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YOSEMITE GAZETTE Yosemite California YOSEMITE GAZE a 10 000 circul TTE ation quarterly jou rnal features the past present and future of Yosemite reg ion and the Mothe r Lode every three mo nths EXTRA EXTRA 8 READ ALL ABOUT IT Largest Park Glacier Stagnant Page Three 8 New Editor Publisher for the Yosemite Gazette Page Four 8 8 Nymphing Where it s At Page Six Trans Sierra Gourmet Ski Trip Page Eight 8 I Found My Path I was Home at Last Page Ten 8 8 8 Cowgirl Poetry Page Twelve Uncle Ed s Grub Fixin s Page Thirteen Readers Winter Photos Page Sixteen Winter 2013 Complimentary Park Chief Tremendously Challenging Years In November 2012 the Yosemite Gazette met with Yosemite National Park Superintendent Don Neubacher for this candid interview and forth to the San Francisco Bay Area and the California coast We both are dedicated to public service and the preservation of public lands Yosemite Gazette You ve been Superintendent for over two years now How have you and your family adapted to living at the park How has your home life changed Is it what you expected Super intendent Neubacher Serving as the superintendent of this iconic park has been an honor and privilege and working with the park s dedicated staff has been extremely rewarding The park has its many challenges but whenever the stress gets to me I just go outside and look up to the granite cliffs Glacier Point Yosemite Falls and Half Dome There are no other views in the world that move me as passionately as Yosemite Valley My wife Patty and I plus our Labrador retriever Ruby have adjusted to Yosemite well Patty also works for the National Park Service as Deputy Director Pacific West Region Because of our dual careers we spend a lot of time traveling back Yosemite Gazette You have certainly had challenges in your term here In 2011 the high water Yosemite National Park announced the release of two Wild and Scenic River Comprehensive Management Plan Draft Environmental Impact Statements for the Merced River MRP and the Tuolumne River TRP for public review and comment The public comment period for the MRP is open now through Thursday April 18 2013 The public comment period for the TRP is open now through Monday March 18 2013 Both documents in their entirety are available for public review on the park s website In accordance with the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act Yosemite National Park is required to release a management plan that adequately protects the Merced River and the Tuolumne River The Merced River was designated Wild and Scenic by the U S Congress in 1987 to preserve its free flowing condition and to protect and enhance the values that made it unique The Tuolumne River was designated Wild and Scenic in 1984 due to its rich natural cultural and scenic values The MRP presents the environmental analysis of six alternatives including a No Action Alternative the National Park Service NPS is considering according to the National Environmental Policy Act NEPA Superintendent Neubacher Former Point Reyes National Seashore superintendent Don Neubacher has been in charge of the Yosemite National Park for the past two years and the large number of deaths strained the parks resources How has 2012 been Super intendent Neubacher Both years have been tremendously challenging Our visitation is about the same as 2011 however because of the mild winter the visitation has been spread out over a longer period Last year we had over two million visitors in three months With additional public transit and coordinated traffic management this year congestion and traffic issues have been mitigated From my perspective park staff members do an exemplary job providing service to park visitors In particular the park s search and rescue teams are some of the best in the nation In 2012 with the hantavirus situation the park faced an unprecedented challenge Hantavirus is an extremely rare disease and since 1993 there have been just over 60 cases in California With our new insights into this disease we are working hard with public health professionals to ensure visitors minimize risk during their visit and are given the Continued on Page 15 Wild and Scenic River Plans for Park are Unveiled The park has identified Alternative Five as the Preferred Alternative Enhanced Visitor Experiences and Essential Riverbank Restoration The Preferred Alternative will protect and enhance the Merced River s iconic resources in perpetuity and allow visitors the freedom to access Yosemite Valley by private vehicle with expanded options for public transit reduce traffic congestion and crowding and provides organized and efficient parking for day use visitors expand the opportunity for overnight accommodations camping and lodging in Yosemite Valley maintains Yosemite s positive effect on local and regional Continued on Page 10

Page Two YOSEMITE GAZETTE photograph courtesy of Kristal Leonard Photography Winter in the Yosemite Region Present and Past Each quarter we will feature a photograph that represents a seasonal theme The stunning photo above of Kristal Leonard herself a photographer certainly captures the grandeur of Yosemite in the winter Kristal a resident of Yosemite said The photo was taken in March 2011 at Glacier Point My friends and I cross country skied 10 miles from Badger Pass Ski resort to the Glacier Point ski hut and stayed overnight The day was so bright and sunny I just couldn t resist basking in it If anyone is interested in staying at the Glacier Point Ski hut here is link to the Yosemite concession website about it http www yosemitepark com glacier point hut aspx That Beautiful Photography com features the colorful photographs of Kristal Leonard photograph courtesy of SFPUC Horace Chaffee photograph courtesy of Mono Basin Historical Society This photograph taken two miles west of Jones Station exemplifies the HHRR as the proverbial workhorse as it plowed through the deep snow The railroad allowed the construction to continue nonstop This made it possible to complete the construction of the O Shaughnessy Dam in just four years Photograph by Horace Chaffee Local Histories Feature Legacy of Archival Vintage Photographs What do Michael Gahagan Columbia Sonora Beverly Hennessey Red Bluff Hetch Hetchy Leroy Radanovich Mariposa Yosemite Valley and David Carle Lee Vinning Mono Lake Basin all have in common They have all contributed articles that have appeared in past issues of the Yosemite Gazette and they have also written and compiled area histories part of Arcadia Publishing s Images of America series which celebrate the history of neighborhoods towns and cities across the country Using archival photographs each title presents the distinctive stories from the past that shape the character of the community today The Yosemite Gazette will publish photos see those above from Hetch Hetchy and Mono Lake Basin used in their books along with a featured seasonal photograph chosen from the portfolios the websites or Facebook pages of our friends To this end we are encouraging submissions with a springtime theme for our next issue The photographs can be black and white or color and those we don t publish will be posted on our website pages and Facebook albums Send high resolution 300 dpi photos to Editor YosemiteGazette com Lee Vining winter A winter lineup of cars in 1937 shows the Lakeview Camp office and the Lee Vining market Bob Currie sold the market and camp to William Banta in 1933 At one time the business also provided a laundry room bakery and post office The Lee Vining Market was built in 1925 and part of it still stands in the modern day Mono Market Bob Currie built the market to sell meat bread and produce To the right is Burgan s Store and Restaurant opened by Ed Burgan and his wife and turned over to their son in law Glenn Mattly in August 1925 HIDDEN GEM Sunset Magazine Combining a timeless feel with modern comforts Evergreen Lodge is Yosemite s premier mountain resort Come see why Frommer s Guide calls the Evergreen the Classic Yosemite Experience Cabins Restaurant Tavern Recreation www evergreenlodge com 800 93 LODGE Located off Hwy 120 on Yosemite s western border

