Reports. 



263 



called roads ; and the restoration of the down-trodden herbaceous 

 vegetation to something like the beauty of wildness, etc. 



II. That a road be built into Hetch-Hetchy Valley connecting 

 with the present wagon-road which now terminates at a distance 

 of about nine miles from the lower end of the valley. Govern- 

 ment engineers have estimated that the cost of such a road 

 would be about fifteen thousand dollars. Next to Yosemite 

 itself, Hetch-Hetchy is the greatest attraction in the park, and 

 will be visited by countless thousands when once made easily 

 accessible. 



HI. That all private holdings within the park be extinguished 

 by purchase or condemnation. Perhaps the most important of 

 these is the old Tioga Road, which follows up the main dividing 

 ridge between the Tuolumne and Merced rivers into the Tuol- 

 umne Meadows, thus opening the central part of the park to 

 tourist travel. It was built by a mining company, but has long 

 been out of repair. It could probably be purchased and put in 

 good condition for much less than the original cost. 



IV. That a trail be built from Yosemite Valley leading 

 directly up the cafion of the Merced River to its headwaters, 

 thence into the Tuolumne Meadows and down the Grand Canon 

 of the Tuolumne to the Hetch-Hetchy Valley. The cost would 

 be considerable, but it would be justified over and over again 

 by bringing to view the most sublime and beautiful cafion 

 scenery of the Sierra or the world. 



V. A trail built directly up the Tenaya Cafion from Yosemite 

 Valley to Lake Tenaya would enable travelers to reach the 

 eastern portion of the park much more directly and earlier in the 

 year. While a great deal of blasting will be required, this trail 

 could probably be built for fifteen thousand dollars. 



It will require an appropriation of at least two hundred and 

 fifty thousand dollars to effect the improvements suggested, and 

 we respectfully urge that such an appropriation be made. 

 Respectfully submitted, 

 (Signed:) John Muir, President, 



Wm. E. Colby, Secretary, 

 J. N. Le Conte, Treasurer, 

 Wm. F. Bade, 

 E. T. Parsons, 

 Committee of Board of Directors of the 

 Sierra Club on Welfare and Improve- 

 ment of the Yosemite National Park. 



