High Sierra Topix

Mine in the Sky -
Joseph M. Kurtak, Margaret Swensen, Evan Swensen
Going back over a period of 100 years, Mine in the Sky tells of the events leading up to the discovery and development of the great tungsten ore bodies at Pine Creek, California.

The High Sierra: Peaks-Passes-Trails by R.J. Secor (Third Edition)

Guide to the John Muir Trail and the High Sierra Region by Walter A Starr, Jr.

Yosemite and its High Sierra, John H. Williams, San Francisco, 1921. A perspective of conservationists of early 20th Century, plus interesting photos of Sierra Club outing to MtLyell.
Gentle Wilderness, Richard Kaufman, John Muir;Sierra Cub, 1968. Photos and Muir essays of Sierra Nevada.
Mammoth Lakes Sierra, Genny Smith, 1976 (4th ed.). Hikes and info of east-side Sierras.

Just a few (from my library)...books not yet listed -

Trails and Tales of the Yosemite & Central Sierra; Giacomazzi, S; Bored Feet Press, 2001
Yosemite Valley Secret Places and Magic Moments; Arnot, P; Wide World Publishing, 1992
Thomas Hill: The Grand View; Oakland Museum Art Department, 1980
Mountaineering Essays; Muir, J; Peregrine Smith Books, 1984
The Yosemite: Muir, J; Sierra Club Books, 1988
The Mountains of California; Muir, J; Ten Speed Press, 1977
The Pacific Crest Trail, vol 1, California; Wilderness Press, 1995
Tioga Tramps - Day Hikes in the Tioga Pass Region; O'Neill & O'Neill; Albicaulis Press, 2002
A Treasury of the Sierra Nevada: Reid, R.L.; Wilderness Press Berkeley,1992
The Secret Worlds of Colin Fletcher; Fletcher, C; Knopf, 1989
The Complete Walker, Fletcher, C; Knopf, 1972
Mammoth Gold; Caldwell, G; Genny Smith Books, 1990
The California Trail; Stewart, G; University of Nebraska Press, 1962
A Sierra Club Naturalist's Guide; Whitney, S; Sierra Club Books, 1979
Yosemite Trout Fishing Guide; Beck, S; Frank Amato Publications, 1995
Yosemite Trout Fishing; Johnston, H; Flying Spur Press, 1985
Trout and Salmon of North America; Tomelleri, J; The Free Press, 2002

nice list.. also no books in the last 10 years. Wish Cutter would update his with the help of the DFW.

Four books by Stewart Edward White,

The Rules of the Game. Fiction but interesting story about the lumber industry and forest service in California. Interesting mention of Jack Main Canyon.

The Mountains. Story about horse packing in the Sierra. Great description of dropping down to Simpson Meadow via the "Tunemah Trail."

The Pass. Story about trying to get a pack train from Roaring River to Kaweah River, first by cloud canyon then up Deadman.

The Cabin. Story about building a cabin somewhere between Northfork and mammoth pool.

Each of these were written within several years of 1900.

Mike

rlown wrote:nice list.. also no books in the last 10 years. Wish Cutter would update his with the help of the DFW.

In case you missed it... viewtopic.php?f=6&t=9377&p=70019&hilit=cutter#p70019" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I wish he would update the Trout Guide as well, but when the $$ isn't there to do so, why bother?

I like libraries. My suggestions:

"Mountaineering: The Freedom of the HIlls", for the more adventuous.

"Exploring the Southern Sierra: West Side" and "Exploring the Southern Sierra: East Side", for, you might say, the less adventurous.

"Guide to the Theodore Solomons Trail", for the medium adventurous.

Peace.

1) Exploring Eastern Sierra Canyons, Sonora Pass to Pine Creek

2) Exploring Eastern Sierra Canyons, Bishop to Lone Pine

both books by Sharon Giacomazzi, July 2009, published by http://www.boredfeet.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

3) Angling Alpine, A Field Guide for Fly Fishing Alpine County, by J.E.Warren-Wickwire

contact Sorensen's Resort, Hope Valley, 800.423.9949
if fly fishing the Carson River and surrounding area, this is the guide

For folks that are really into High Sierra fishing, there are three out-of-print books that are worth seeking out:
First are the two classics by Charles McDermand:
Yosemite and Kings Canyon Trout
and
The Waters of Golden Trout Country

Another, less well-known narrative style book on the subject (that includes some stories from the Klamath Mtns wilderness areas and Lassen as well as the High Sierra) is Mike Hayden's
Fishing the California Wilderness.

Whereas fisheries management strategies have changed dramatically through the years, many of the waters described in these books are not much different than they were in these old, whereas others are dramatically different. One also gains an understanding of current issues in High Sierra fisheries from reading McDermand, too. For example there are a number of accounts of obese trout gorging themselves on polliwogs. Guess what kind of frogs those were.

What hasn't changed, though, is the mindset of the high country angler, be it refracted through the accounts of McDermand in the late 1940's or Hayden in the '70's or the accounts we see posted online today. Folks unfamiliar with these books will find them a very enjoyable read.