YOSEMITE, y6-siml-tE (Indian, 'full grown grizzly VALLEY. in Mariposa County, Cal., on the west slope of the Sierra Nevada, about 150 miles, in direct line, east of San Francisco. This valley is one of the nat ural wonders of America and is unlike any other known valley iu the world. It is about six miles long and from half a mile to a talk wide. It is nearly a mile below the general lesel of die land near it. Entering the saber from the lower end, the two distinct sulky types may be seen, the V-shaped and the U-shaped. (See Vat-ervs). it has the char acteristics of a gorge and also of a catsi.i' n and was eroded from the surroundsien.e granite by glacial action. It is nearly 4,000 feet above sea-level and its walls of granite from IOW to nearly 5,000 feet higher. On the north side is a huge block of granite called El Capitan. It projects into the valley so that two of its smooth, almost perpendicular faces are 'nubile: the height is 7.442 feet. Opposite F1 Capttan are Cathedral Rocks and Bridal Veil Rock From the summit of El Capitan to the mama of Bridal Veil Rock is one mile: but at the base of the rocks the distance apart is not gnat.
The bottom of the valley widens from El Cap itan up to the "meadows." Other conspicuous blocks of the unbroken wall are called the Three Brothers (4,630, 5,826, 6,740 feet), the Spires (6,114 feet), Cap of Liberty (7,072 feet) and Sentinel Dome (8,117 feet).
About 15 miles above is the source of the Merced River, which flows through the Yosem ite Valley. The Illouette River which enters the valley from the south, and the Tenaya Fork, from the northeast, are branches of the Merced. There are two falls and about half a mile of rapids in the Merced River, beginning just be low the point where the stream enters the val ley. Nevada Fall, the upper one, is about 600 feet high, and Vernal Fall is about 400 feet. The Bridal Veil Falls is on the side of Cathe dral Rock which faces the entrance. Bridal Veil Creek here falls over a precipice 630 feet high and flows over an irregular bed which forms a series of cascades that combined make a descent of about 300 feet. The total fall is 900 feet. The name comes from the appear ance of the highest vertical sheet of water at times when the amount of water in the stream is not too great and when the wind sways the °veil of waters." Just below El Capitan is a fall called Virgin's Tears, which is over 1,000 feet high. The waters flow over this precipice
only for a few months after the summer heat has melted the mountain snows. The Yosemite Falls, nearly opposite Sentinel Rock, is made by the Yosemite Creek. The first vertical fall is 1,500 feet; then the water descends, in a series of cascades, about 625 feet and again flows over a precipice 400 feet high. In the "meadows" are a variety of flowers and grasses in the early summer months. The principal trees are the pine, fir, cedar and oak.
In the vicinity are many features of interest; great masses of dome-shaped rocks and the famous "big trees" of California are nearby. Among the prominent elevations arc North Dome, Sentinel Dome, Half Dome and Glacier Point. From Sentinel Dome may be obtained a good view of the Yosemite Valley and the sur rounding country. Glacier Point (7,214 feet) also affords a magnificent view. Half Dome is an imposing mass, 8,852 feet high.
The Yosemite Valley was discovered in 1851 by settlers who were located near a mining camp in the vicinity. The Indians had been annoying the white settlers and miners, and while in pursuit of the band of red men,. the whites found this valley. It was named after an Indian chief. In 1864 Congress gave the Yosemite Valley to the State of California, to be "held for public use, resort, and recreation," and to be "inalienable for all time." Private parties have built wagon-roads to the valley and trails to various points of interest in the vicin ity. In 1886 a railroad, 22 miles long, was built from Berenda, the Central Pacific Railroad, to Raymond, whence a stage line extends to the valley. This is now reached by branches of the Northern Pacific and the Union Pacific railroads. In the grant to the State, in 1864, besides the valley proper there was included ad jacent territory for two miles around it. Since 1890 it has been a part of Yosemite Na tional Park, then established by act of Con gress; and it was re-ceded by California to the United States 3 March 1905 and is under the supervision of the Department of the Interior.
Consult Bunnell, 'Discovery of the Yosem ite' (1893); 'Guide to the Yosemite' (Cali fornia Geological Survey); Muir, J., 'Our Na tional Parks) (1901) ; Chase, J. S., 'Yosemite Trails) (1911) ; Johnson, D. W.,