SKYWAY TO YOSEMITE

e [Music] [Applause] [Music] cradled in the mountains of central California lies a vast region of soaring Peaks and deep valleys set aside forever as yose National Park where great cliffs of polished Granite look down on flowery Meadows and cast our Reflections in calm tree shaded Waters where the air is filled with the song of falling water and you can stand among Forest monarchs which were old when Christ was born here there are accommodations to suit every taste from the finest of luxury hotels to secluded Mountain camps miles from Human [Music] habitation here to are activities for every visitor Chuck Wagon breakfast Championship golf a myriad well stocked streams and at night good songs in good company around a glowing fire but summer is not yose's only season Fall closes the landscape in a brilliant display of color while the white cloak of winter transforms familiar scenes and attracts thousands of skiers the return of spring completes this cycle of beauty whose spell will remain with you always drawing you back again and again yes yosity is truly a magic word which arouses interest wherever the name appears even mainliner 300 flying in the smooth upper air on to [Music] California cruising effortlessly at 5 miles a minute these Great Plains can cross the continent in a few pleasant but now in the Spotless Galley of mid ships interesting preparations are underway the United stewardess sets up trays of delicious food prepared by Continental chefs in United Z own flight kitchen and there almost as if you'd rubbed Aladdin's lamp a full course meal is spread before you fresh fruit cocktail broiled steak tossed green salad frozen dessert mint Wafers and [Music] coffee thus we while away the brief hours while our plane speeds Westward along the famous Mainline Airway which follows the route of the early [Music] Pioneers there is the bus waiting at the terminal entrance bearing the magic word Yos yosity off there among the distant peaks of the Sierra shining in the [Music] Sun the well-kept streets are soon left behind and we settle back in airconditioned Comfort to enjoy the many fascinating sites along the way a herd of plotting beef cattle supremely indifferent to our hurrying progress the historic Gold Rush town of maraposa dating back to the days of 49 and the spectacular descent into the canyon of the mered river whose Rushing Waters will accompany us during the remainder of our [Music] journey a friendly wave from the ranger speeds us through the park gate and soon through the trees comes the long awaited first glimpse of Yos Valley on the left El Capitan sweeps down in a graceful curve while on the right his beautiful bridal veil fall under sheer Granite Cliffs towering 3,000 ft above us we come to the [Music] awani it is amazing to find in this remote setting one of the world's renowned hotels offering every comfort and luxury to the arriving guest and after a glance outside your window you step out on the balcony to Marvel at the beauty of your surroundings dominated by half doome bathed in a glow of sunset light Yos Valley 7 and 1 half mil long and less than a mile wide is the center of activity in Yos National Park a delightful way to see the valley is from a comfortable sightseeing bus whose driver guide explains its Scenic features such as half doome and North Dome sculptured by Nature into forms of enduring Beauty later in the government Museum you hear a ranger naturalist Explain the origin of these Mighty rocks born of volcanic fires and Polished by grinding glaciers with this information you're even more receptive to the beauty on every side Sentinel Rock Rising a sheer 3,000 ft above the valley floor and the graceful Pinnacles of Cathedral rocks climbing steeply now we arrive at Inspiration Point where the entire Valley is spread before us the Majestic Cliffs the plunging waterfalls and the Virgin Forest as we descend to the valley floor another grand spectacle awaits us [Music] L Capitan largest Granite monolith in the world whose polished flanks give evidence of the mighty glaciers which once passed this way following the river's Upstream course we emerge from the forest to witness the full impact of Yos Falls one of the world's highest cataracts measuring 2,425 ft from its base to the valley [Music] Rim plunging through a granite Notch the waters fall in a mighty Ark 1,430 [Music] ft and they drain off in a series of Cascades until they leap free again plunging in Aros Swift of white water to the Rock Basin far below but now it's 7:00 of a dewy morning and we're off on a horseback breakfast ride a favorite Yos [Music] activity a fine way to meet congenial Companions and possibly find a bit