222 



Sierra Club Bulletin 



In addition, $112 was expended by the Forest Service in salary 

 and expenses on the Muir Trail project, chiefly in supervision and 

 reconnaissance. The total length of completed trail is 2>y% miles. 

 In addition to outlay on the new trail, $54 was expended in shovel- 

 ing snow and fixing up parts of last year's work that had been 

 damaged by slides. 



While the work was in both Ranger Slinkard's and Ranger 

 Clingan's districts, it was considered admissible to concentrate the 

 small amount of money available. Hence, this year's work was all 

 under Ranger Slinkard, with Thomas Adamson, of Lone Pine, as 

 foreman on the ground. District rangers are busy men, and both 

 Clingan and Slinkard deserve great credit for the painstaking work 

 on estimates for new construction. Ranger Slinkard should also 

 be credited for keeping the work moving this summer in order to 

 get the route open early, in spite of the excessive snowfall. 



The general public has gained the erroneous idea that the Muir 

 Trail is practically completed. This has caused many of them to 

 comment very adversely on the trail, as many of the old portions 

 of the route are little more than ways through. Money so far ap- 

 propriated has simply been enough to build a few short pieces of 

 the whole length. If the State of California can be prevailed upon 

 to appropriate sufficient funds to really complete the entire project, 

 the result will be a high-country line of travel without a parallel. 



Several lateral trails will be needed to make Muir Trail accessi- 

 ble from side points. Owens Valley is particularly in favor with 

 southern California people, and good laterals should be built from 

 Lone Pine, Independence, and Bishop. There are trails from these 

 points now, constructed by the Forest Service and cattlemen. Com- 

 paratively small amounts would place them in Class-A condition. 



Good connecting links to the south and west will no doubt be 

 constructed as funds are made available. Lateral trails from 

 Mineral King and the Giant Forest should also be extended to the 

 John Muir Trail. Possibly some of the roads to be constructed 

 in the National Forests under the Taylor Bill will make the John 

 Muir Trail more accessible. 



Since the Muir Trail on the Sequoia National Forest is mainly 

 a project yet to be completed, it was decided to spend considerable 

 time in laying out the route and securing careful estimates of the 

 cost. Following is a summary of the entire distance and costs of 

 the various divisions as shown on the accompanying map : 



Mount Whitney Division 7.5 miles $1,875 



Sand Meadow " 5.0 " 875 



Tyndall Creek " 6.0 " 1,140 



Bubbs Creek " 7,0 " 1,050 



Charlotte Creek " 2.5 " 750 



Glenn Pass " 3.25 " 1,500 



Rae Lake " 7.0 " 950 



Woods Creek " 6.0 " 1,000 



Pinchot Pass " 3.5 " 1,325 



Taboose " 4.5 " 800 



Upper Basin " 3.5 " 950 



Total 55.75 miles $12,215 



