I went to the Visitor Center and read over the exhibits explaining Yosemite's history and also caught the park's movie "Spirit of Yosemite". I loved the video because it showed the park in the different seasons. I think winter would be so calm and peaceful (mostly because of the lack of people).
I also caught sight of John Muir the founding father of Yosemite.
Right by the Visitor Center is the Indian Village. Yosemite Valley was called "awahni" by the Southern Miwok. While this word has been the subject of many fanciful translations, Southern Miwok speakers contend it means "place like a gaping mouth," likening the shape of Yosemite Valley to that of a huge mouth. I also learned that the name "Yosemite" means literally "among them are killers" or "there are killers among them" and is a corrupted form of an American Indian word used to describe the Ahwahneechee people. 
Also nearby was the Pioneer Cemetery.
I moseyed on down the valley floor past Yosemite Falls.
I grabbed some souvenirs at Yosemite Lodge and then walked over to Camp 4.
Camp 4 is a campground in Yosemite National Park. It became notable after World War II as the hangout for rock climbers with many spending months there (not necessarily legally). Physically unimpressive, Camp 4 was nevertheless a center of rock climbing development during the middle of the 20th century. Dozens of the most famous climbers in the world would congregate at Camp 4, learning from each other and trying out new ideas on Yosemite's walls. I wanted to check it out because it also featured in my Anna Pigeon book.I once again hopped on the shuttle and went over to see Yosemite Chapel-the oldest structure in the park.
The large meadow in front of the chapel used to be the hub of Yosemite Valley but it is now restored to just meadows. These are prone to flooding and I saw a fascinating exhibit on historic flood levels. The top of the marker in the picture below is as tall as me!! I cannot even fathom a flood that high.
I then had to make my way back to meet up for dinner. After dinner we strolled by Yosemite Falls. There's a nice short trail to the base of them and you can get a nice mist off of them.
Great Photos. I am glad you had a nice visit to our ancient homeland. I am a Paiute person.
ReplyDeleteSorry, but Yosemite in the Miwuk language doesn't mean "There are killers among them". That definition was made up by one guy just recently around 1977.
The real meaning of Yosemite is "THEY are Killers" because the Miwoks were frightened to enter Yosemite Valley because Chief Tenaya and his band of Ahwahneechees were PAIUTES and the Miwoks feared the Paiute Indian people at that time.
Miwoks were the scouts for the government militia called the Mariposa Battalion. It is really an injustice that the original indigenous people are written out for the scouts for the militia. In fact the Park has taken Chief Tenaya out of the Park also.
My people have been written out of Yosemite.