Page Three Yosemite California Winter 2013 Largest Park Glacier Stagnant Adjacent Glacier s Rate Historic The Lyell Glacier the largest glacier in Yosemite National Park has stagnated or ceased its downhill movement according to a recent study The adjacent Maclure Glacier is still moving at its historical rate about one inch per day Glaciers created much of the scenery of Yosemite including iconic features such as Half Dome A glacier s health is determined by the amount of winter snowfall compared to summertime melting of snow and ice The movement of a glacier is primarily determined by the glacier s thickness and steepness Because they are sensitive to environmental conditions glaciers are important indicators of climate change Building on historical research conducted by John Muir and other notable individuals in Yosemite s history the research team monitored the Lyell Glacier and the Maclure Glacier deep in Yosemite s highcountry Data collected from the stakes placed on the Lyell Glacier showed that no movement has occurred within the last several years Earlier research on the glacier showed that it was moving in the 1930s Stagnation has therefore occurred since that time perhaps within the past decade In addition the Lyell Glacier has decreased in size by about 60 since 1900 and has thinned by approximately 120 vertical feet This thinning of the glacier is most likely why the glacier has stopped moving The Lyell Glacier has historically been recognized as the largest glacier in Yosemite National Park and the second largest in the Sierra Nevada said Yosemite National Park Geologist Greg Stock who co led the investigation with Robert Anderson of the University of Colorado The team also measured the Maclure Glacier which is adjacent to the Lyell Glacier John Muir first docu mented movement of this glacier in 1872 The research team mimicked Muir s measurements in 2012 by measuring stakes over the same period of the melt season Despite a similar amount of ice loss as the Lyell Glacier the team found that the Maclure Glacier continues to move at the same rate as that measured by Muir about one inch per day Although the Maclure Glacier has also thinned substantially it is still thick enough to move and flow Much of the downhill movement occurs by slow sliding at the glacier bed due to increased amounts of meltwater Research on the glaciers will continue to be conducted through collection of data on snowpack temperature and ice melting rates This work contributes to the growing evidence of ice loss worldwide However the fact that both glaciers are shrinking causing the Lyell Glacier to cease movement highlights the impact that a changing climate is having in Yosemite National Park Funding for this research project was provided by the Yosemite Conservancy Yosemite National Park has a robust research program The park issues approximately 120 research permits per year covering a wide array of natural cultural and social science subjects Park scientists collaborate with researchers mostly from universities and the US Geologic Survey on the scientific research conducted in the park Current research topics include studying a tract of old growth forest in the park the decline of amphibian species in the high country and using remote sensing to measure the snowpack Editor s Note This account is an abridged version of a report posted Feb 4 2013 on the Yosemite National Park s web site www nps gov yose parknews newsreleases htm photograph courtesy of Laura and Bob Newland Lake Front Cabins June Lake In Memory of Buster Bob and Laura Newland innkeepers of Lake Front Cabins June Lake pose with their entry in the June Lake Winter Festival Snow Sculpture Contest Buster had been a June Lake cat all his life The Newlands found him at the Lone Pine Shelter J u n e L a k e Wi n t e r Fe stiva l There were many wonderful snow sculptures in June Lake recently as part of the community s inaugural June Lake Winter Festival but only one person or shop could walk away the winner This year it was Ernie s Tackle and Ski Shop with its sculpture of a large colorful trout Second place went to the Double Eagle Resort for its life sized dragon The sculptures added a ton of animation throughout the community of June Lake and attracted 19 businesses to get involved in the fun The weekend also included a Triple Threat Triathlon Family Fun Zone specials and deals at local shops Mono County gave the community some emergency funding 100 000 to help promote events create trails offer transportation to Mammoth Mountain to help businesses through the slow season of winter Part of that money went to creating the June Lake Winter Festival The lakeside mountain village of June Lake California is located on Snow Sculpture Winner Ernie s Tackle and Ski Shop June Lake was the grand winner with its large colorized ice trout the southern rim of the Mono Basin in the Eastern Sierra along the paved two lane Highway 158 also known as the June Lake Loop More info http visitjune com

Page Four New Editor Publisher for Yosemite Gazette Author freelance writer development director marketing and advertising professional college and high school instructor and former weekly newspaper editor and publisher Michael Gahagan has assumed the position of Editor and Publisher of the Yosemite Gazette I have absolutely come full circle Gahagan said My very first publishing effort began with purchasing the Point Reyes Light a Marin County weekly in 1970 It was 16 pages The Yosemite Gazette is currently 16 pages also but the way we printed the Point Reyes Light nearly a half century ago and the way the Yosemite Gazette is printed is about five technological generations from when I first started creating publications from scratch Four and half decades ago I was setting headlines by hand the larger with wood type and the text was set by a linotype operator who made lines of types from hot lead I wrote copy to be set by the linotype operator on my Royal No 1 typewriter You could have used this typewriter as an anchor it weighed so much I picked up the Fishin Column hand printed by the butcher of the local store on a roll of butcher paper I am not making this up and often there were stains of some unknown fish or deboned animal on the paper I translated to the typewritten article We printed the paper on a 1910 Goss flatbed press and were only one of two newspaper in California that were printed this way in the 70s It took about three hours to print 3 000 copies once I could crank the press up to top speed When I sold the Point Reyes Light in 1975 I swore I would never have to deal with deadlines again but all the sweat and tears was well worth it when the newspaper won a Pulitzer Prize a few years later for a series of investigative reports that actually started on my watch But of course I have had to adhere to deadlines ever since then as a high school faculty member where a bell was sounded every 50 minutes as a freelance writer columnist for the Santa Barbara News Press as the Education and Sports Editor St Helena Star and columnist for the Sonora Union Democrat YOSEMITE GAZETTE Prior to Gahagan s first venture in publishing his academic experience included attending Carmel High School Carmel California an exchange student in Spain and graduation from the Overseas School of Rome Italy He attended Occidental College and graduated with a bachelor s degree Communications and a masters degree Journalism from Stanford University He has along with his wife Connie settled in their forever home base just outside of the historic gold rush town of Columbia But we still have moving boxes of nearly 50 years of our collective stuff to be emptied I am propagating two small surrounding meadows with native high Sierra trees wildflowers and bulbs Gahagan said Over the last five years I have planted close to 1 000 bulbs Gahagan has long been involved in community organizations serving either as a board member director treasurer or development director of some 20 non profits including the Coastal Parks Association the California Friends of Robert Frost the Friends of the Channel Islands National Park the Santa Barbara County Arts Council and president of the Santa Barbara County Stanford Alumni His wife Connie within the past year has become the Executive Director of the Central Sierra Arts Council Gahagan has a keen interest in historic and architectural preservation and has been a member of the National Trust for Historic Preservation and locally was a member of the board of the Tuolumne County Historical Society I wrote an historic archival photographic book entitled Sonora the Tuolumne county seat in 2007 and it is in its third printing In 2010 I organized the first Annual California Senior Winter Games a series of ski races slalom giant slalom dual slalom cross country for men and women over 50 years of age held at Dodge Ridge Gahagan was in junior racing The Yosemite Gazette is a publishing throwback a vanishing breed How do we you save it before extinction First the editorial we thanks Marv Dealy for starting and shepherding the Yosemite Gazette through the first five years And also we thank Marv for being helpful in the transitory period of ownership econdly I am a traditionalist S and an historian The printed word is fast disappearing as a standard of communications and I plan for the Yosemite Gazette to be a bridge over current waters of digital keyboard chatter and a page of printed text There will be no dramatic changes in reflecting the past present and future balance of content covering the greater Yosemite region There will additions in the scope and diversity of contributions this issue features a heritage poem and a gritty hand me down 49er recipe n addition we will strive to I publish vintage and contemporary photographs see p 16 never before published gold rush music song sheets feature articles and vernacular art that has never been seen before in these parts of the woods I am excited about the challenges of preserving a traditional publishing format and expanding it across the colorful internet spectrum Please stay tuned Gahagan was born in Berkeley California and has lived in Hanover New Hampshire Boulder and Denver Colorado Rome Italy San Francisco Santa Barbara Solvang Woodside St Helena and Point Reyes Station within his native state of California Michael Gahagan Signing his Sonora book at Legends Bookstore and Soda Fountain Sonora Just Saying programs in New Hampshire and Colorado 60 years ago and resumed skiing in earnest in his late 60s Our ski club at Carmel High used to come annually to Badger Pass in the late 50s We stayed in the tents at Camp Curry skated on the rink and watched the fire fall It was memorable The legendary Nic Fiore was the head of the ski school at Badger My love of the winter season is reflected in this issue and we will be celebrating the four distinct seasons in the Sierra Yosemite region in each of our quarterly Yosemite Gazette s Actually over the course of my eleven years here at the advent of each season I declare this is my favorite season and I still haven t made up my mind It is my hope that with the circulation of each new issue of the Yosemite Gazette across the spectacularly seasonal palette of the Sierra Yosemite region you ll be remarking this is my favorite issue Published quarterly by the Yosemite Publishing Company P O Box 5227 Sonora California 95370 209 536 1143 Editor and Publisher Michael Gahagan Assistant to the Editor Joyce Griffith Correspondents Contributors Marc Fossum Rick Deutsch Tom Gardner Debbie Adams Renny Avey David Lukas John Carroll O Neill Peter Hoss Elizabeth Stone O Neill Leroy Radanovich Sharon Giacomazzi Michael Elsohn Ross Advertising Marketing Social Media Illustrator Kimberly Francis Circulation Malcolm Milliron Printing Foothill Printing Graphics

