Eagle Peak....Happy 4th of July !!!

The bald eagle is a large eagle of North America, with a white-feathered head.  It is the symbol of our wonderful United States of America and her freedom.  Bald eagles once flew freely throughout California and Yosemite;  they are now an endangered species.  Photographs of bald eagles in Yosemite's backcountry and along her Merced River can be found on the internet.  Golden Eagles still make their home in Yosemite, as well.

Eagle Peak is 7779 ft high, and is beautiful placed in Yosemite Valley with its two brothers.  Eagle Peak is the highest of the Three Brothers.  Muybridge was an early photographer who called the Three Brothers.......mountains playing leap frog....

One source* states that Eagle Peak was named in 1870.  ".....the lady whom I married a year later (1887) was in that excursion to Eagle Peak.  She was the first white woman ever there, and she suggested the name 'Eagle Peak' to Mr. Muir at the time, and he kept his promise to her that it should thereafter be known so.  Before that it was simply the highest of the 'Three Brothers.'"

*(Letter, Nelson F. Evans, The Prudential Insurance Company of America, to Mrs. Helen Muir Funk, Dec. 28, 1914;  a condolence letter, four days after John Muir died.)

"This was so named from its being such a favorite resort of this famous bird of prey.... I once had the pleasure of conducting the Rev. J.P.  Newman, D.D., and Rev. Sutherland, D.D. (each, then, of Washington D.C.), to its wondrous summit, when, after a long, and evidently constrained silence the former suddenly ejaculated, 'Glory! Hal-le-lu-jah---Glory! Hal-le-lu-jah!' (the doctor was a Methodist, you know) then turning around, the tears literally steaming down his cheeks, he thus expressed himself 'Well, Mr. H., if I had crossed the continent of America on purpose to look upon this one view, I should have returned home, sir, perfectly satisfied.'"  (Hutchings, In the Heart, 479.)

John Muir wrote, "Refreshed and exhilarated, you follow our trail-way through silver fir and pine woods to Eagle Peak, where the most comprehensive of all the views to be had on the north-wall heights are displayed.  After an hour or two of gazing, dreaming, studying the tremendous topography, etc., trace the rim of the Valley to the grand El Capitan ridge and go down to its brow, where you will gain everlasting impressions of Nature's steadfastness and power combined with ineffable fineness of beauty."

"A pair of golden eagles have lived in the Valley ever since I first visited it, hunting all winter along the northern cliffs and down the river canyon.  Their next is on a ledge of the cliff over which pours the Nevada Fall.  Perched on the top of a dead spar, they were always interested observers of the geese when they were being shot at.  I once noticed one of the geese compelled to leave the flock on account of being sorely wounded, although it still seemed to fly pretty well.  Immediately the eagles pursued it and no doubt struck it down, although I did not see the result of the hunt.  Anyhow, it flew past me up the Valley, closely pursued."   John Muir in The Yosemite.

Independence Day.....the anniversary of the adoption of the American Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776....freedom from the control of the British.  The Revolutionary War was fought from 1775-1783 to gain independence from England.

Come to Yosemite...celebrate... the beauty of the earth....the glories of the skies.....the eagles.....and Eagle Peak and celebrate... our country's birthday.....the birth of a new nation.......freedom for all.  This young Republic choosing the American Bald Eagle....as its national symbol.... the symbol of freedom !!!

America extended the idea of freedom....to the wilderness....by created national parks .  Stay in a beautiful Scenic Wonders cabin....and enjoy Yosemite National Park. National Parks....an idea born in the America....an idea which has now migrated to other countries.  Yosemite National Park is celebrataing its 125th anniversary on October 1, 2015 !!!

The Yosemite Grant of 1864, whose 150th anniversary we celebrated last year, protected Yosemite prior to it becoming a national park on October 1, 1890.

Another terrific day in Yosemite