98 



YOSEMITE NATURE NOTES 



J LUKENS LAKE TRAIL JUNC- 

 q TION. This trail, near Dark Hole 

 Meadows, is part of the park's trail 

 s\ stem. Wooden directional signs form- 

 erly used along these trails were for 

 some unknown reason often destroyed 

 by bears. The metal trail sign seen a 

 little back from the road to the right is 

 made by cutting with an acetylene torch 

 and is considered "bear proof." 



New metal trail signs replacing 

 wooden signs destroyed by bear 



J YOSEMITE CREEK. Yosemite 



Creek is the stream that creates 

 * Yosemite Falls. Like many streams 



in the Sierra, Yosemite Creek dries up in 

 late summer after all snow in its drain- 

 age basin has melted. This basin faces 

 the sun so that snow here melts sooner 

 than on the more protected slopes. Be- 

 cause of the granite structure of the coun- 

 try and thin soil coverage, springs are 

 uncommon and contribute little or no 

 water to Yosemite Creek. At this loca- 

 tion are a summer ranger station and 

 public campground. The campground, 

 at an elevation of 7,200 feet, accommo- 

 dates approximately 30 camps, has out- 

 door tables and benches. A trail fol- 

 lows down the creek 6.3 miles to the 

 top of Yosemite Falls thence into Yo- 

 semite Valley. 



J TOP OF YOSEMITE CREEK 



1 f% GRADE. Leaving the campground 



you start up the Yosemite Creek 

 grade. Here in a distance of about 2V2 



mdes you climb from 7200 to 8200 feet. 

 This road climbs up the side of a mo- 

 rune pded up by ancient Yosemite Gla- 

 cier. I lere you will pass through one of 

 the most beautiful groves of quaking as- 

 pens in the park. The quaking aspen rare- 

 ly grow below 5 000 feet elevation al- 

 though it is said to be the most widely 

 distributed tree in the world. The tree 

 has a smooth white or cream colored 

 bark covered with black markings. The 

 leaves are shiny, smooth, roundish, and 

 their characteristic fluttering accounts 

 for the name. 



J PORCUPINE FLAT CAMP- 

 I , GROUND. One of the smaller 



campgrounds is situated in the de- 

 lightful flat meadow surrounded by a 

 red fir forest through which runs Por- 

 cupine Creek. 1.2 miles along the road 

 towards Tuolumne Meadows is the en- 

 trance to Porcupine Creek Campground, 

 an old Indian campsite, located down- 

 stream from Porcupine Flat. From here 

 a trail leads into Yosemite Valley and to 

 North Dome. Elevation at this place is 

 8,01 J feet. 



J SNOW FLAT. Approximately 5 

 I *% miles beyond Porcupine Camp 

 ground is Snow Flat. A snow sur- 

 vey station is maintained here. Several 

 times each winter National Park Service 

 rangers make trips on skis or snowshoes 

 to take snow measurements in order to 

 determine the amount of moisture which 

 will be available to the Central Valley 

 and Bay Region the following summer. 

 Here at an elevation of 8,710 feet, 

 some of the deepest snow in the park is 

 recorded. 



MOUNT HOFFMANN 10,83 6 feet 

 high, is seen from this point, rising from 

 the west side of May Lake (out of 

 view). In 1881 sdver was found on Mt. 

 Hoffmann and the Mt. Hoffmann Min- 

 ing District was organized but soon fiz- 

 zled out. The mountain was named for 



