NOTES AND CORRESPONDENCE 



Edited by William E. Colby 



The John Muir Trail 



During the 1914 outing of the Sierra Club, a suggestion was made by 

 Mr. Meyer Lissner of Los Angeles that a State appropriation should be 

 secured for building trails with which to make the High Sierra more 

 accessible. After Mr. Muir's death, the happy idea occurred of making 

 this appropriation a State recognition of his inestimable service in 

 bringing the wonderful mountains of California to the attention of the 

 world. Accordingly a bill was drafted by the Sierra Club making an ap- 

 propriation of $10,000 (to be paid in two equal annual installments) 

 with which to construct a trail from Yosemite to Mount Whitney, to 

 be known as the John Muir Trail. In spite of adverse financial condi- 

 tions, the State Legislature was persuaded by earnest work of the mem- 

 bers of the Sierra Club, aided by several civic organizations, to pass the 

 bill. Governor Johnson's final approval made the construction of the trail 

 possible. It is, indeed, a most appropriate memorial to John Muir, who 

 spent many of the best years of his life exploring the region which it 

 will make accessible. This trail will afford a route for traveling with 

 saddle and pack animals north and south along and near the crest of the 

 entire High Sierra. It will begin the work of making accessible one of 

 the grandest mountain regions on the American continent. 



State Engineer Wilbur F. McClure was charged with the selection of 

 the final route and the actual construction of the trail. Mr. McClure, 

 after considering suggestions from the Sierra Club, from federal offi- 

 cials and others, made two trips over the lowfer part of the trail before 

 determining its final location as follows : 



Beginning at a point on the north floor of the Yosemite Valley 

 and running from thence by the most practicable route northeasterly 

 to a junction with the Tioga Road at a point near Tenaya Lake; 

 thence northeasterly and easterly along and upon said Tioga Road 

 to a point near the Soda Springs in the Tuolumne Meadows ; thence 

 in a general southeasterly direction up Lyell Canon to the headwaters 

 of said canon, to and over Donohue Pass ; thence in a general south- 

 easterly direction across Rush Creek and Island Pass to Thousand 

 Island Lake ; thence easterly and southeasterly through Agnew 

 Meadows, Pumice Flat, past Devil Post Pile, Reds Meadows, Fish 

 Creek Valley, over Silver Pass, and thence by the most feasible route 

 to the north fork of Mono Creek. Thence in a general southerly di- 

 rection down the north fork of Mono Creek Valley, and Mono Creek 



