Yosemite National Park

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WINTER 2015/2016

Newsletter Volume 10, No. 4

Your informational tool for Yosemite National Park Region

Contents • President’s Message ................................................2 • Yosemite National Park...........................................3 • Delaware North ......................................................5 • Yosemite Conservancy..............................................6 • Stanislaus National Forest.....................................7 • Groveland - North Gateway..................................10 • Coulterville - North Gateway................................13

Save the date Spring Newsletter Submission Deadline 03/10/16

• Madera County - South Gateway..........................15 • Visit California. ............................. ..........................16 • Mariposa - West Gateway......................................17 • Mono County East Gateway.................................18 • YGP Puzzle..............................................................20 • YGP Board of Directors.......................................22

Spring Meeting April 14th

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Yosemite National Park

President’s Message By John DeGrazio

Welcome Yosemite Gateway Partners, I would like to take this opportunity to warmly wish you a Happy New Year. 2015 was a groundbreaking year for the Yosemite Gateway Partners, and our current board of directors are dedicated to continuing to let our core values guide us through 2016. We are looking forward to our upcoming Quarterly Meeting at 9 am on January 14, 2016 in the Cliff Room of the Yosemite Lodge at the Falls as an opportunity to enhance communications between Yosemite National Park and all our surrounding gateways. At our upcoming meeting, we will focus on the core value of “Collaboration” and will feature several dignified guests whose collaborative efforts help make Yosemite special. We will also focus on some current issues of regional importance, what we fondly refer to as “IRI”, to allow each of our partners an opportunity to interact at our meetings. Finally, this meeting will be a chance for all of us to enjoy the natural beauty of our beloved park in a winter setting. Prepare to let Yosemite take your breath away once more, and I look forward to seeing all of you on January 14. I will leave you with this photo of Yosemite Fall I took earlier this season while hiking on the 4 Mile Trail. Let nature’s peace be with all of you in 2016. All my best, John

Yosemite Gateway Partners Newsletter • Winter 2015/2016

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Y O S I M I T E N A T I O N A L P A R K

Fourth grade students from Indianola Elementary in Selma, CA proudly display their “Every Kid in a Park” passes. These students, along with approximately 400 other students, received their passes at Yosemite’s 125th Anniversary celebration on October 1, 2015

Yosemite National Park Distributed Approximately 1,000 Free Park Passes to Fourth Graders So Far This Year Passes Distributed Through Every Kid in a Park Program By Scott Gediman

Yosemite National Park has distributed approximately 1,000 free park passes to Fourth Graders through the “Every Kid in a Park” program. Fourth graders from across the country brought their vouchers to Yosemite to receive the free park pass. The passes are intended for fourth grade students and their families to visit more than 2,000 federal recreation areas through August 31, 2016. “This is a tremendously exciting program and we are proud to participate in it as we approach the Centennial year of the National Park Service,” stated Don Neubacher, Yosemite National Park Superintendent. “It is extremely gratifying to see these young people obtain their passes and be excited about visiting national parks across the country.” Fourth grade students can visit www.everykidinapark.gov to complete an activity and receive their voucher. The voucher can then be redeemed at park entrance stations for the Every Kid in A Park

pass. Every Kid in a Park is an administrative-wide effort, launched by President Obama, and supported by eight federal agencies, including the National Park Service, the Army Corps of Engineers, Bureau of Land Management, Bureau of Reclamation, Department of Education, Fish and Wildlife Service, Forest Service, and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. On October 1, 2015, Yosemite National Park commemorated its 125th Anniversary. Over 1500 people attended the ceremony to honor Yosemite’s past, present, and future. Approximately 400 students attended from the Yosemite area and California’s Central Valley, with many of them being first-time visitors. The park worked with the teachers of fourth grade classes to print vouchers and obtain the park passes for their students after the ceremony. The students were excited to receive the park passes and many of them have returned to Yosemite using their passes they received through the “Every Kid in a Park” program.

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Yosemite National Park Shelton Johnson Receives Department of Interior Award for Superior Service Shelton receives this award in recognition of his passion for connecting minorities to parks, his meticulous research that forms the basis of his innovative interpretive programs, and his superlative ability to articulate powerful messages for the National Park Service. Park Ranger Shelton Johnson may be the National Park Service’s most recognizable employee. He is particularly known for bringing the Buffalo Soldiers to life, and for his appearance in the Ken Burns’ film The National Parks. An employee of the National Park Service since 1987, Ranger Johnson has always been a worldly and articulate advocate for minorities and national parks. His multi-ethic background and love of national parks magnifies his effectiveness as a messenger. Shortly after he arrived at Yosemite, Ranger Johnson uncovered the history of the Buffalo Soldiers, an African-American regiment that protected Yosemite. His research is the foundation for his portrayal of Buffalo Soldier Elizy Bowman, and was instrumental in the creation of the Charles Young Buffalo Soldier National Monument. Ranger Johnson’s mastery as a storyteller is highlighted in The National Parks. Wearing his park ranger uniform, he described an encounter with bison while delivering the mail one cold winter day in Yellowstone, culminating in the explicit message that experiences in national parks can make “a single moment can last forever”, and the implicit message that these experience are available to people of all ethnicities. Because of his role in the film, Ranger Johnson was invited to attend a screening with President Obama. Ranger Johnson is fearless, taking the initiative to contact Oprah Winfrey, one of the most influential African Americans in the world, and inviting her to camp in Yosemite Valley. Ms. Winfrey accepted, turning the adventure into two

