yosemite is now a world rock climbing attraction. The massive 'big walls' of granite have been climbed countless times since the 1950s and have pushed climbers' abilities to new heights. While climbers traditionally take several days to climb the monoliths, bivvying on the rock faces, modern climbing techniques have allowed ascents to be made in mere hours. Many climbers stay at Camp 4 before beginning their big wall assaults. Climbers on Valkyrie at the Roaches. ... A monolith is a geological or technological feature such as a mountain, consisting of a single massive stone or rock. ... A bivouac may be: Look up camp on Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Camp 4, officially known as Sunnyside Walk-in Campground, is a campground in Yosemite National Park. ...

Half Dome figures prominently on the reverse side of the California state quarter. Official language(s) English Capital Sacramento Largest city Los Angeles Area  Ranked 3rd  - Total 158,302 sq mi (410,000 km²)  - Width 250 miles (400 km)  - Length 770 miles (1,240 km)  - % water 4. ...

Yosemite Valley appears on the California quarter

Download high resolution version (1167x1189, 158 KB) Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Download high resolution version (1167x1189, 158 KB) Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ...

See also

• Geology of the Yosemite area
• History of the Yosemite area

The exposed geology of the Yosemite area includes primarily granitic rocks with some older metamorphic rock. ... The known history of the Yosemite area started with Ahwahnechee and Paiute peoples who inhabited the central Sierra Nevada region of California that now includes Yosemite National Park. ...

References

• A Natural History of California, Allan A. Schoenherr, UC Press, ISBN 0-520-06922-6
• Geology of National Parks: Fifth Edition, Ann G. Harris, Esther Tuttle, Sherwood D., Tuttle (Iowa, Kendall/Hunt Publishing; 1997) ISBN 0-7872-5353-7
• Camp 4: Recollections of a Yosemite Rockclimber, Steve Roper, The Mountaineers, ISBN 0-89886-587-5

External links

• The Geologic Story of Yosemite Valley by N. King Huber (USGS, 1987) authoritative and up-to-date summary of Yosemite's geology
• Origin of Yosemite Valley, Chapter 4, "Glaciers of California", by Bill Guyton
• Historic Yosemite Indian Chiefs - with photos