Yosemite Valley Celebrates the for Schedule

See Yosemite Today Yosemit e Guide for a complete calendar Your Key to Visiting the Park of what’s happening in the park. SUMMER/FALL 2002 25¢ VOLUME XXXI, NO. 1 Celebrating Yosemite by Bob Roney As the predawn light crept through the trees on the Valley floor, a 75-year-old man moved slowly and deliberately up the trail past Vernal Fall. The trail was an old friend to him. He hiked it every year to celebrate the anniversary of his birth. Mid-day would find him pulling him- self up the last 900 feet of cable to the summit of Half Dome, one Courtesy of Yosemite Concession Services,Yosemite Courtesy of Corp. vertical mile above his starting point. He would Look later descend into the twilight-filled Valley Inside! and head for his room Valley Map . Back Panel at The Ahwahnee. Once Park Map showered and dressed, Planning Your Visit. 8 & 9 he made his way down- Protect Your Park. 4 stairs to the dining Bears . 6 room just in time for his Camping . 7 9:00 dinner reservation. Backpacking & This was a ritual he Valley Day Hikes . 12 repeated every year Explore Yosemite . 10 – 11 for decades. Yosemite News . 2 & 3 Continued on page 1 Just for Kids . 13 Half Dome and the Merced River Painting by Gunnar Widforss, circa 1920 YOSEMITE GUIDE Your Key to Visiting the Park SUMMER/FALL 2002 VOLUME XXXI, NO. 1 Celebrating Yosemite Continued from front cover Anniversaries celebrate important and This meant making parks accessible to a Lodge, he became acquaint- meaningful events in our lives. You prob- wide range of people, and The Ahwahnee ed with Best and was ably have many memorable occasions served this purpose for a targeted segment allowed to practice on his circled on your family’s calendar—gradua- of American society. piano. In his autobiogra- tion days, weddings remembered, the phy, Ansel Adams says, birthdays of children. The 75-year-old COINCIDENTAL CENTENNIALS “I was first attracted to Mr. man was not only celebrating his birth Today, two pianos in The Ahwahnee— Best’s piano and soon there- and past ascents of Half Dome, but his touchstones of nostalgia for many—are after to his daughter love of Yosemite. This year, the park cele- celebrating anniversaries of their own. [Virginia Best].” In 1928, th brates The Ahwahnee’s 75 anniversary, Years ago, honeymooners were charmed Ansel and Virginia were th the 100 birthday of Ansel Adams, and by the music played in the Great Lounge. married in front of the th the 100 anniversary of Best’s Studio In the early days of The Ahwahnee, a stone fireplace in Best’s Stu- because of what they have come to mean local fellow destined to become a concert dio, which they inherited to those of us who love Yosemite today. pianist practiced on the piano in the upon Harry’s passing in Great Lounge. He became a regular and 1936. Today it is known as DIAMOND AHWAHNEE guests looked forward to his music in the The Ansel Adams Gallery In June of 1928, local couple Lloyd afternoons. This young man never did and is the oldest family- and Elizabeth Graham honeymooned at become a famous musician. Instead, we owned business in the Yosemite’s newest hotel, The Ahwahnee know him as the world-renowned pho- National Park System, and were among its first newlyweds. Since tographer and conservationist, Ansel currently in its fourth then, they have returned year after year to Adams. Just as The Ahwahnee helped generation of operations. celebrate nearly 70 out of 74 anniver- promote national parks, Adams’ images saries. This year marks the NATURE’S ANNIVERSARIES 75th anniversary of The While living and working Ahwahnee’s opening, in Yosemite, Ansel Adams giving us cause to reflect invented a special anniver- Research Library Yosemite Photo courtesy of on its place in history and sary he called “Earth’s The Ahwahnee under construction. the state of national parks Birthday.” The date was at that time. obviously contrived, but The 1920s were amaz- the sentiment was genuine. ing years. Advances in In the same sentimental spirit, we might TO LEARN MORE... science and technology say that there are trees in the Mariposa raced toward a bright Grove that centuries ago celebrated the Take part in The Ahwahnee’s future. Ford’s assembly- 1,000th anniversary of their sprouting. Diamond Anniversary Celebra- line production of Likewise, the granite of El Capitan will tion events hosted throughout automobiles made them celebrate its 104 millionth birthday this the summer. See Yosemite Today more affordable and high- year, and Yosemite Valley celebrates the for schedule. ly desirable to the some-teen-thousandth anniversary of its Visit The Ansel Adams Gallery, common family. In last glacier. located in Yosemite Village, and