segments of her show. His goal was that if more people of color know about the National Parks they would be inspired to visit and thoroughly embrace these national treasures. His letter to Ms. Winfrey convinced her to make it her goal, too. For all of these reasons, Ranger Shelton Johnson is granted the Superior Service Award of the Department of the Interior.

Photo Credit Sierra Sun Times

Yosemite Gateway Partners Newsletter • Winter 2015/2016

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Delaware North

Special Offers at Badger Pass Ski Area By Lisa Cesaro

With this year’s strong El Niño, the staff at Badger Pass Ski Area is excited for an amazing season. Delaware North is pleased to announce that it is offering free skiing to fourth grade students who complete and present their “Every Kid in a Park” pass, which is an initiative launched by President Obama to encourage youth and their families to visit public lands by offering free entry to Yosemite National Park and other public lands. The Badger Pass Ski Area Every Kid in a Park offer includes a free lift ticket for the fourth graders and a 25% discount towards equipment rentals and group lessons. Immediate family members receive a 25% discount towards lift tickets, rentals, and lessons. The Every Kid in a Park offer at Badger Pass Ski Area is valid through February 29, 2016. Badger Pass Ski Area is offering

fantastic benefits for season pass holders including free lodging at Curry Village in an unheated tent cabin, bring-a-friend discounted lift tickets and a 10% discount on other park lodging, ice skating, food and beverage and more. Badger Pass continues to support our troops! U.S. active military personnel and veterans receive a free lift ticket, free equipment rental, and group lesson every day of the season at Badger Pass. Immediate family members also receive 50% off lift tickets, equipment rentals, and group lessons. For more information, please visit www.BadgerPass.com or call 801-559-4949. For 24-hour ski conditions, call 209-372-1000. Join the Badger Pass Ski Area conversation at Facebook.com/ BadgerPass and Twitter.com/ SkiBadgerPass.

Start the New Year with Chefs’ Holidays at The Ahwahne Winter in Yosemite is all about snow, skiing, and gourmet dining! The Ahwahnee will host the 31st Annual Chefs’ Holidays event showcasing top chefs representing the range of styles, personalities and trends that characterize the American culinary scene. Chefs’ Holidays consists of a series of eight sessions from January 10 to February 4, 2016 where attendees enjoy culinary demonstrations and tastings, a private reception to meet the chefs in person, and behind-the-scenes kitchen tours of The Ahwahnee’s impressive 6,500-square-foot kitchen. On the final evening of each session, attendees enjoy a memorable five-course gala dinner paired with wine in The Ahwahnee Dining Room. The 2016 participants include Elizabeth Falkner of Food Network’s “Next Iron Chef”; Suzanne Goin of Lucques in Los Angeles, California; Peggy Smith & Sue Conley of Cowgirl Creamery and the ever-popular Kent Rathbun of Abacus in Dallas, Texas. For more information on Yosemite Chefs’ Holidays at The Ahwahnee or to make reservations, call 801-559-4949 or visit the Chefs’ Holidays webpage.

Yosemite Gateway Partners Newsletter • Winter 2015/2016

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yosemite conservancy

Explore Your Park: Yosemite Conservancy’s 2016 Outdoor Adventures By Gretchen Roecker

What will you discover on your next Yosemite journey? Yosemite Conservancy’s year-round Outdoor Adventures offer experiences all over the park, from wildflower walks in the Valley to weeklong wilderness backpacking treks. The 2016 lineup includes more than 50 expert-led opportunities to connect with and learn about Yosemite National Park. The Conservancy’s Outdoor Adventures give visitors the chance to explore Yosemite in every season alongside naturalists, historians and other expert guides. In 2016, visitors can delve into winter ecology while snowshoeing in Tuolumne Grove, spend a spring day discovering native flower and bird species, see little-known parts of eastern Yosemite on a series of summer hikes, join renowned basket weaver Julia Parker for an autumn journey through American Indian history, and much more.