Page Five Yosemite California Winter 2013 Letters to the Editor Editor I saw my last Letter to the Editor in your last Yosemite Gazette Fall 2012 Thanks I also noticed that Leroy Radanovich contributed quite a few articles as well I have known Leroy for many years and am also friends with the owner of Bett s Gold Coin Linda Halvorsen My husband Kevin Barry built the horseshoe bar in the Gold Coin and we were very involved in its restoration During that time I began to get some inspiration from the old adobe that had stood vacant for so many years and decided that I would write a cowboy poem in its honor thus preserving our local history in rhyme So I contacted Leroy He provided me with the history and I wrote my first historical poem I thought you might like to read it There is so much more to do and say concerning the Merced River Plan There will be another public input session in the spring I think John Pero gave a presentation at our last Mariposa Patriot s Tea Party meeting on YARTS Yosemite Area Rapid Transit Service It appears that this public transportation system is part of Yosemite s General Plan to eliminate all public vehicles from Yosemite Valley Thank you for helping us get the word out I like your publication Wendy Brown Mariposa California wendybrown sti net New Advertising Marketing Director Marketing and events coordinator Kimberly Francis has joined the Yosemite Gazette as the Director of Advertising and Marketing The Sonora resident will also develop and maintain a social media program for the quarterly publication concentrating on expanding the Yosemite Gazette s Facebook presence Francis is an artist and author and illustrator of a children s book Payten and Nannie Ann Painting Our Way Home published in 20l1 by Sonora based Ladybug Press The book features several Yosemite illustrations created by Francis She has served in various marketing promotion event coordinating social media capacities for the Tuolumne County Visitors Bureau the Columbia Chamber of Commerce the ITSA Film Festival Sonora the Central Sierra Arts Council Black Oak Casino and Ironstone Vineyards She currently is the Gallery Curator for the Ventana Annex Gallery in Sonora Francis is a graduate of the University of the Pacific with honors Communications and is currently the host of Artists of the Mother Lode a local monthly series on local Channel 8 photograph by Jill Mortensen Sisters Photography Kimberly Ann Francis Francis is a fourth generation Sonoran Her great grandfather Joseph Francis and grandfather Ralph Francis owned the historic Opera Hall Garage starting back in 1911 A graduate of Sonora High School in 2001 Francis has also attended Columbia College earning an AA degree and also a Travel and Tourism Certificate while matriculating there I feel so lucky the children s art instructor said As I have painted in Yosemite through the years I look forward to an association with a publication that celebrates the arts and cultural heritage of an area I love Who knows Francis said when my next visit to photograph and paint in Yosemite will be maybe tomorrow Letters to the Editor Editor I am a native of Yosemite In 2011 I published a book entitled Born in Yosemite which has sold over 1 200 copies In writing the book I reviewed the background leading up to the necessity for the National Park Service redoing a master plan after the previous plan the Yosemite Valley Plan YVP was invalidated by the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals I read court documents and interviewed parties to the litigation The judgment was vacated in a settlement which allowed the NPS to resume the business of managing Yosemite Part of the settlement was payment of 1 000 000 of taxpayers money to the attorneys for the plaintiff from funds intended for the repair of flood damage from the 1997 flood The plaintiffs in the lawsuit were a tiny local group of environmentalists so extreme that they were not supported by mainstream environmental organizations such as the Sierra Club and the Wilderness Society How this could happen is described in two chapters of Born in Yosemite consisting of about 45 pages In summary the NPS has inherited a can of worms created by a comedy of errors The NPS is faced with the difficult if not impossible chore of reconciling provisions of the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act WRSA intended to protect free flowing rivers in undeveloped lands with the 1864 grant of Yosemite Valley and the Mariposa Grove for the enjoyment of the public and the Organic Act of 1916 creating the National Park Service which provides that National Parks be preserved for enjoyment of the public and left unimpaired for future generations Based on this experience I offer suggestions for public comment on the Merced and Tuolumne River Draft Management Plan and Environmental Impact Statement EIS Public comment is not a popularity contest Its purpose is to acquaint planners with facts they may not have considered or to point out errors in their reasoning With this in mind I offer the following observations The plans appear to be premised on the assumption that the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act WRSA mandates certain management actions Accordingly some items have been identified as non negotiable No court has ruled anything is non negotiable nor does any law so provide If you hear this statement made by the NPS in a public hearing demand the source Do they have an opinion by a qualified attorney supporting this statement Another misstatement is that the WRSA supersedes and takes precedence over the 1864 grant and the Organic Act of 1916 No law or court decision has said so In one part of the documents the NPS has acknowledged that tradeoffs may be required when these laws are in conflict Another misstatement that you may hear is that an activity provided by a concessioner for the enjoyment or comfort of visitors or permanent residents is commercial because a fee is charged for it Traditionally activities which do not belong in Yosemite described as commercial have meant mining logging sheep and cattle raising or any other activity which adversely impacts the environment Accordingly here is my public comment 1 Unless the NPS can produce a credible legal opinion to the contrary no provisions in the Draft Management Plan and EIS are mandated All recommendations are discretionary and subject to change as conditions change 2 There is no justification for eliminating any activities or services for visitors or relocating any infrastructure out of the defined Merced River corridor unless it can be demonstrated that it is necessary to prevent damage to the environment or to insure continuation of the enjoyment of the public This has been the traditional approach with decisions as to what is appropriate in Yosemite made by local NPS staff under the direction of the Superintendant subject to changing conditions By this standard no justification has been shown for eliminating bicycle rentals raft trips the ice skating rink horseback rides swimming pools or anything else intended for the continuing enjoyment of the public These restrictions should be stricken I believe a majority of the millions of visitors to Yosemite would overwhelmingly support these comments If you agree you can send along a copy of this letter from the Yosemite Gazette adding your own comments The voice of the silent majority of Yosemite visitors needs to be heard Peter T Hoss P O Box 2342 Salinas Ca 93902 pphoss sbcglobal net

Page Six YOSEMITE GAZETTE From Dry Fly to Nymphs Personal Discovery A Editor s Note In the July 2012 issue of the Yosemite Gazette Renny Avey provided us with a detailed account of dry fly fishing at one of his favorite creeks near the eastern edge of Yosemite NP He continues here with the story of his own personal breakthrough towards mastery of nymph fly fishing by Renny J Avey The Higher Source gives us lessons only when we are ready by having reached a level of humility necessary to accept them That is a truth when fly fishing as well For years I have cast and dead drifted dry flies on the water s surface to what I thought may be eagerly awaiting hungry trout Outing after outing ended with disgust as I now can admit only due to my fear of change Don t get me wrong There were and still are successful sojourns walking and wading creeks and rivers when trout have risen to take my dry fly several times in a day see Trout Seeker Reads the Water July 2012 Hatches of mayflies stoneflies caddisflies and midges don t always occur when you are on that trek along the creek Many times an adult aquatic insect hatch and the rise rings of trout with the feeding frenzy that results just isn t occurring You can however be fortunate to be present during what I call a carryover affect of trout continuing to rise and gobble up the trailing remnants and scraps of aquatic insect fodder long after the main part of the hatch Yet there are those other times You can have what you think are all the elements including after much experience a cast resulting in a textbook lay down of the dry fly pattern leader and floating fly line on the water s surface providing for a perfect presentation of the fly pattern to the hungry trout see Fly Fishing Primer January 2012 All the elements that is with the exception of nature s cooperation with providing you with an aquatic insect hatch There can be hour upon hour of no significant insect activity on the water s surface There were many days prior to learning nymph fly fishing when I had to take solace in the wisdom of my spouse when she reminded me it s the process Who cares if you catch trout or not when there is so much of nature s blessings provided for us to absorb during one of these river treks The fresh air and solitude provides spiritual re creation and revival right Never the less I care It s fun to catch trout and almost as much fun releasing them The lure of the excitement of seeing the fish take your dry fly pattern on the water s surface is what keeps us plying the water with that adult fly pattern way too Scud Nymph pattern the artificial fly pattern presented to the trout sub surface The flies in this case are specifically nymph patterns and other artificial patterns tied upon hooks to represent other critters like freshwater shrimp scuds that roam the stream bottom and water column see Aquatic Insects and Trout July 2011 Nymphing gets its name and is done by dead drifting with a fly rod and line Bead Head Prince Nymph pattern rig sub surface artificial patterns of the nymph stage part of the metamorphosis of mayflies and stoneflies The nymph stage of the insect is between the egg and adult fly Mayfly nymphs roam the depths of creeks rivers and lakes before coming to the surface to hatch into adult mayflies Artificial patterns tied to represent the larvae and pupae stages of caddisflies and midges are also used for nymphing Nymphs larvae pupae and scuds are all on the trout s menu An example of one of my favorite streams for nymphing for trout is the Little West Walker River a tributary of the West Walker River Both rivers are classic freestone drainages of snowmelt originating in the Emigrant Wilderness area of the Sierras of northwestern Mono County north of Yosemite These waters flowing off the Eastern Sierra that aren t used for agricultural purposes eventually accumulate about fifteen miles later in Topaz Lake or at Walker Lake east of Yerington NV Several other creeks flow from drainages within the Hoover Wilderness bordering the northeast part of Yosemite NP Buckeye Creek is an example My favorite time of year to fish the Little West Walker is in the fall after most of the summer tourist traffic has subsided This past fall I visited this drainage with fly rod in hand about a half dozen times Even with its proximity to a major highway U S 395 I found myself the only fly fisherman at the stream several times Oops it s no secret anymore Continued on Page 7 long in some instances Of course most classes in fly fishing emphasize the use of the dry fly for that reason it is the most exciting type of fly fishing Anyone who has seen the movie A River Runs Through It will agree On one such empty result walk and wade years ago at a time with no aquatic insect activity at the water s surface a fellow fly fisherman I came upon at streamside offered his firm belief that nymph fly fishing is where it s at For the rest of my life I will be grateful for his sermon Here is the key to his declaration If 90 of what trout consume is taken sub surface naturally one should spend most of the fishing time with for over 30 years