th Yosemite, tourist travel Adams Gallery Ansel The Photo courtesy of Come to think of it, this is the 35 take a tour of their fine print to the Valley and the Big anniversary of my first visit to Yosemite— Ansel (in front) and Virginia Adams (seated in back) in room or go on a photo walk. You Trees skyrocketed from Yosemite, 1923. a profound, life-changing event for me. I can also learn more about Ansel 68,906 in 1920 to began my career in Yosemite the follow- Adams by viewing the film Ansel 461,257 in 1929—an ing year. It’s amazing how a visit to a Adams—Photographer. See increase of nearly 670%. special place like Yosemite has affected Yosemite Today for schedule. The Ahwahnee serves as an icon of the resonated with those who might not oth- generations of people. Perhaps we feel a formative years of the National Park Ser- erwise visit Yosemite and underscored the spiritual renewal or the awakening of a Go on a history walk with a vice. In 1927, Stephen T. Mather marked importance of protecting wild places. The primal sense of our connectedness to our National Park Service ranger to his tenth anniversary of becoming the year 2002 marks what would have been natural world. learn more about the develop- first director of the newly formed Nation- his 100th birthday. (Incidentally, one of Anniversaries are not so much about a ment of Yosemite as a national al Park Service. The Ahwahnee was built those pianos will also be 100 this year!) date or event but the relationship of peo- park. See Yosemite Today for because Mather saw its value as a means It’s the 100th anniversary for two other ple to those dates and events. Whether schedule. to promote the importance of national Yosemite events that would touch Ansel it’s the 75th anniversary for a landmark Visit the Yosemite Cemetery in parks. He knew that in order to prevent Adams’ life. In 1902, the year Adams was hotel, the 100th birthday of a great pho- the Valley where James Mason Yosemite from becoming a “Coney born, a man named James Mason Hutch- tographer and conservationist, or 1,000th Hutchings is buried. A Guide to Island,” large numbers ings, one of the park’s early entrepreneurs, for the sprouting of a giant sequoia, the Yosemite Cemetery is available of people (especially died in a carriage accident in Yosemite everything about Yosemite is connected— in the Valley Visitor Center. those with influence Valley. Hutchings had written a book its human history, its natural history. I in Washington entitled In the Heart of the Sierras which a hope you can become part of Yosemite by D.C.) would young Ansel Adams read as a boy, piquing connecting with some aspect of it. Then have to care his interest and curiosity about Yosemite. by all means, come back and celebrate about it in Consequently, Adams’ first visit in 1916 your Yosemite anniversary! OSEMIT its natural solidified a permanent relationship with Y E state and the park that would lead to his love of Bob Roney is a National Park Service GUIDE want to wilderness, his fame as a photographer, ranger and Yosemite Master Interpreter. Published by the National Park Service. see it pro- and even his eventual marriage. This article came from research he conduct- NPS Editor-in-Chief Kristina Rylands tected for Also in 1902, landscape painter Harry ed in preparation for his Ahwahnee future gen- Best opened Best’s Studio in Yosemite Anniversary interpretive programs Production by Skip Gaynard Designs erations. Valley. When Adams moved to Yosemite (see Yosemite Today for schedule). We’re Interested Valley in 1920 to operate the Sierra Club We are always looking for ways to improve our visitor publications. You can help by sending your comments via email to [email protected]; fax to 209/379-1294; or mail to the address on this Yosemite Guide. 1 YOSEMITEYOSEMITE NEWSNEWS FROM THE SUPERINTENDENT Dear Yosemite Friends, I also encourage you to use Yosemite Today, a com- On The Welcome to Yosemite! Whether or not you panion to this Yosemite Guide. It contains a calendar of have come to this magnificent park as a newly- all of the latest events and programs, facilities and wed or to observe an anniversary, there is services that can help you make the most of your Web always something to celebrate in this special Yosemite visit.This publication has proven to be an place. Bob Roney’s article on the cover of this invaluable tool, connecting you with what to do and Yosemite Guide reminds us that the connections where to go in the park. Be sure to watch it for we make in this park can enrich us and make upcoming programs on this year’s many Yosemite The official Yosemite National Park lasting impressions on our lives.

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