Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1880-05-24
HOW TO SEE YOSEMITE.


HOW TO SEE YOSEMITE.
The large Boston excursion party, which
comprises about one hundred and fifty
members now in Southern California, was
the advance guard of Eastern visitors to
| the Pacific coast this year. The terrors of
the overland journey have been dissipated
by the accounts of trustworthy travellers
| The seven-days ride in palace cars has been
shown to be far less trying to nervous peo-
pie than humdrum sea-voyage, the mo-
notony of which is only broken by the un-
| speakable ills of sea-sickness. Americans,
to their credit be it said, have great de-
sire to see all parts of their country. The
| Eastern States have been worn threadbare !;
the st. Lawrence trip lost all its old nov
| city the South is not attractive Just at
| the time when tourists are most anxious
| to travel There remains nothing except
| Western attractions, and of all these Cali
| fornia will always take the lead. An air
| of romance hangs over the Pacific coast
| which 10 amount of familiarity has ever
| been able to dissipate. Radically distinct
as it is in so many ways from the East, a
visit to it is something like an excursion
into foreign country.
From all reports, this season ought to
witness a great increase in the number Of
Eastern tourists. We can always count
on the travelling Englishman, for he regards
as failure visit to this country which
does not include what he facetiously terms
"a run across the continent" But for
several years the hard times at the East
have put damper on long vacation jour-
| neys. 1t has been the aim of every one
| to take his summer recreation in the most
economical way. This year revival of
| business unlOoses all purse-strings, and the
season just opened promises to see an un-
usual amount of travel from the East to
this coast. 1t is also hopeful sign that
| the tourists are not waiting until the plains
are parched with July drought before set
| ting their faces westward.
OF course, to the tourist, Yosemite is the
chief attraction in the State. 1t over
shadows everything else in California, rich
| as the State is in natural wonders. The gen.
eral verdict is that it IS better worth see-
| ing than anything else in this country, and
the public is coming to believe this in
| spite of its skepticism about places that
| have been over-advertised. To visit the
| famous valley was once regarded as a
great feat, but the railroads have changed
all that. The long ride on mule back over
thorny trails are things of the past. Timid
people even now sigh at the prospect of
the stage ride, but the fatigues of this
part are largely due to the vivid imagina-
ton of correspondents. Innumerable lies
have been told about the valley both by its
friends and enemies, so that it is difficult
for one who has not visited Yosemite to
form any clear idea of the trip. Rival
ticket agents puzzle the uninitiated by their
efforts to secure patronage for their roads,
and they do stretch the truth until it will
bear no further tension. Then the humor-
GUS man comes in with his burlesque on
the extortions of guides, hotel-keepers and
other denizens of the valley. Like Niagara
Falls, Yosemite has been greatly libeled by
this fraternity, most of whom do their
travelling on deadhead passes and at special
hotel rates. They expect city accommoda-
tions in the forest, and rail at the whole
place because they are charged more for
boot -blacking than they would pay on
Broadway or Montgomery street.
On such people any hints for practical
sightseeing are thrown away. They know
not how to travel, and they get no satis-
AoNpioh iioih iiO oSSASiy VI AONOi aoPCSto
of nature. The average tourist, happily,
differs entirely from this chronic nuisance.
For such, few notes about Yosemite may
be found useful. The best months to see
the valley are May and June then the
volume of water in the falls is large and the
Yosemite itself can only be seen in its true
majesty. July and August are charming
months for climate, but the falls are then
shrunken and the trails are dusty. The
early autumn, save for the one feature of
the waterfalls, is as attractive as spring.
Tourists who wish to enjoy themselves
should carry as little luggage as possible,
and should dress in clothes which will
bear liberal coating of dust. Gray tweed
for men and brown linen wrappers for la
dies form the most serviceable wear. At
any time later than May 18th, clothes of
medium weight, with heavy wraps, will be
found most comfortable. During July,
August and September, the climate in the
valley is almost exactly like that of the
mountain country at the East-like the
Adirondacks, the White Hills or the st.
Lawrence region.
Hotel rates in the valley will be found
very reasonable and the accommodations
unusually good. Prices range from 81 so
to So so per day. The tables are excel
lent, and if the sleeping-rooms are some
what primitive, one may excuse the lack
of city surroundings when he reflects that
every article has to be hauled over one
hundred miles of rough mountain roads.
The tolls to the various trails about the
valley are not excessive. The owners of
these trails have dug them at much ex-
pense, and their charges are only fair
remuneration for their outlay. A check to
all extortion, is found in Guardian of
the Valley, whose duty it is to receive and
investigate all complaints against guides or
toll. takers.
The trip to the valley may be made to
suit the purse of the tourist With the
help of the saddle horse keeper, who will
always meet him half way, he can make it
very expensive. But with proper economy
man may spend a week in the valley for
500, including fare from this city and re-
turn. This will include very little horse
hire, as an active pedestrian may tramp
over all the trails with no great amount of
fatigue or discomfort. Saddle.horse hire
averages from $4 so to S. per day. The
horses and mules are admirably trained,
and the most timid lady may trust to their
sure. footedness on any trail. Guide hire
is S. day. When shared by large party
this makes mere nominal sum for each,
but small parties will find it grievous tax.
In the hight of the season parties are made
up at the hotels for all the chief points, and
the hearty good fellowship that prevails in
the valley allows any one to Join in these
excursions. Yosemite tourists have always
been noted for their absence of convention
ality. The majority believe in having
good time. The men fraternize over morn
ing cocktails, and the ladies don't wait for
formal introduction to exchange among one
another their impressions of this delightful
place. The woman who preserves an icy
exclusiveness and ventures not beyond the
pale of her set or party is the exception,
and not the rule. In brief, residents and
visitors seem to meet on the common
ground of pleasure. and they generally
succeed in having royal time
ALL ISDoRsE IT.-The Recorder, Americua.
tGa.), says: Clerks, Senators, Representa-.