Page Seven Yosemite California Winter 2013 Nymphing is Where it is at Continued from Page 6 One trip to the Little West Walker last fall was particularly rewarding I parked just at the edge of the 395 and proceeded to climb into my waders Wading in this stream is necessary to get to good pocket water holding fish since thick willow growth on the stream bank prohibits casting from most of the bank while standing on it I got to the stream at about 4 p m which provided for at least three hours of fishing before dark Dry fly fishing seems best in the early morning during more prolific insect hatches later in the morning or in the late afternoon Nymphing on the other hand seems to have no time specific constraint Trout chow down on nymphs larvae pupae and scuds most any time of the day as these food sources are ferried to them in the current Of course all the species are subject to seasonal peaks and valleys in terms of the numbers of them present at any one time My rod of choice for nymphing these smaller streams is the Orvis 7 5 foot lightweight three weight full flex Trout in the eleven to fourteen inch size range typical of this stream provide some great rod bending action when hooked My Lamson reel attached to this rod is loaded with some Dacron backing and three weight weight forward floating fly line Sinking fly line is made which can help with nymphing However with a stream such as the Little West Walker with average depth of three feet or less this time of year the leader rather than the fly line is all you have to get to sink along with the nymph pattern s you have attached to the end of it Here is the detail of the nymphing rig I used that day and how it was presented I chose a seven and a half foot long machine tapered monofilament leader in size 5X The butt section of the leader heaviest test strength is attached to the fly line with a nail knot and or a fly line end loop system I attached a floating strike indicator like a bobber about six feet down the leader from the butt end To the tippet end four pound test I added some additional four pound test uniform non tapered monofilament tippet material about 18 inches of it by tying it on with a double surgeon s knot Then I placed onto the leader a mid size split shot lead weight just above the surgeon s knot About half way down nine inches from this knot into the 18 inches of added tippet I tied a 18 hook size beadhead Prince Nymph pattern using a double overhand knot There is some ongoing debate amongst the purest fly fishermen as to whether this pattern represents a small natural mayfly or stonefly nymph or whether it is just a non specific attractor pattern Some knowledge of entomology is obviously helpful in learning this sport But all I know Eastern Sierra Range Panorama northwestern Mono County north of Yosemite National Park near the confluence of the Little West Walker and the West Walker Rivers classic freestone drainages of snowmelt originating in the Immigrant Wilderness area of the Sierra is that the Prince works Then I tied onto the extreme end of the tippet end of the leader about nine inches below the Prince a 18 size scud pattern in light green using an improved clinch knot Generally the distance from the strike indicator to the scud should be the average depth of the water where you are going to fish and I like to use two patterns at once to increase the chance for strikes You want the nymph and scud patterns to bounce along the bottom a bit although you will find that you will get strikes in the water column as well One example of a substitute nymph pattern for either the Prince or the Scud would be a bead head 18 Hare s Ear nymph pattern in beige or green On this fine afternoon the sound of the rushing water was soothing It reminded me to enjoy the process I decided to start nymphing in a pool near an old partial beaver dam Wading in gently and facing upstream like a trout and therefore in their blind spot so as not to be seen I situated myself at the tailend of the twenty foot long pool in mid stream about opposite the old beaver dam What I am describing here is what some call an upstream technique with regards to the casting I cast the whole rig up into the frothy riffle water heading into the pool You want the split shot and both patterns to dead drift directly below the strike indicator or slightly ahead of it As the two patterns deaddrift towards me as indicated by the strike indicator I hand pull in slack fly line as it all drifts towards me That creates a pile of fly line on the water s surface near one s legs but it is the most effective way to take up slack Take care if you must reel in the slack You could interrupt the dead drift of the nymph pattern and scud You don t want to pull the rig through the water Taking this slack out of the line helps lower the time to set the hook when I strike back Trout given enough experience with age can spit out a fly or nymph pattern before you strike back When I saw the strike indicator dip down hesitate or move quickly one way or another I struck back and set the hook I missed a few strikes Successful hook spitters no doubt Seventeen trout were brought to the net and released that afternoon from various pools and pocket water which held trout as large as fourteen inches in length The Scud was the menu item of choice yet a few struck at the Prince as well They were mostly Rainbow trout some planters and some wild A couple of them were wild Brown trout Some time ago I became a converted nympher but still toss dry flies where appropriate and there are times when we do both in a day I can also combine the two methods of fly fishing with what we call a dropper rig which we use in other states when fly fishing larger rivers from drift boats But that s a story for another day As the gentleman made clear with his sermon years ago there is no doubt that nymphing is where it s at As evidence to the commitment of my conversion to nymphing I recently bought a dozen 18 Scud patterns tied in shrimp pink and added them to my fly box 8 Renny J Avey Ph D Cal Poly emeritus professor of Agricultural Finance spent a part of his childhood growing up at Long Gulch Ranch in Groveland He and his wife Sharon reside with their cat Mindy Lou in Nevada Email him at ravey calpoly edu

Page Eight The Yosemite Winter Club Stages By Peter Hoss During the winter of 1972 I had one of the great adventures of my life spending four days crosscountry skiing through the wilderness areas of Yosemite Park The Yosemite High Country in the winter is a completely different place than the summertime version Tourist facilities are closed Hillsides and meadows are often covered with blankets of drifted snow to depths of 20 feet Except for skiers the region is deserted except for a couple of park rangers who have the place to themselves All of the Sierra High County is closed off to snowmobiles so cross country skiing or snowshoes provide the only practical way of wintertime access Members of the Yosemite Winter Club have in fact been skiing into and through the area since the club s formation in 1928 long before skiing had become the popular pastime that it is now The Cross Country Section of the Yosemite Winter Club has developed a unique adventure known as the Trans Sierra Gourmet Ski Trip which is dedicated to providing enjoyment of the wilderness in five star style The four day threenight trip crosses Yosemite National Park from the Tioga Pass entrance to Yosemite Valley slightly less than the 70 miles by road Preparations are made for the trip before the roads close An advance group stocks the three overnight stops with food and spirits so the trekkers need carry only clothing sleeping bags and sundries in light daypacks The trip was a real adventure for me because up to that point my skiing experience had been of the downhill variety However an associate in our law firm Al Smith talked me into going on the trip with him He assured me that crosscountry skiing would be no problem and that he would look after me He proved to be true to his word YOSEMITE GAZETTE We flew out of the tiny Pine Mountain Lake airport on a clear winter day I was feeling a little creaky because Al and I had spent the night sleeping on the floor of the small waiting room together with my new skis poles gaiters wool knickers light pack and socks together with a bag of cookies and other goodies that Patti had provided The reality of what I was about to do began to dawn on me It seemed to me that it might have been foolish of me to attempt such a daunting cross country skiing trip in the absence of any cross country skiing experience The flight across Hetch Hetchy Reservoir Yosemite Valley Half Dome the Clark Range Tenaya Lake Mt Hoffman Tuolumne Meadows Mt Conness Matterhorn Peak the Sawtooth Ridge Twin Lakes Virginia Lake and Mono Lake was spectacular It was familiar territory clothed in winter garb We landed at Lee Vining airport We met people from two other flights The 25 of us mostly complete strangers got into the back of pickup trucks and we started up the Tioga Road The weather remained favorable as we assembled beneath a pinnacle that we once nicknamed Nigel s Needle We suited up adjusted our packs and applied sun block The trip began with an easy uphill through truly spectacular scenery We skied through a world that was completely silent except for the soft shushing sounds of our skis over the snow and the call of an occasional winter bird As we rounded the turn above Ellery Lake the sunshine and the exercise began to make us warm By that time some of us were skiing in shorts and shirtsleeves We stopped at the Saddlebag Lake turnoff to enjoy a candy bar and the spectacular view The Tioga Pass Resort was almost totally covered with snow and looked like a something in a Currier Ives print Courtesy of Born in Yosemite by Peter Hoss Snow Canyon Creek Cabin We crossed the frozen Tioga Lake and made it to the top of the Tioga Pass by 1 p m We found the ranger station An earlier blizzard had covered everything with a thick blanket of snow An earlier party had thoughtfully shoveled a path to a bathroom window which provided easier access to the ranger station than the front door that was buried beneath many feet of drifted snow The interior of the ranger station was gloomy because all the windows in the place except for the one in the bathroom were covered We enjoyed the supply of beer that had been thoughtfully provided months earlier for our enjoyment The ranger station was a picturesque place with a wood stove bunks a collection of signs a fireplace ranger materials brochures and news magazines that were three years old We had some free time One ambitious group set off to ski toward Mt Dana another group to ski to a nearby ghost town called Bennettville Others napped read three year old news or sat around telling mountain stories As evening shadows fell we turned on electric lights boiled snow to make water and partook of a delicious dinner complete with appropriate wine BORN IN YOSEMITE 75 years of passions politics personalities traditions history adventures and comments from personal observations by Peter T Hoss Photos from the Adams Family Collection Photos from Tom Frost Climbing Collection Photos from the Yosemite Research Library Music of Yosemite by Tom Bopp Following dinner we joked and sang folk songs sea chanteys and oldies but goodies from the 40s and 50s including a song called the Frozen Logger which only Don Pitts and I knew We were no longer strangers We were comrades By 10 30 p m we had sung all the songs we knew so we spread our sleeping bags on whatever floor surface we could find and drifted off to sleep Some of the more adventurous among us spent the night sleeping in snow caves they had excavated in the drifts that were piled up everywhere We woke the next morning to another cloudless day Following a brisk breakfast of juice eggs and cereal we put on our skis By 9 a m we were cruising down an easy eight mile downhill run toward our destination at Tuolumne Meadows passing a series of breathtaking vistas and overlooks for a series of mountain peaks including Dana Gibbs Mammoth Lembert Dome Unicorn and Cathedral We skied down the road on a gentle grade passing those scenes of snowy beauty in perfect weather We arrived at Tuolumne Meadows at about 12 30 p m unlocking the ranger cabin to find more treasures of beer and food In addition 29 95 plus tax shipping haqndling Please send this ad and a check to Creative Offsprings P O Box 2342 Salinas CA 93902 email pphoss sbcglobal net

