ROAD TRIP I
EL PORTAL TO YOSEMITE via EL CAPITAN ROAD
(15 miles—1¼ hours by stage)
Most charming because of the climax of ever-increasing scenic beauty and grandeur, is the fifteen-mile ride from El Portal up the gorge of the Merced to Yosemite. It is rather to be regretted that modern auto-busses hurry us over the new highway in less than an hour and a half, giving us scarce time to appreciate the majesty and beauty of the ever-changing panorama.
Leaving El Portal, the road parallels the north bank of the Merced, passing beneath gnarled oaks and silver-gray digger pines. In the high water of early spring, Indian Creek, across the canyon, descends over the picturesque Chinquapin Falls. Entering the gateway of Yosemite National Park, we follow up the riotous Merced River, noting here and there a hardy yellow pine or an incense cedar venturing down to the canyon bottom. About two miles inside the park is Avalanche Falls across the river. The trail bridge below is the crossing of the Sunset Trail, which ascends past the foot of the fall and climbs 2500 feet to the Wawona Road. A short distance up the canyon the road passes beneath Arch Rock, a natural tunnel formed by huge blocks of granite. Just beyond, Grouse Creek descends the south canyon wall by a series of cascades.
We have now entered the true mountain forest, and ride beneath yellow pines, incense cedars, Douglas firs and now and then a true fir. Elephant Rock towers above and to the right. Just below it is Battleship Harbor, a placid stretch of the Merced in which fancied granite dreadnaughts ride anchor. At the left the old Coulterville Road steeply descends the canyon wall and joins the main highway. This first road to Yosemite was opened in 1874 and was for years the main stage route from Merced. For the benefit of those who require entertainment the chauffeur often points out the image of a white Persian cat on the rock wall to the left. A short distance beyond and on the same side of the road are Wildcat Falls.
Crossing two small bridges we obtain the best view of Elephant Rock down the canyon. At the left are the Cascade Falls, during the flood waters of early spring one of Yosemite's most beautiful cataracts. The top of the cascade is 594 feet above the road. About a half mile further is Pulpit Rock, on the south side of the river. It is best viewed by driving beyond and then looking back down the canyon. Below the road and at the right is the government power plant, where the water from the Merced drives two thousand-kilowatt electric generators. The intake and dam are passed further up the canyon.
Three thousand feet above, the ephemeral Widow's Tears Fall drops 1170 feet from the rugged ramparts of the south wall. Another mile takes us past the site of the old Indian village Ah-wah-ma to Pohono Bridge. From this point two roads ascend the valley, one on either side of the river. The more picturesque Pohono Road runs up the south side of the canyon. This is described in Road Trip I-A. The El Capitan Road, following up the north side of the valley will first be traced.
A short distance from the bridge we are treated to a most impressive view of the Gates of the Valley. At the left the sheer 3300-foot precipice of El Capitan dominates the entire landscape. Its majesty is matched by the beauty of the Bridalveil Fall and Cathedral Rocks opposite. Between them is Nature's threshold, the brilliantly verdant Bridalveil Meadows, dotted with dark green pines and oaks. Beyond, Half Dome is partly hidden by the projecting cliff of Glacier Point at the right. The summit of the lofty bare granite ridge in the distance is Clouds Rest, the highest point on the Yosemite walls. If the winter snows be still melting above the rim we will see at the left the Ribbon Fall dropping delicately over its 1612-foot precipice into a recess just west of El Capitan. Its Indian name was Lung-oo-too-koo-ya, or "pigeon fall." Near its base the Big Oak Flat Road branches to the left and ascends thru the piles of shattered granite talus of the north wall. At this point was the Indian village, Hep-hep´-oo-ma. The road to the right leads past the El Capitan Checking Station and across El Capitan Bridge to the Bridalveil Road (Road Trip I-A) south of the river.
Continuing up the north road we pass thru El Capitan Meadows, where were the Indian villages of Aw´-o-koi-e, He-le´-jah, Ha-eng´-ah and Yu-a´-chah. As we skirt the base of the almost vertical wall, the stage driver will generally point out more or less interesting images. Chief among these is Tote-ack-ah-noo-la, the "Rock Chief" of the Indians, whose title was translated into Spanish to make the present name. In a shallow niche 1189 feet above the road stands a hardy Jeffrey pine 82.4 feet in height and two feet in diameter. Across the river are the massive Cathedral Rocks and the delicately pinnacled Cathedral Spires. Further up the canyon the massively sculptured pyramids, the Three Brothers, rise abruptly to the north. Opposite them the road to the Bear Pits turns into the woods. Turning northeast, our road passes Rocky Point at their base. This is We-äck, the place where Chief Tenaya's three sons were captured in 1851.