The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1882-07-16
THE HETCIf- HETCHY.
A Valley RivnliinR the Yosemite In uenutx
Towering Precipices and Rocks OF re.
cuIinr Formation VI ngnIacent Nyn,.rc,n.
From the san FRANCISCO chron,cte

tf'bWN'W
- HETCH- HECrcHY. June 20. - The Uetcb-
Hetcy Valley is situated on the main Tuolumno
| river, about twenty-five miles west OF the cTcst
OF the Sierras. and sixteen IN an air limo north
West 81 losemlc Like that valley 1t il but n
widening of the bottom Of the river canon
from tho common W shape to that of a "U.1
granite cliffs for the ordinary s,nntins cn,fhui
covered sides Of the California cnnon 'fiiHsa
formation to be found in the Siof RI s nsd doiS
fact, exceed Ia height Of walls size. natural
wonders, and effect upon tho observer any sim
iI i,r lorhIation YET discovered Ia either hems-
ptneTre. Volumes have been written descriptive
| on 1Qsemlte. but OF her sister valley equally
beautiful, and in some respects even more re-,
marRaole our public prints, our books of
trayel. and with one exception. even our guido
Hetch,, Hetchyi s reached from Colrax Servings.
sa ~ Yo,ei az the tollgate on the Big Oak fa6
rotc. THIS is wild spot. being the Junction Of
the middle and south forks OF the Tuolumns
hotel the road winds along tho cahon 1000 f"s5
above the river; and IN view Of cascades On tho
south FORK, and vertical fall on the middle
| fork 200 feet in height Further enst crrpt
down bluff at tho junction OF the two
feet in height had a fine view Of The inidiileoo
fork cascades gi directly opposite. The stream
From n. rocky biufr u half-lnile down the caii"n
| Hctch-Hetchy comes FIRST into open view il ia
q surprise. The panorama is noble one. ein,
| braclng in ono vast nmphithcatrc al thr III, Il
notable objects Of interest of the valley Yo.
semitic cannot, produce It's equal. 1t Is as if ii
tho Yosemite and Nevada falls wero brousLs
boTow at2 Ps PST Broad ana Gn we
rock on which now sit. The meadows level
by melted SHOWS, but smooth and1 PLACID
and iringed by noble trees. form the foreground
closed on three sides by nearly vertical walls
oil solid granite, rising from 1000 feet, on the
dome. in the centre OF the picture, springins
| d 200 ieGt above the level Of the valley. PANT
dfeS Wilt Gins gSevsty gray relieved BY patches
bands Of Jet black Then throw over the i tof"
fas Of thsse ellis two Of ,{oseTtgs bss
| the remembrance that you are miles away from
the PRINCIPAL objects which form this .;igantIc
minds eye the first view Of Hetch H lie SG
The valley Is about four miles in length. and
| to about half mile midway OF either end ID
is much smaller than Yosemite and. unlike
| nearly all may be seen In one panorama
The majestic cliffs of the upper valley are the
| lower being more slanting and less peculiar in
shape. The highest have named the Great
to a MAMMOTH ocean Steamship in full sail.
tts height above the valley Il Upward Of Loco
height Rno SSUM S Si knSar 9as
oPPIoshite is another clii OF fully equal height.
100 yards apart and heads separated by
scarcely more than quarter of mile of
pushing its almost vertical front Boldly out out
into the valley, rises a monument OF solid
directly from the valley. without debris Worthy
the name am and impTessss ths behplder as does
by the Indians as Ko-lo-nah Rock andIIs the
most prominent and wonderful fcuture Of
son and Contour sSse ene R@aE In Y 3oee9 9
mite but is a far more wonderful formation.
opnosite ko!onah sloping cliff rises 1000 feet.
smooth granite dome, lifting its honry head
5000 feet above tho MEADOW and river below.
numerous ephcmera torrents which Slide and
leap down the cliffs in the early spring or after
heavy showers, AT the upper end Of the valley
the cahon diviSes. as in Yosemite. the Tue.
umne coming down the right fork. Here en-.
tiers what is known as Rancheree Creek. Both
river and creek crossed by narrow sheep
bridges. andwe set out on half mile scramble
cades Any one wishing to gain a clear and
| perfect idea Of pandemonium should visit these
falls The Rancheree Creek. II stream forty
| feet in width. enters a narrow gorge. with yor-
teal walls IRON rs to l75 feet in height Down
this gorge 1t 29nGes for for nearly hali 7 milo
being nearly 600 feet, In this passage tie
stream everywhere hs its narrow canon.
walls would appear to have been rent asunder
by some terrific action OF nature; Such another
be nowhere Witnessed from so good a vantage
ground. The cliff sides being perfectly up-
| with safety along the very verge. and look
down into the foam; flashed waters which III
den Pain Re oG Of eHsry a P cds Of
smoke-lke spray I'll the gorge. in, which form
miniature rainbows wherever tho rsunlig4.
beauty OF those walled cascades have ncySf
seen e1pallgd anywhere in the Sierra and tho
ease with which they may be viewed oven b,
ladies unused to fatigue. is not the least II
their attractions. Below the, gorge the creek
takes its final spring into the valley in broad,
f%Hnlike cascade. in which may be seen spray
From the summit OF Gardiner Rock ob;ut
midway Of the north side OF the valley LEAPS
waterfalls to be found in thu the entire p range 4
the Sierras. 1t is at the lip about thirty feet in
T h and makeS clear InmG OF from 500 to
the slopng debris. pile to the valley ,bclow; As
ward II few hundred feet completely intacta
snow white ribbon of foam. Then it separates
t. in haste to dash against tho rocks below.
These in turn are resolved into beautiful:
Of every passing nrrc%e. In a fresh wind It
swa,s $, back &c, q9d f%rih hundred FEET aGr" ne
that fail, and far more Of grandeur Just cast
Tu-ee-u la lah is Hctch- Hetchy. or WaTana
hn nGth Ie na IN ION paF b SeT IRON n rs 81
can scarcely be called a waterfall being litilo
as n cascade it exceeds anything OF the Kind |
mated at from 1000 to 100 feet Its position
renders calculation by EMANCIPATION extremely
| difficult. My computations 10y that method
and observations with the aneroid barometer
place the fall to the debris pile at l.5up feet
There are two nearly vertical falls, the rapids
| between DETECTING at an angle of about thirty
| degrees. The fall is walled on one side by the
| vertical face Of Gardiner Rock, but on tho on.
| is opcn thus ailUrding a view Of its ia.
| length from the upper end oi the valley Thu
stream forming liotch-lirtchy is fully seven.
| ty-nyo feet in width. and currics nr;.riy
| double as much water as Yosemite Crock. H.
! descent is ponderous. grand. awe inspiring
and in marked contrast to that OF ru-e"-u.'u-
| lah. which is lightncss and fairy-k. sru.n
| Itself. iietch Hctchy ILLS its RorEr-!ltc r.n-
! fines with smoke-ike spray. and its l,al -
heard for miles up and down the valley II is
| milk white mass Of foam, showiu-, a' ,,lor ~
| do some of the Yosemite fails. Viewed iruinA
| central point in the valley llrtrl-l"ur'iy has
| the appearance OF one Uuhruhon vertical fail
| and from that standpoint is Il grand Sl"cta 'l".
| Thus viewed 1t exceeds all other Sierra water
falls. except Yosemite, in height, and even mat
| fall in amount OF water. No greater contrast
| in waterfalls can well be imagined thHu IS ir'-
sented in Tu-ee-u- a-lah and lIrtch- ,l"tchy.
and we doubt if such another l. auywE' re ol~o