Trans Sierra Gourmet Ski Trip Yosemite California Winter 2013 the Tuolumne Meadows Ranger Station came complete with actual rangers We found that the cabin was much roomier than the one we had stayed at the day before In addition the facility had more of the trappings of civilization including such things as curtains on the windows and working telephones That afternoon we explored Lyell Fork and Tuolumne Meadows Lodge The Dana Fork of the Tuolumne River was completely buried in snow I was intimately acquainted with the place after having worked there one summer and visiting it on several occasions but now with snow up to the rafters and dumpsters barely visible above the drifted snow the familiar scenery had an eerie air of unfamiliarity The ranger station took on a festive air that evening as we broke out champagne prepared another delicious meal and ended with singing around the fireplace songs that we had forgotten about from the night before There was much more sleeping space each of us actually got his own bed Our luck with the weather held out and the next day dawned bright and clear mind boggling in its beauty We had coffee juice and cereal and then put on our skis again and headed across the familiar bridge at Tuolumne Meadows We viewed the frozen river and the snow capped pinnacles of Cathedral Rocks Unicorn Peak and Echo Peak While skiing across the Meadows I began to feel really at home on cross country skis the rhythmic gliding motion had become comfortable and felt graceful We were skiing down a pleasant downhill to Tenaya Lake The sunshine reflecting off the brilliant snow began to bother my eyes We saw a few places of open water on Tenaya Lake so we decided to ski the road rather than chance the lake s ice The afternoon skiing was uphill difficult and hot The difficulty of the ascent was considerably ameliorated by two nurses who were handing out beer and backrubs Later in the afternoon our course led through a deep forest and the trip began to grow pleasant once again Mount Hoffman came into view and then the pleasant shade of the May Lake parking lot We began looking for our nighttime destination which was the snow survey cabin at Snow Flat It was 4 p m and we were feeling the 12 miles that we had covered The old Tioga Road began to diminish filling our minds with the unsettling surmise that we might have gone too far We stopped to reconnoiter and some of our party began a furtive search back along our trail to see if we had gone astray Some of the more mellow members of our party decided to imbibe a pleasing libation they had thoughtfully brought with them consisting of gin and lime juice a gimlet They offered me one The exercise of the day together with the gorgeous surroundings and pleasant company made the drink one of the most refreshing drinks of my life By the time we had finished our drinks the searchers returned and said that we were actually at the junction of the very trail we had been looking for and that the cabin was only 100 yards from where we had been enjoying the drink I learned a lesson from that experience When you are in confusion and doubt take a break Have a gimlet Things will work out The Snow Flat snow cabin which was our destination is an A frame with a loft and a balcony smaller than previous accommodations and with no electricity We illuminated our evening with Coleman lanterns I climbed onto one of the upper bunks so I could get out of my gear and wound up remaining in that bunk for five hours though two beers a nap wine and dinner all From Dust to Granite the Yosemite Art and Writings of Jo Mora Forward by Peter Hiller paintings sketches photographs and the journal of renowned western artist Jacinto Joseph Jo Mora when he visited Yosemite in the summer of 1904 Tom and Jerry Mora s mule team nearing the crest of Priest Grade in 1904 on a trip from San Jose to Yosemite Page Nine of which except for the nap were passed up to me The evening songfest which had by that time become a tradition was greatly augmented by an extemporaneous talent show that included skits songs jokes and a memorable rope trick in which Al Smith roped himself to an appellate judge who was part of our expedition By this time a great feeling of camaraderie had developed among us and we all felt as though we had been lifelong friends The illusion of my being a competent cross country skier was dispelled by the difficulties that I faced when we left the Snow Flat cabin The day started out with a reason helps walking movements on a flat or uphill level but gives the skier little control when going downhill The most effective way for cross country skiers to slow their progress downhill is by encountering an uphill grade but that isn t always possible Skiers are able to spread skis in a snowplow but with difficulty if inexperienced as I was A skier can help further slow progress by dragging his pole between his legs but that trick is not easy nor was it effective for me Downhill cross country skiers have one weapon in their downhill arsenal A descender is a sock like device fastened to the rear of the ski by a rope Entering Tuolumne Meadows able course that wound through that is crossed across the bottom forests We had lunch on a beautiful of the ski and fastened to the front but windswept spot known as Ser of the binding in effect converting endipity Point overlooking Tenaya the ski to a narrow snowshoe DeCanyon with a spectacular view of scenders permit a downhill skier to walk straight down a hill It is safe Clouds Rest After lunch we began ski but laborious ing down a relatively steep grade Downhill skiing with crosswhich is the most difficult part of country skis becomes even more cross country skiing threading our difficult when boots get wet and beway through a heavily wooded area gin to slip off the skis which then Cross country skis are narrower turn sideways in the soft snow At than downhill skis and have no edg one point even side slipping down es The heels of cross country boots a steep slope became so ineffective Continued on Page 13 are not attached to the skis This Reserve copies of these special collectors limited editions Contact Constance O Connor Central Sierra Arts Council 209 532 2787 or e mail Connie CentralSierraArts org or check www CentralSierraArts org All editions will be numbered and signed Soft Covered Hard Backed Special 50 100 First Edition First Edition Deluxe UT Collectors DO OL S First Edition 200 All proceeds benefit the Central Sierra Arts Council a 501 c 3 non profit

Page Ten YOSEMITE GAZETTE Writer Who Hikes then Shares Journey Stoneman Bridge Winter Perhaps no river crossing in Yosemite Valley has been more photographed than the historic 80 year old Stoneman Bridge a single arching span faced with rough hewn granite that provides a dramatic foreground to Half Dome the park s most iconic natural marvel The 205 foot bridge is slated for possible removal under proposed plans for restoring the natural flow of the Merced River Wild and Scenic River Plans Unveiled continued from Page 1 economies replace substandard temporary and aging employee housing currently in the park with code compliant residences that fit the historic character and significance of Yosemite and promote environmental sustainability and public safety by relocating facilities away from flood and rockfall hazards and on to more resilient buildable sites The TRP presents the environmental analysis of four alternatives the National Park Service is considering according to NEPA The park has identified Alternative Four as the Preferred Alternative Improving the Traditional Tuolumne Experience The Preferred Alternative seeks to retain a traditional Tuolumne experience while reducing development and making the visitor use more sustainable Specifically the alternative will allow for the restoration of informal trails replanting of native vegetation and the restoration of natural hydrologic conditions continue to provide visitor access to the Tuolumne River repair damaged riparian areas near the river and in meadows maintain the health and integrity of the river system while still providing access to the river without damaging sensitive areas For a copy of the plans and a complete description of all alternatives please visit the park s website at www nps gov yose parkmgmt mrp htm MRP or http www nps gov yose parkmgmt trp htm TRP Comments on either DEIS can be made through the Planning Environment and Public Comment PEPC website at http parkplanning nps gov yose_mrp MRP or http parkplanning nps gov yose_trp trp Comments made through the PEPC website are the preferred method of submission However comments can also be sent via email to yose_planning nps gov or via U S mail to Superintendent Yosemite National Park Attn Merced River Plan or Attn Tuolumne River Plan P O Box 577 Yosemite CA 95389 Sharon Giacomazzi a Midpines resident has hiked about 11 000 miles on both sides of the Sierra Nevada in the past 33 years More at home on a wilderness trail than anywhere else she confesses her soul belongs to the great outdoors She is the author of three historical hiking guides and countless articles for newspapers California Explorer and Sierra Heritage magazines Her fourth hiking guide will be finished this year Sharon also leads hikes and loves to share her passion for Sierra trekking and history to historical and environmental organizations Giacomazzi grew up on a large cattle ranch in the foothills below Kings Canyon National Park and has always loved outdoor life After graduating from San Jose State University she taught school for many years in the Bay Area before moving to Midpines I d rather wake up in the middle of nowhere than in any city on earth Sharon said She began writing about her hiking journeys in 1992 incorporating her strong interest in Yosemite and Central Sierra history into each article Hiking clears out the cobwebs refocuses my mind on what really matters and reminds me that to be centered my head and body must live in the same zip code Sharon said Leading readers and armchair travelers through majestic landscapes Sharon s books are designed to help direct novice walkers as well as experienced trekkers and backpackers Besides a trail guide her work tells the stories of native peoples explorers lumberjacks railroaders pioneer settlers and others who passed through these places She believes hiking involves more than moving from trailhead to destination and having back ground knowledge of the terrain enriches the experience Many of her hikes are off the beaten tourist paths Years ago an intriguing John Muir quote Between every two pine trees is a doorway to a new life sparked a deep emotional response in Sharon setting her on a path literally to find my sense of place in the world So I started hiking Sharon said and discovered who I was found peace and healed old wounds in nature s embrace Sharon Giacomazzi For some home is their birthplace Sharon said For me home is the place of the soul Such is how I feel about the mountains in and around Yosemite On my very first hike to the top of Mt Hoffman geographical center of the park I realized I had passed into one of those transforming moments that come just once in a lifetime Up there in air as fine and dry as a good Chardonnay and surrounded by an endless panorama of granite peaks and domes I found my path I was home at last Editor s Note Sharon Giacomazzi shares one of her hikes with her debut contribution on next page 11 Tuolumne Me Wuk Indian Health Center Now Accepting New Patients Medi Cal Medicare CMSP and most private insurances accepted For services offered and locations of our health and dental centers visit www tmwihc org 18880 Cherry Valley Blvd Tuolumne CA 95379 209 928 5400