of romance as [Music] well out Across The Meadows winds the trail the morning air is scented with flowers and the song of birds filters through the trees [Music] well it looks as if some romantic Notions have already been [Music] inspired break it up says the guide we're going places so they rejoin our party for a Brisk caner across the meadow and through the trees [Music] until we come to Mirror Lake in its Shady Basin reflecting so perfectly the surrounding rocks and trees that it is hard to separate image from [Music] reality but the spreading ripples of our passage break the spell and once again we're off Through The Meadows headed for the River Ford and breakfast we ride up to find part of the group already assembled and are shown our places where we stretch out Western fashion licking our lips at the sight of the well-filled plate from the cooking place tantalizing odors drift our way The Buttery smell of griddle cakes piled in golden stacks by the fire the aroma of coffee from the KingSize pot and the scent of frying bacon in more than Apple [Music] Supply ah those pancakes lucky for us that no one's keeping count of the number we put [Music] away surely no other food ever tasted quite so good full of food and contentment we joined the Cowboy serator In A rousing Chorus of songs now it's time for a trip to the top of those mysterious Cliffs far above us our first destination is Glacier Point less than a mile away in a straight line but about 30 m by a road our comfortable glass top limosine make short work of this distance however and soon we pull up at Glacier Point hotel which has welcomed guests from all over the world from the wide Vera a mighty Panorama greets the eye the rounded tops of North Dome and mount Watkin the great trough of Tanaya Canyon the hooded silhouette of [Music] half the white plume of Nevada fall and the lovely pyramid of Mount Star King framed by arching Pine branches a few hundred yards from the hotel is Glacier Point itself 3,200 F feet directly above the valley [Music] floor from this vantage point every feature of the valley is plainly visible the scattered buildings of camp Curry the winding course of the Merced River and the awani at the base of the opposite Cliff far off to the left is Yos fall whose Thunder reaches even this point when we stand in silent Wonder on the very edge of the [Music] world our limousine tour continues to waona Hotel whose Hospitality has been traditional since [Music] 1881 time passes in leisurely enjoyment of the tree shaded pool horseback riding through Meadows thick with flowers and golf on the sporty all grass [Music] cour and so we leave W just a minute not in this well preserved relic of its Pioneer Stage Coach day days but aboard our limousine once again climbing in the Clear Mountain Air until through the forested aisles I revealed the two Guardian Sentinels to the Mariposa Grove of big [Music] trees straight and Tall they stand enduring as time itself man's only living link with the ages of the past [Music] even in death these Forest Giants are almost impervious to Decay some of the trunks which fell centuries ago are still in a perfect state of [Music] preservation patriarch of the sequa is the grizzly giant estimated to be at least 3,800 years old we note its impressive Dimension height 209 ft diameter 34 and 7/10 ft circumference 96 and 1/2 ft but the sheer bulk of the giant is overwhelming and we can only stand with respectful Wonder in its [Music] presence most famous of all the giant seoa is the wona tunnel tree which stands like a Titan of old arride the highway indifferent to the human swarms around its [Music] feet you continue on to a welcome stop for rest and refreshment at picturesque Big Trees Lodge luncheon is served on the Terrace among the great golden [Music] Trunks and the shy Forest creatures occasionally steal out to share your [Music] Bounty a short distance from the lodge is the government Museum where ranger naturalists are on duty to explain the life history of the giant seire tracing its growth Through the Ages to a day when in a green cone high above the ground ripened and dropped a Tiny Seed which at a billion to one odds became a healthy tree growing in the space of many centuries to a perfect specimen which is a very poem of symmetry and strength [Music] nestling among the Pines at the base of the royal arches in Yos Valley the aani is surrounded by Beauty on every side a broad stone Terrace faces the morning sun a perfect place to relax and rest [Music] the wide guest balconies are popular for informal entertaining and provide a vantage point for lazy Sun worshippers to contemplate the more energetic pastimes going on below