Winsor Crosby wrote:
> What a good response, Moose. The only thing I would add is that the
>range is the result of a rift with it being pushed up over the
>substrata of the valley to the east.
>
I always went in from the East. One day of hiking, starting at 7-9,000'
and gaining a lot, got one into the real high country. Coming in from
the West was days of slogging to get up there.
>The approach from the west is
>gradual and the first view of the Yosemite is almost shocking with
>its glacially eroded vertical walls and half tube side valleys. The
>eastern slope of the range is steep and precipitous. It has Mt.
>Whitney which was the tallest peak in the US before Alaska and Denali
>were added. When I was was hiking there were some glacial remnants in
>the more shaded parts of upper peaks, Palisade Glacier for one. I am
>not sure if it is still there. Probably melted away.
>
>
You mean this one
<http://www.moosemystic.net/Gallery/MPhotos/PalisadeG2.htm>? The lower
image, taken by a friend on the trip, shows my then still rather new
OM-1, 50/1.8 and Vivitar 2X-21 telextender. Back when I was in shape to
climb these places, I couldn't afford fancier equipment. Now that I have
all the equipment, I'm not in shape and have no desire to make those
climbs again. :-)
I don't know if the glacier is still there either, although a web site,
obviously much newer than my pic, indicates it still is
<http://www.thesierraweb.com/bigpine/bptr.html>. Its description of the
trail to the glacier pretty much matches my recollection. We went across
the glacier to reach the little seam/crack which gives access to Middle
Palisade Peak. There was another, smaller glacier just to the North,
just to the right of this pic. I just happened to have slides form this
time period out as part of a cleanup of my study when your mention came
up. When I get around to scanning more, I'll post them.
Moose
>My first view of the Rocky Mountains were a disappointment to me. The
>peaks all seemed so far away. I was used to mountains being up close
>and "in your face" like the Sierras.
>
>
Certainly true in some areas. In others, like Banff, they are right
there next to you.
>There was some volcanic activity accompanying the upward push which
>produced the basaltic columns of the Devil's Postpile as well as some
>of the piles of volcanic "bombs" in Owens Valley which have not yet
>been covered by eroded material from the mountains. There are still
>large hot springs not far from Mammoth Lakes and off course there are
>the frequent flurries of earthquakes that come dozens a day for weeks
>at a time and cause panic in the throngs of real estate speculators
>at the resort.
>
>
Last I heard, Long Valley, the caldera from an explosion supposed to be
greater than Krakatoa, was still rising.
>Yosemite Valley is a beautiful place from almost any viewpoint, but
>is almost loved to death by the crowds of visitors people who visit
>every summer. Other seasons and higher elevations have become much
>nicer.
>
>
The last couple of times I've visited have been outside the summer
crunch, relatively uncrowded and delightful.
A Moose steeped in memories of mountains...
==============================================
List usage info: http://www.zuikoholic.com
List nannies: olympusadmin@xxxxxxxxxx
==============================================
|