Yosemite California Winter 2013 Page Eleven Turtleback Dome is a Trail for All Seasons By Sharon Giacomazzi Great is granite and Yosemite is its prophet Smeaton Chase 1911 Some hikes are all about the journey some are all about the destination Turtleback Dome is definitely about the destination You d be hard pressed to witness the immense jaw dropping views of Yosemite Valley for such little effort I ve marveled at the fabulous famous sights of the seven square mile Valley from every rim viewpoint most of them multiple times in all seasons The best way bar none to experience one of the most stunning landscapes in North America is from above Trust me this is a two bit walk with a million dollar payoff Nowhere else can you see so vividly the amazing effects of glaciation on granitic bedrock resulting in geologic formations that are unique in the world Away from the crowd Away from cars and buses Away from commercial development Away from on going construction projects Far away from human noise That s how to witness the magic of Yosemite Valley an unequaled and magnificent work of rock sculpture carved into the west slope of the Sierra Nevada The mile long road to Turtleback Dome is a trail for all seasons The hardest part of this short jaunt is finding the small pull out parking area Head s up you ll need to be fast to spot it It took me two times The massive views of monolithic Half Dome pointy top Quarter Domes the soaring perpendicular wall of El Capitan jutting Cathedral Rocks Bridalveil and Tamarack Creek waterfalls Sentinel Dome and the forest meadows and meandering Merced River of the Valley floor are eyegasmic Double at least the WOW factor when mantled in snow Photographers take note Turtleback is an excellent location in February to shoot ephemeral Horsetail Falls sliding down El Capitan like a ribbon of fire says Michael Frye who has been photographing Yosemite for 25 years Timing is everything Low angle of the sun snow pack sufficient water slipping over the rim and no cloud cover are some factors to consider Check out Frye s website for details michaelfrye com articles horsetail The perspective atop the glacially polished smoothly rounded slab of granite is similar to the scenic extremely popular Tunnel View but lacks the crush of motor tourists jockeying for a photo op Furthermore IMHO the vistas rival those from Dewey Point even Glacier Point Seen from above Turtleback appears to be a curved shield like hump Several large boulders called erratics are souvenirs left behind by a retreating glacier My favorite time of year for this obscure rim viewpoint is winter photograph by Sharon Giacomazzi Turtleback Dome From the totally silent setting about 1600 feet above the Valley as the raven flies hikers will easily grasp why Yosemite Valley is a freak of nature Togged out in layers and high top hiking boots I love the crunch of snow on the road leading through the forest The blacktop ends at the communication building and web cam tower Walk easily and briefly above the little facility and find a spot on the dome to drool over the views Depending on conditions I wear gaiters and snowshoes The stunning vista might divert attention away from your feet Use caution because the surface may be slippery and icy It s not impossible though for the huge sloping Dome to be wind swept and bare April possibly May hikers may witness the little Yosemite bitterroot Lewisia disepala a very rare wildflower growing in granitic sand It is a plant that grows only on domes and cliffs around Yosemite Valley and nowhere else in the world PLEASE respect this unique species and leave it be From the totally silent setting about 1600 feet above the Valley as the raven flies hikers will easily grasp why Yosemite Valley is a freak of nature It s only seven miles long and just shy of a mile wide but it scores higher in sheer scenic value per square foot than anywhere else on Planet Earth It s also heaven for waterfalls Five of the world s tallest falls live here Yosemite Falls 2425 feet is North America s highest No other landscape displays the effects of glaciations on granite bedrock as well or as spectacularly as seen here And that folks is its glory and its curse Why wouldn t four million annual visitors want to experience this place Though it represents only 1 of the Park s total area this is unquestionably Ground Zero for visitation However the masses that jam the Valley can be easily avoided by simply getting your feet on one of its many trails some of which are flat some are up and away To get on your way at the west end of the Valley floor turn right at the sign for Bridalveil Falls and Fresno About one mile up reach the famous Tunnel View where tons of tourists snap photos of the Valley You might want to stop to compare it with Turtleback views and ambiance Drive through the tunnel that was excavated through the lower portion of Turtleback Dome After exiting the tunnel the road makes a wide shallow bend to the left south Look sharp for a small pull out on the left where the road to Turtleback meets the highway This hard to spot area is approximately one mile from the end of the tunnel If you miss it you ll need to turn around and try again An option is to park at road marker W3 and attentively walk up to the access across the highway Behind the locked gate it s only a three fourths mile moderate uphill walk to the dome While munching a snack in the solitude atop this great granite blister you might think about what impact your visit will have on this and other Sierra locations My goal is to never leave even the slightest trace of my presence To experience a landscape on foot connects us to it forever Only through this kind of intimacy can we understand the transforming power of nature Recently before leaving this unique outlook I remembered the words of a cynic who quipped Let s face it too much beauty is boring So after being bored to tears by excessive beauty for a couple of hours I walked back to the trailhead

Page Twelve YOSEMITE GAZETTE The Fremont Adobe By Wendy Brown Barry If these walls could talk what would they say They d have tales to tell of a by gone day Where wagons rolled down streets that were dirt And miners and loggers came here to work And the Chinese came and built the rock walls And there were Indians camped by Yosemite Falls September 17 2011 Cowgirl Poet Wendy Brown Wendy Brown Barry on the trail in the high Sierras A resident of Mariposa Wendy is an experienced entertainer featured in Cowboy Poetry festivals and western events An expanded profile will be published in the Spring edition of the Yosemite Gazette Open Daily except Sunday Full Breakfast Lunch from eleven Full Traditional Bakery Apples Strawberries Pears Produce in season Sonora by Columbia author Michael Gahagan 22 50 plus shipping G O Enterprises P O Box 444 Columbia CA 95310 In q u i ri es G a zet t eer h u b 3 n et Cider 100 natural unfiltered Train Rides weather permitting 21 19 Arcadia Publishing s Expresso Frapp Smoothie Bar Apple Pear Sauce Jams Jelly no preservatives 1 Ch erokee R o ad The Fremont Adobe was the first building in town It has a rich and colorful history Most of it is written down But some remains a mystery We know that John C Fremont built it Before California became a state Dating back to the Great Depression 1850 was the date Gold had been discovered here And John C built a mine He used the adobe for offices And he lived in it for a time Rumor has it below there were tunnels That ran underneath the town And up to the mine on the hillside Through these tunnels the gold was brought down Since then this building has seen many things A caf a butcher shop A bakery a dry goods store And a place that sold jewelry and clocks It s seen two fires and was the Gordon Hotel Where folks could come and stay Big murals were painted in the old saloon And three are still here today Later on it became the Gold Coin Club The town s local watering hole Miners would come up here from Bagby To spend their hard earned bankroll With gold dust and nuggets abundant Gambling was part of the scene Hear the shuffle of cards at the tables And the sound of the old slot machines Can you hear the big boots of the loggers They were tough hard working and strong Loud voices and laughter the rattle of dice Echo here even though they are gone Feel the aura left behind by that colorful crowd Their spirits are still lurking round Looking down on the Fremont Adobe That sits at the edge of our town Tuolumne 209 9 468 9 2 8cov ersapp anch com ler

