(15 miles--1-1/2 hours by stage)
The final hour in Yosemite National Park--that generally spent in the
ride from the valley to El Portal--is one of interest, but it must be
admitted, of anti-climax. Facing westward we lose the wonderful views
which burst upon us in entering, but the trip, for all of that, is
attractive. From Yosemite Village either the Bridalveil or the El
Capitan Road may be followed. The former is the more scenic and is
described as Road Trip VI-A. The latter is set forth in the following
text.
Crossing ~Sentinel Bridge~ our poplar-bordered road bears northward
across a wide meadow from which are magnificent views of ~Yosemite
Falls~ and the ~Lost Arrow~ straight ahead, and ~North Dome~, ~Royal
Arches~ and ~Half Dome~ to the right. At the Grizzly Hotel site a road
forks eastward to Mirror Lake (Road Trip II). Turning westward beneath
the giant black oaks of the meadow border, we soon pass the old
Hutchings Orchard. The memorial bench at the left marks the spot from
which Galen Clarke so loved to contemplate the beauty of "Cholook,"
the fall of falls. A little further are the wild azalia gardens of
~Yosemite Creek~. Just west of the rustic bridge a short branch road
turns to the right to the foot of Yosemite Falls. We continue straight
ahead, passing Yosemite Hospital at the right and then running beneath
the arcade of ~Yosemite Lodge~. Just across the road is the swimming
tank, the tennis courts, laundry, etc. The main buildings occupy the
site of Koom-i´-ne, the largest and most important of the old Indian
villages.
Bearing southward, we now round the base of ~Three Brothers~, the
Waw-haw´-kee or "falling rocks" of the Indians. At the foot of the
great buttress is ~Rocky Point~. The Yosemite tribes called the place
We-äck (the rocks) because, according to their traditions, the huge
boulders in the vicinity fell _upon_ their trail. It is among these
boulders that Tenaya's three sons were captured in 1852, and the
colossal monument above was named for them.
Swinging more directly westward, our road now skirts the base of ~El
Capitan~, the Tote-ack-ah-noo-la or "rock chief" of the Indians. The
image of their fanciful chief is to this day pointed out on the wall
two thousand feet overhead, but he is now called "The Wandering Jew."
In a shallow niche 1189 feet above the road stands a hardy Jeffrey
pine 82.4 feet high and two feet in diameter. For half a mile we pass
thru ~El Capitan Meadows~, where once were the Indian villages of
Yu-a´-chah, Ha-eng´-ah, He-le´-jah and Aw´-o-koi-e. At certain times
during the day the ~Cathedral Spires~ and ~Cathedral Rocks~ on the
opposite side of the valley stand out in remarkable perspective, but
under general light conditions this stereoscopic effect is entirely
lacking.
Beyond El Capitan the ~Ribbon Fall~ may be seen, its dainty streamer
gracefully descending into the rather harsh box-like recess in the
canyon wall. Its Indian name was Lung-o-to-ko-ya, or "pigeon falls." A
cross road to the left passes ~El Capitan Checking Station~ and
crosses ~El Capitan Bridge~ to the ~Bridalveil Road~ south of the
Merced (Road Trips I-A and VI-A). A few steps further along our route
the ~Big Oak Flat Road~ turns to the right and ascends thru the
shattered granite talus of the north canyon side. At this junction was
the old Indian village of Hep-hep'-oo-ma.
Paralleling the Merced, we now and then are treated to glimpses of
~Bridalveil Fall~ dropping gracefully from its hanging valley and
guarded at the left by ~Cathedral Rocks~ and at the right by the
~Leaning Tower~. Where our route traverses a small meadow is the site
of another vanished village, We'-tum-taw. A short distance beyond is
~Black Spring~, which is but a few steps to the right of the road. The
Yosemites called it Poot-poo-toon, and among the rocks surrounding it
was a small community of the same name. Our road now bends gradually
southward following the banks of the Merced. Across the stream is
~Bridalveil Meadow~ and an especially fine view of the ~Gates of the
Valley~. A short distance further is ~Pohono Bridge~, where our road
is joined by the ~Bridalveil Road~ (Road Trips I-A and VI-A) from the
south side of the valley.
About a quarter of a mile westward is the old Mail Carrier's Cabin,
the site of the ancient village of Ah-wah'-ma. Across the canyon the
rugged ramparts of the south rim rise imposingly above and ~Meadow
Brook~ pours over the edge to leap 1170 feet as ~Widow's Tears Fall~.
A small dam in the Merced diverts water for the intake of the two
thousand-watt generators of the new government power house just below
the road. South of the river is a grotesque promontory which is well
named Pulpit Rock.
At the two small bridges about one and a half miles further down the
canyon we pass the foot of ~Cascade Falls~ which, during the flood
waters of early spring, is one of the most attractive scenic features
of the El Portal Highway. From these bridges is also the best view of
~Elephant Rock~, down the canyon. Less than a quarter of a mile
further, ~Wildcat Falls~ pour over the cliff at the right. A short
distance beyond, stage drivers often point out the image of a white
Persian cat on the wall above the road. The old ~Coulterville Road~
now branches to the right and steeply ascends the canyon wall. This
was the first road into Yosemite and was completed in 1874. Just below
Elephant Rock is ~Battleship Harbor~, a placid reach of the Merced in
which fancied granite dreadnaughts ride anchor.
A little more than a mile further down the canyon ~Grouse Creek~
tumbles over the south wall in a series of cascades. We now pass
beneath ~Arch Rock~, a natural tunnel formed by two huge granite talus
blocks. The trail bridge across the Merced, a short distance westward,
is the crossing of the ~Sunset Trail~, which passes the mid-winter
ranger station opposite and ascends past the foot of ~Avalanche Falls~
to the Wawona Road, 2500 feet above.
Two miles further down the canyon we pass out of the park and into the
~Stanislaus National Forest~ thru a region of gnarled oaks and
silver-gray digger pines. During the early season ~Indian Creek~,
across the canyon, forms the picturesque ~Chinquapin Falls~.
One mile below the park line is ~El Portal~, the terminus of the
~Yosemite Valley Railroad~. There is here a hotel and a small store.
On the opposite slope is the incline of the Yosemite Lumber Company
down which flat cars loaded with logs are lowered. From El Portal a
four-hour ride by railroad takes us to ~Merced~.