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[OM] Re: (OM) OT Yosemite Park

Subject: [OM] Re: (OM) OT Yosemite Park
From: Moose <olymoose@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Sun, 19 Feb 2006 16:26:56 -0800
Winsor Crosby wrote:

>  What a good response, Moose. The only thing I would add is that the  
>range is the result of a rift with it being pushed up over the  
>substrata of the valley to the east. 
>
I always went in from the East. One day of hiking, starting at 7-9,000' 
and gaining a lot, got one into the real high country. Coming in from 
the West was days of slogging to get up there.

>The approach from the west is  
>gradual and the first view of the Yosemite is almost shocking with  
>its glacially eroded vertical walls and half tube side valleys. The  
>eastern slope of the range is steep and precipitous. It has Mt.  
>Whitney which was the tallest peak in the US before Alaska and Denali  
>were added. When I was was hiking there were some glacial remnants in  
>the more shaded parts of upper peaks, Palisade Glacier for one. I am  
>not sure if it is still there. Probably melted away.
>  
>
You mean this one 
<http://www.moosemystic.net/Gallery/MPhotos/PalisadeG2.htm>?  The lower 
image, taken by a friend on the trip, shows my then still rather new 
OM-1, 50/1.8 and Vivitar 2X-21 telextender. Back when I was in shape to 
climb these places, I couldn't afford fancier equipment. Now that I have 
all the equipment, I'm not in shape and have no desire to make those 
climbs again. :-)

I don't know if the glacier is still there either, although a web site, 
obviously much newer than my pic, indicates it still is 
<http://www.thesierraweb.com/bigpine/bptr.html>. Its description of the 
trail to the glacier pretty much matches my recollection. We went across 
the glacier to reach the little seam/crack which gives access to Middle 
Palisade Peak. There was another, smaller glacier just to the North, 
just to the right of this pic. I just happened to have slides form this 
time period out as part of a cleanup of my study when your mention came 
up. When I get around to scanning more, I'll post them.

Moose

>My first view of the Rocky Mountains were a disappointment to me. The  
>peaks all seemed so far away. I was used to mountains being up close  
>and "in your face" like the Sierras.
>  
>
Certainly true in some areas. In others, like Banff, they are right 
there next to you.

>There was some volcanic activity accompanying the upward push which  
>produced the basaltic columns of the Devil's Postpile as well as some  
>of the piles of volcanic "bombs" in Owens Valley which have not yet  
>been covered by eroded material from the mountains. There are still  
>large hot springs not far from Mammoth Lakes and off course there are  
>the frequent flurries of earthquakes that come dozens a day for weeks  
>at a time and cause panic in the throngs of real estate speculators  
>at the resort.
>  
>
Last I heard, Long Valley, the caldera from an explosion supposed to be 
greater than Krakatoa, was still rising.

>Yosemite Valley is a beautiful place from almost any viewpoint, but  
>is almost loved to death by the crowds of visitors people who visit  
>every summer. Other seasons and higher elevations have become much  
>nicer.
>  
>
The last couple of times I've visited have been outside the summer 
crunch, relatively uncrowded and delightful.

A Moose steeped in memories of mountains...


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