Yosemite California Winter 2013 Gourmet Ski Trip Continues to this Day Continued from Page 9 that I finally removed my skis and simply trudged down the hill sinking to my thighs with each step I would sometimes think that I could ski the switchbacks and then put the descenders on but I fell on every other turn becoming increasingly aggravated and filling the uncaring trees around me with my expletives Al remained sympathetic and helpful I clumsily shuffled the final two miles on descenders and finally reached the end of the snow line on the top of the switchbacks leading down Tenaya Canyon At that point I had a beer which tasted marvelous under the circumstances I shared it with two Yosemite employees I encountered who were on their way to ski to June Lake where they were going to register for unemployment It was a blessed relief to be out of the snow We strapped our skis to our backs and started walking down the trail watching with interest the snow falling off the face of Half Dome I was grateful to be able to control my course again but the walk grew tedious It seemed that we would never arrive at the Valley floor which we could see so clearly below us We finally arrived on flat ground at Mirror Lake It was 6 30 and evening shadows were descending on the Valley when I came limping into camp in the company of Don Pitts and his then fianc e Kay We discovered that the others had arrived only shortly before us which made me feel somewhat less incompetent The trail hadn t been easy for anyone We arrived home at 3 30 a m following one of the more eventful 21 hours of my life My calves and ankles were sore but I was proud of the accomplishment which had actually been somewhat foolhardy due to my lack of experience If the weather had not been perfect there could have been big time trouble I never again went on a Trans Sierra gourmet trip and never really mastered the niceties of cross country skiing but contented myself with downhill skiing However I became an evangelist for the trip I spoke so enthusiastically about my experience that several of my friends started taking the trip going multiple times and calling themselves groupies of the experience accepting me as a fellow groupie since I was the one who had first directed them to the event When he learned about my experience my son Vince went on the trip ten years in a row and has now gone 12 times He met his wife Wendy on one of the trips The trip continues but the course has changed 8 This passage Trans Sierra Gourmet Ski Trip is from Born in Yosemite by Peter Hoss who writes of his personal experiences over 75 years Born in Yosemite can be obtained in Yosemite at the Visitor Center Ansel Adams Gallery Yosemite Lodge and the Ahwahnee or on the internet at www creativeoffsprings com amazon com or autographed by writing the author at P O Box 2342 Salinas California retail price 29 95 Groveland Appraisal Services Page Thirteen Uncle Ed s Grub Fixin s Editor s Note Ed Swanzey s hometown is Columbia California He is a graduate of Sonora Union High School and returned home to Tuolumne County after an absence of 50 years Swanzey is a trained archeologist musician concert band master and conductor published composer arranger and song writer author non fiction feature articles and technical manuals and award winning photographer published nationally and internationally It goes without saying that Swanzey loves to cook By Ed Swanzey This recipe ain t for the faint of heart It ll give your day a real kick start You know get the old juices flowin Serve it with tomato juice and tin can coffee It ll cure the previous evening s moonshine miseries and start the ugliest tempered hunter on a successful 4 a m search for the biggest damned elk you ever saw I guarantee it Fixin s 1 8 eggs beaten 7 8 slices bacon finely chopped 2 1 2 large onion finely chopped 8 1 cup sour cream 3 3 cloves garlic minced 9 1 tsp Tabasco sauce 4 1 stalk celery finely sliced 10 1 2 tsp crushed red peppers 5 1 medium tomato chopped 11 1 tsp cumin 6 1 2 cup grated cheddar cheese 12 1 2 tsp dried cilantro Fixin the Fixin s 1 Put bacon in 10 inch frying pan and cook over low heat until almost crisp 2 Add garlic onion red pepper cumin and cilantro Fry over low heat until the onion just begins to turn golden stirring occasionally 3 Stir in celery Cook until just soft 4 Remove onion mix and set aside Wipe the inside of the pan and return it to the heat 5 Mix Tabasco sauce into eggs 6 Pour eggs into frying pan and slosh them around couple of times to harden on the bottom 7 Spread the onion mix over the top of the eggs and put the tomato and avocado on top of that 8 Cover with grated cheese 9 Cover the pan and cook over low heat until the cheese melts 10 Remove from heat let cool a couple of minutes and cut into four pie shaped pieces Spread sour cream over the top and serve Comments Garnish with chopped chives and parsley or chopped fresh cilantro Serves four Located in the historic Big Oak Flat Post Office Rick Fox SRA Certified RES AR004651 P O Box 495 Groveland CA 95321 209 962 7067 grovelandapp mlode com 209 878 0117

Page Fourteen YOSEMITE GAZETTE Park Rangers Lonely Post During Winter in Tuolumne Meadows By Tom Stienstra Editor s Note Thanks for this reprint of San Francisco Chronicle Outdoor Editor Tom Stienstra s article published ten years ago Two snowbound rangers in the back country of Yosemite National Park haven t seen another person for nearly four weeks That doesn t seem very long said Bruce Carter who is living with fellow ranger Tracy Wiese in a small cabin at 8 600 feet at Tuolumne Meadows We re used to not being around people What they are seeing however are snow slides and avalanches massive snow drifts and with more snow expected this week continued high danger from avalanches They warned that anybody planning cross country ski trips in Yosemite wilderness during the Christmas holidays should use extreme caution and avoid high steep northern slopes Cross Country Skiers The only way to enjoy Tuolumne Meadows in the winter is by cross country skiing or snowshoes Carter and Wiese are spending their third winter at Tuolumne Meadows in order to monitor conditions for the park service and cross country skiers They have worked at many national parks across the West including in Alaska in the past 25 years This winter they are spending most days out exploring and tracking changes snow depths and avalanche conditions in Yosemite s back country The last storm dropped 5 feet of light powder on top of an icepacked base Carter and Wiese said That created avalanche conditions in canyons and the sides of domes where the light powder can slide down across the ice base then gather strength and size and turn into an avalanche Drifts as high as 30 feet of wind blown snow have built in some areas they said It was clear enough Monday to scope the area with binoculars from Lembert Dome Carter said We saw several dozen Class 2 slab avalanches large enough to bury a person on north facing slopes of the Cathedral Range We also saw two Class 3 large enough to break trees on Unicorn Peak s northeast slope The latter is a popular area for cross country ski touring Carter and Wiese advised extreme caution for winter visitors until conditions stabilize The worst spots are where new snow overlies the older snow laid down in early November particularly in the deep shadowed pockets and near north aspects Wiese said Amid patrolling for avalanche dangers the rangers have seen many wonders since the big snows arrived in the Sierra Pine marten tracks seemed to be the first to appear Carter said then added with a laugh We saw pine marten tracks on Lembert Dome that defied all aspects of safe travel in avalanche country Sunday they skied a slope near Elizabeth Lake where there was an eerie whumping sound amid the quiet forest At 9 800 feet on a north facing slope they dug a snow pit and found 16 inches of new snow on top of 7 feet of sugar snow The old sugar snow the bottom layer is less dense than the fresh powder on top of it Carter said That s why it s making that whumping sound as it settles To determine avalanche danger Carter and Wiese conduct what is called a Rutchsblock Test That is where they dig in the snow to isolate a 6 by 6 foot block of snow that you then step on When this test was conducted Sunday part of the block slid as an 18inch slab This indicates high avalanche danger especially since it was conducted on a 26 degree slope and not the more avalanche prone slopes of 30 to 40 degrees In another test they dug a 1 foot square isolated snow column on the National Park Service Photograph Tuolumne Meadows Ski Hut The ski hut is the stone building facing the Tioga Road just west of the bridge across the Tuolumne River and right at the entrance to the Tuolumne Meadows Campground in the summer the building is the campground reservations office It is about eight miles west of Tioga Pass and sits at about 8 600 feet in elevation same slope This column slid 18 inches with no force applied I strongly recommend that anyone skiing in this part of the Sierra this winter dig a pit and find this old snow surface often marked by pine needles and tree debris Carter said From that he said you can better determine how much loose material is on top of the packed base With interest spiked by high amounts of early winter snowfall Carter and Wiese said they expect that cross country skiers would begin showing up in significant numbers in Yosemite s back country The question we get so often is Is the park closed for winter Carter said We always laugh because hey here we are It s open all right it just looks quite a bit different than in summer and you have to ski in to get here The Tuolumne Meadows Ski Hut is open for the season There is an ample supply of firewood and 10 bunks that are available on a first come first served basis You can call the Tuolumne Meadows Ranger Station at 209 372 0450 If you leave a message we will get back to you the first chance we get Power and phones are frequently out of service Contact the wilderness office at 209 372 0740 with any questions or concerns if you are unable to reach the ranger station Come prepared don t count on electricity or phone service at the ski hut Triggering isolated wind slabs is still a possibility in the high alpine zone Wilderness skiers need to use caution when traversing slopes above tree line Persistent weak layers can still be found in the snowpack but until they are loaded with new snow they do not pose a hazard Wildlife We saw a snowshoe hare this week and many other small mammal tracks in the newly fallen snow A flock of red crossbills was observed near Tioga Pass and the ravens Clark s nutcrackers and mountain chickadees are still enjoying the solitude of Tuolumne Meadows Current Ski Rangers Post Latest Report Meadow in the Sky A History of Yosemite s Tuolumne Meadows Region The only book dedicated solely to the history of this region it provide the story of Native Americans soldiers and sheepherders Miners geologists and surveyors John Muir the Sierra Club and the birth of Yosemite National Park William Keith the painter and numerous other famous people who passed this way With maps and old photographs At local bookstores AlbicaulisPress yahoo com

