Would John Muir recognize the Yosemite of today? What
would he think of his beloved “hospitable, Godful wilderness,”
where he roamed freely, built campfires anywhere he pleased and
traveled with his unleashed dog, Carlo? To explore questions like
that, writer Geraldine Vale and geographer Thomas Vale retraced the
route that Muir described over a century ago in My First Summer in
the Sierra. The Vales found Yosemite National Park surprisingly
unchanged from Muir’s solitary temple of 100 years ago. They also
found that very few of the park’s 4 million annual visitors reach
Muir’s level of engagement, or “brotherhood,” as he called it, with
the natural world. Instead, noise and cars dominate. Yet, the Vales
say, “Even we encounter individuals on the trails who ask us the
names of birds or trees. Desire for rational understanding is
strong,” and they suggest that the Park Service respond to that
desire. “Encouraging knowledge and enhancing a sense of place,
park-specific booklets, whether provided by the Park Service or the
Yosemite Association, belong on the bookshelves of the visitor
centers and concession stores.” Walking with Muir Across Yosemite
is available from the University of Wisconsin Press, Publicity
Department, 2537 Daniels St., Madison, WI 53718-6772
(608/224-3888). Paper: $14.95, cloth $32.95. 176 pages. Illustrated
with drawings and photographs.
* Jennifer
Chergo
This article appeared in the print edition of the magazine with the headline In the footsteps of Muir.
Republish our articles for free, online or in print, under a Creative Commons license.
