| My First Summer in the Sierra, by John Muir (1838-1914), first published 1911. Illustrations | |
|---|---|
| The Yosemite Falls, Yosemite National Park |
The total height of the three falls is 2600 feet. The upper fall is about 1600 feet, and the lower about 400 feet. Mr Muir was probably the only man who ever looked down into the heart of the fall from the narrow ledge of rocks near the top. From a photograph by Charles S. Olcott |
| Sheep in the Mountains |
Since the establishment of the Yosemite National Park the pasturing of sheep has not been allowed within its boundaries, and as a result the grasses and wild flowers have recovered very much of their former luxuriance. The flock of sheep here photographed were feeding near Alger Lake on the slope of Blacktop Mountain, at an altitude of about 10,100 feet and just beyond the Eastern boundary of the Park. From a photograph by Herbert W. Gleason |
| A Silver Fir, or Red Fir (Abies magnifica) |
This tree was found in an extensive forest of red fir above the Middle Fork of King's River. It was estimated to be about 250 feet high. Mr. Muir, on being shown the photograph, remarked that it was one of the finest and most mature specimens of the red for that he had ever seen. From a photograph by Herbert W. Gleason |
| The North and South Domes | The great rock on the right is the South Dome, commonly called the Half-Dome, according to Mr. Muir “the most beautiful and most sublime of all the Yosemite rocks.” The one on the left is the North Dome, while in the center is the Washington Column. From a photograph by Charles S. Olcott |
| Cathedral Peak | This view was taken from a point on the Sunrise Trail just south of the Peak, on a day when the “cloud mountains” so inspiring to Mr. Muir were much in evidence. From a photograph by Herbert W. Gleason |
| The Vernal Falls, Yosemite National Park | From a photograph by Charles S. Olcott |
| The Happy Isles, Yosemite National Park | This is the main stream of the Merced River after passing over the Nevada and Vernal Falls and receiving the Illilouette tributary. From a photograph by Charles S. Olcott |
| The Three Brothers, Yosemite National Park | The highest rock, called Eagle Point, is 7900 feet above the sea, and 3900 feet above the floor of the valley. From a photograph by Charles S. Olcott |