Yosemite California Winter 2013 Page Fifteen Superintendent A lot of celebrating in the next four years Neubacher continued from Page 1 right information to make good choices Yosemite Gazette What is the budget that you run the park with How much of that is from the funds raised by the Yosemite Conservancy vs Congress Superintendent Neubacher The park has an overall budget of close to 90 million Congress appropriates to Yosemite National Park about 30 million each fiscal year Other sources such as entrance and concession fees help to offset our costs of protecting resources and providing a quality experience for the park visitor We are indebted to our key park partners such as NatureBridge and Yosemite Conservancy The Conservancy provides about 9 0 million in support each year The scale of our responsibilities is huge The park has over 3 7 billion in assets replacement value of buildings roads trails etc and serves over 4 million visitors per year Because of staff and park partner efforts the park usually receives high public satisfaction ratings during annual surveys Yosemite Gazette How are the attendance numbers tracking for 2012 Have you seen a rise in visitation as a result of the Ken Burns TV NPS film the Oprah Winfry visit and the PBS John Muir documentary Superintendent Neubacher Park visitation in 2012 is about equal to 2010 through 2011 with both years having visitation close to 4 0 million annually The previous peak year was in 1996 when 4 19 million visitors came to the park just before the major flood in 1997 We do believe various media productions have increased awareness of the value of national parks and their special connections to the American public We have also seen a greater cultural diversity of individuals coming to the park Yosemite Gazette Can you comment on the Merced River Plan The alternatives presented in the Draft document could potentially result in far reaching changes to the park as we have known it The next step is the Draft Environmental Impact Statement with plan approval by July 2013 Superintendent Neubacher The park has released the Draft Merced Wild and Scenic River Plan and Environmental Impact Statement Over the course of the last few years park staff members have been diligent about involving stakeholders in a transparent process to develop draft concepts and alternatives for public consideration So far we have held over 40 public meetings and developed two workbooks for public input We are trying hard to learn about issues that are important to the public Yosemite Gazette This summer you hiked Half Dome It is one of the most popular hikes in the country The long range Half Dome Stewardship Plan will lay out the process for accessing the cables Can you share your feelings about the future of this hike up the signature landmark of Yosemite Superintendent Neubacher The Half Dome signature hike is a rite of passage for many individuals During the Half Dome planning process our long term goal has been to provide a safe and quality experience for those undertaking this amazing hike to the top The final proposal should come out later this fall I also want to let potential hikers know that the park has over 800 miles of trails and there are many hikes to peaks that are equal to Half Dome A personal favorite of mine is the hike to Clouds Rest One Best Hike Yosemite s Half Dome by Rick Deutsch Mr Half Dome Forward by Royal Robbins Updated 2nd Edition The only dedicated Half Dome guide Covers history geology preparation 193 pages 120 photos Gear checklist trail information 18 points of interest with mileage altitude elapsed time GPS markers 14 95 plus tax at Yosemite REI Amazon Outfitters and Bookstores HikeHalfDome com FREE Half Dome app Yosemite Gazette How many formal programs is the park pursing this year Superintendent Neubacher The park provides millions of visitors with information and in depth programs on various aspects of the park Our thirty plus youth programs are some of the best in the nation serving over 40 000 youth per year Many of these programs are transformative providing a once in a lifetime experience one kid at a time In particular NatureBridge provides exemplary in depth residential field science programs to over 12 000 students each year With a variety of interpretive partners the park has offered well over 5 000 interpretive programs in 2012 Yosemite Gazette Many visitors like to stay connected to loved ones and colleagues while at the park Cell coverage and wifi are spotty at best Are there plans to enhance performance in these technologies Superintendent Neubacher There are plans to increase wifi access and communication systems in the park This is a long process working with private providers However we do see increased service occurring over the next year Portions of Yosemite Valley now have 3G and 4G coverage which has increased the use of mobile devices in the park Yosemite Gazette How has the relocation of Administration Division to Stroming Road in Mariposa gone Do you envision moving more functions out of the park Superintendent Neubacher We are happy to announce many of our administrative functions are now fully functioning in the town of Mariposa The move has two great outcomes It is a win for park staff because of a shorter commute also the public gets a bonus by having less cars on park roads and we help the economy of Mariposa by placing jobs there Over time we want to review the possibility of moving other functions that are not required in the park to adjacent communities we have no specific plans right now We have been pleased with the placing of rangers in adjacent communities to provide up to date information to the visiting public Yosemite Gazette The 150th Anniversary of the Yosemite Grant is in 2014 followed in 2016 by the 100th Anniversary of the formation of the National Park Service Can you share any information on the plans the park has to celebrate these landmark events Superintendent Neubacher We are going to do a lot of celebrating in the next four years in concert with our gateway communities park partners and the public We hope to accomplish some key resource and visitor projects and have over 100 events each year to commemorate the birth of the national park idea wilderness act and the national park service We are working closely with our gateway partners and business to ensure successful events during the coming four years I m excited to note that we recently announced the Yosemite Grant 150th Story Contest which will result in the publication of a book of 150 short stories from staff visitors and fans of Yosemite Like us on Yosemite Gazette correspondent Rick Deutsch conducted this interview and he plans on continuing a series of interviews in future issues He has written One Best Hike Yosemite s Half Dome and blogs at HikeHalfDome com Facebook Yosemite Gazette Thank you for your time and efforts on the behalf of all Americans Any parting comments Superintendent Neubacher I just want to express my sincere appreciation to the greater community of Yosemite including my colleagues in adjacent US Forest Service lands Over the course of the past few years many individuals and groups have worked with us to solve regional issues We believe collaboration is the key to success for all of us A special thank you to the gateways and other agencies for people s time and ideas I also want to take the opportunity to recognize and thank the extraordinary park and concessions staff that serve the visitors and steward park resources They are deeply committed to providing exceptional service to the public and work tirelessly to preserve the value of Yosemite for present and future generations

Page Sixteen Yosemite California Winter 2013 YOSEMITE GAZETTE Photography courtesy Stanislaus National Forest Spring Issue Forecast SNF and YNP Good Neighbors Editor s Note Yosemite National Park shares most of its northwest border with the Stanislaus National Forest YNP 761 268 acres was officially formed in 1891 and the SNP 898 099 acres was established in 1897 Both grew out of a conservation movement that gained national political recognition in the early 20th century but do the Park and the Forest have the same mission in the 21st century Is one a museum and the other a resource manager Robert Frost wrote Good fences make good neighbors Have the SNF and YNP been good neighbors To be sure you don t miss this article your favorite writers and spring photographs of the Yosemite region clip and mail the subscription blank this page Photography by Richard Barrington Leavenworth Washington Prehistoric Yosemite This photograph taken by Richard Barrington in November 1984 with real film Currently residing in Leavenworth Washington Barrington said For me the appeal of the photograph is the ancient mood that it projects I almost expect a dinosaur to rear its head up from the fog Of course photographs from this viewpoint have been taken by the millions but my luck of being there at this opportune time was a special event for me Yosemite is such a special place Don t miss the Yosemite Gazette bus Subscribe to the YOSEMITE GAZETTE One year only 30 less than 50 cents a story 45 for two years 100 for five years You ll receive your copy of each issue delivered to your home or office by first class mail Photocopy this and mail it to us with your check at P O Box 5227 Sonora CA 95370 5227 You can also subscribe at our website YosemiteGazette com Name ____________________________________ Address __________________________________ City ______________________________________ Yosemite Winter Reflections Photograph by Dianne Shannon Dianne Shannon a Sonora resident and partner of Columbine Type and Design frequently visits the Park Submit your spring seasonal photographs vintage prints or paintings for our upcoming Spring 2013 issue to Editor YosemiteGazette com State _________ZIP_________________________ Email ____________________________________