them golf on the tricky mhi course which offers an opportunity for mild exercise and a chance to brush up on your short game and hard fought tennis matches meal time however brings us all together in the vast baronial dining hall in such surroundings The Familiar right of eating becomes a notable event and you do hearty Justice to the Bountiful menu [Music] the after dinner hours are lightened by a game of cards in the California room with its historic [Music] Furnishing or a quiet chat in the great Lounge a room of noble proportions and decorations and an excellent place to enjoy beautiful music or live over again the memories of these wonderful Days by the Light of the Blazing fire many of Yos finer scenes are best observed from its 700 miles of trails which wind throughout the park all along these Trails you meet hiking parties swinging along with a stride of experienced Mountaineers or puffing up the grades in a manner that betrays their City [Music] origin there are Trails for novice and expert alike in The Meadows are fields of flowers such as the goisha and the graceful wild Coline and deep in Forest shade the shy and beautiful snow plant late in the day you may surprise an antler [Music] Buck or a fat waddling Bruin who is best left to his own devices for those who prefer to ride there are horse trails of Plenty the one to Nevada fall is a favorite here the mered river plunges over a precipice in a great plume of intensely White Water cascading into its Misty Basin above the fall the river Roars down a narrow Chute before hurtling over the brink to the black rocks 594 ft below those who enjoy Solitude can find it on the High Sierra Trail stopping each night at picturesque Mountain Camp offering comfortable accommodations hot showers and delicious meals back here in the wilderness the fish are eager for the [Music] fly and even a novice May land a prized golden trout but the favorite of all Yos Trails is the famous Mist Trail to the top of Vernal fall climbing up the Steep Trail we enter the Abode of the Mist [Music] goddess High overhead the Thundering cataract throws out a filmy curtain [Music] but we plunge ahead into the Mist buffered by ghostly winds and sharp bursts of spray until we are rewarded by the sight of a shimmering rainbow there at the base of the [Music] Fall climbing a slope carpeted with brilliant blossoms We Leave the misted World Behind us for the final climb to the top of the the fall there we stand on the brink and stare at the plunging Waters in their rush to the distant sea for over 50 years camp Curry has dispensed a notable Hospitality many of the older generation have vacationed here since the days of horsedrawn stages and mother Curry personally greeted each arriving [Music] guess Camp Curry's charm is compounded of many things watching the graceful deer which roam fearlessly along the pathways and feeding the Saucy JS which greedily snap at every tidbit looks as if this fellow's getting his Peanut the hard way bike riding is a popular sport which attracts all ages [Music] which is even better when combined with a dip in the river those deep pools and sandy beaches will always be one of your most pleasant yose memories of course if you prefer tiled floors and filtered water there's a heated pool with diving boards and lifeguards to watch the youngsters speaking of children there's also the famous Kitty Camp staffed by trained supervisors it's hard to say who appreciates it more the youngsters or the parents who are left free to enjoy adult [Music] activities another popular Pastime is the burrow picnic bouncing along to the movement of flopping ears the young riters follow the guides along the trail to the riverbank and then it's higho silver across the stream for lunch and a swim Nightfall ushers in another round of gay activity there's entertainment Under the Stars followed by dancing in the big Pavilion and always the big campfire a old familiar [Music] song famed through throughout the world is yose's impressive Firefall from Glacier Point a mound of red furb bark is piled at the edge of the cliff and set a fire as the fire burns low the Dark Shadows creep up the cliffs until only the tip of half doome gleams like a glowing coold then is blotted out leaving only the pale blue flames of the dying fire far below thousands of faces are turned upward and ears strain for the sound of the distant [Music] call then the waiting fire tenders pushed the coals over the brink silently the glowing Cascade bands out into a fiery cataract drifting down in slow Majestic motion for a fleeting moment its beauty holds you Spellbound then you gather it up as your most treasured memory of yede valley of enchantment