The Colfax gazette. [volume] (Colfax, Wash.) 1893-1932, 1910-08-05
MIGHTY UPL|FTS OF
YOSEMITE VALLEY
Ell Captain, North and South
Domes, Three Brothers.
The Royal Arches, UnequaIed in
Architectural Beauty and Grace
--Cathedrai Spires, Washington
Column, Glacier Point, Etc.

Column, Glacier Point, Etc.
Glacier Point, Yosemite Valley, July
% Especial to The Gazette).-In a pre-.
vious article on the Yosemite Valley
tried to point out some of the wonders
J to be seen, but it was so incomplete that
/ would fain make the attempt again,
although | know that even a second
article will fall short of making the story
complete The first article was written
from Camp Lost Arrow, in the depths OF
the valley, and dealt in large part with
every hand, although all were not men
toned. The reader was also taken
along the mountain trail leading up the
Merced river to Glacier Point, looking
down a sheer precipice 1854 feet into the
valley. Here / staid one night and spent
an entire day IN gazing at the matchiess
scenery spread out on every hand. L
wish in this article to mention some OF
the most notable peaks, domes and pin
Dacles to be seen in Yosemite, as we'll as
to speak OF the fauna and fora peculiar
to the region.
Some Tremendous Uplifts.
The South or Half Dome, in my opin-
ion, is the most striking object in the
valley. This is so, perhaps, because the
sightseer is permitted a view from several
angles, from a front view facing Mirror
Lake to study surrounding it as you
ascend to Glacier Point At each angle
it takes on a different form, seeming to
rise in height as you climb higher, even
at Glacier Point towering above you in
q h8lf-rounded dome, an object OF the
most intense interest. 1t rises 1892 feet
from the floor OF the valley, and is per
laps the most imposing and awe inspir-
ing of Yosemite wonders.
Entering the valley by stage El Capt.
tan presents bold front that the trav-
eler at fret glance may pronounce the
most striking object to be seen. 1t is,
indeed, striking, and it's greatness, sym
metry and beauty never pals on the
senses. 1t is the second great wonder
facing the valley. 1t rises $500 feet
high, q perpendicular precipice beyond
the power OF man to scale. When one
is told that the face of Ell Captain. if
spread on the floor of the valley, would
cover over 100 acres of land, or over a
half mile square, some idea OF the front
it presents can be realized.
The Cathedral Spires, 2579 and 2687
feet above the valley, stand opposite FL
Captain and are beautiful and striking
landmarks.
The Three Brothers are seen in the
same part OF the valley, Eagle Peak, the
highest of the three, being $3.50 feet
above the valley. In going TO the top
OF Yosemite falls most people go to
Eagle Peak, ride of three miles beyond
the head Of the falls. where grand view
of the entire Yosemite region as well as
the Sierra Nevada mountains as far as
the eye can reach is presented.
The Sentinel is an obelisk-iike slender
mass of granite standing opposite the
Three Brothers. Its tip is 3069 feet
above the Merced river.
A curiosity in nature that struck my
! attention was the Agassiz Column. You
encounter this column on the trail lead
ing down from Glacier Point into the
valley by what is known as the short
route; in other words, the trail that zig
zags down the face of the precipice, it
being possible to leap hundreds OF feet at
any turn in the trail. Agassiz Column
stands at point where Glacier Point is
900 feet above and the abyss is over
1000 feet below you. The shaft rises S5
feet high, and its base is so small and
frail looking as to cause wonder how it
maintains its equilibrium. 1t is such
another proposition as the Martha Wash.
ipgton rock at Colfax, only on a much
larger scale.
Other Noted Rocks.
Leaving many noted peaks and spires
let us proceed to the head of the valley,
where we encounter North Dome, Wash
ington Column and The Royal Arches.
North Dome stands opposite South or
Half Dome, rejecting it's beauty at early
morn, along with other peaks, in Mirror
Lake. 1t rises above the valley 3700
feet. and is only accessible from the rear.
It's dome is as perfect as the dome of the
Ill
OF course, many thousands OF times
greater.
Washington Column rises from the
base OF North Dome, looking not unlike
q sentinel of the rocky giants that sur
round it.
The Royal Arches are cut in the per-
pendicular wall quarter OF mile wide
and hang 1000 feet above the floor OF