Two new evening programs will introduce participants to some of Yosemite’s most fascinating flying creatures: In April, join a wildlife expert to learn about the park’s owl species, including endangered great gray owls; in September, head to Crane Flat to learn about Yosemite’s bats and try out cutting-edge echolocation monitoring equipment. These and other evening programs include refreshments for all participants. Proceeds from Outdoor Adventures and other Yosemite Conservancy programs support important projects in the park, including trail and habitat restoration, wildlife management, and youth programs. To register for an Outdoor Adventure or inquire about a customized experience, visit yosemiteconservancy.org/outdooradventures or call 209-379-2646 ext. 10.

Many popular Outdoor Adventures are back on the calendar for 2016, including a backpacking trip to Lyell Glacier led by the Conservancy’s resident naturalist, Pete Devine, who has been studying the glacier for decades. In addition to leading participants on the round-trip expedition from Tuolumne Meadows, Devine will draw on his unique expertise to share the story of the glacier, from John Muir’s 19th century treks and studies to more recent research on the melting ice mass. The 2016 programming also features a number of brand-new adventures, including several focused on wildlife protected through projects funded by Conservancy donors. In August, join experts on a backpacking trip to the Cathedral Range to explore the rugged habitat of endangered Sierra Nevada bighorn sheep, or take a day hike to visit the highelevation home of the American pika, a tiny alpine mammal threatened by the effects of a changing climate.

Join wildlife experts for a variety of Outdoor Adventures focused on the fascinating worlds of Yosemite’s diverse animal species, including the rare great gray owl. Credit: Josh Helling Yosemite Gateway Partners Newsletter • Winter 2015/2016

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Stanislaus National Forest

USFS Groveland Ranger Dist. Recreation Conditions By Gary Vaughn

Seasonal Road and Motorized Trail Closures: Most Forest roads and trails on the Stanislaus National Forest will be closed to public motorized travel from December 16 through April 14, 2016. These routes are still open to non-motorized use such as hiking, mountain bicycling, and horseback riding. Some Forest roads are open year-round. Additionally, roads may close due to local weather conditions as necessary. The 2015 Stanislaus National Forest Motor Vehicle Use Maps (MVUMs) show which roads are open year round, which ones are closed seasonally, and the type of vehicle allowed on each route (highway legal only, atvs, etc.). Georeferenced pdf versions of the maps are available for download athttp://www. fs.usda.gov/main/stanislaus/maps-pubs. Free paper copies of the MVUM are available at the Forest Supervisor’s Office in Sonora or at any of our Ranger Stations including the Groveland Ranger Station. Be advised that Forest roads are not maintained for winter or wet weather use. Use caution and drive defensively when traveling on open roads in the forest through the winter. Rocks, snow and ice may be encountered in the roadway. Wet, saturated roadbeds are easily damaged, causing the need for costly repairs to roads and adjacent resources. Contact your local Ranger District office for current information on roads and conditions before traveling on the Forest: the Stanislaus National Forest Supervisor’s Office at: 209-532-3671; Calaveras Ranger District at 209-795-1381; Groveland Ranger District 209-962-7825; Mi-Wok Ranger District at 209-586-3234; or Summit Ranger District at 209965-3434. Spinning Wheel Closure Order (STF 2014-13) Expires: The area known as Spinning Wheel is an area that sustained severe fire damage. As a result, public access to the Spinning Wheel area was closed. This closure order expired on November 18, 2015. The area is now open to public use. Forest Road 1S30 (the only road to access the area) is closed to motorized use from December 16 to April 14 (see message about seasonal road and trail closures above for more

information). Please use caution while in burned areas. Potential hazards include loose and falling rocks, flash floods, and debris flows. Trees may have been weakened from fire damage and ongoing drought and may fall at any time. Stay on designated roads and trails and within opened areas. Avoid the area during high winds or heavy rain. Rim Fire Recovery Volunteer Program: We are working closely with the Tuolumne River Trust to recruit and train volunteers to assist us with a variety of trail projects including trail reconstruction, meadow restoration, and reforestation. Find out more about how you can help by contacting Seth Connolly at [email protected] or 949-533-2346. Winter Camping Opportunities: The following campgrounds will remain open and free (no charge to use) throughout the winter: • Lumsden • Lumsden Bridge • The Pines: free of charge until April 29, 2016. Water is not available in the campground during the winter Stop by or give us a call if you have any questions! Happy Holidays! Dusty Vaughn Public Service Program Leader Forest Service Stanislaus National Forest, Groveland Ranger District p: 209-962-7825 x525 f: 209-962-7412 [email protected] 24545 State Highway 120 Groveland, CA 95321 www.fs.fed.us http://usda.gov/ https://twitter.com/forestservice http://facebook.com/USDA

Caring for the land and serving people!

Yosemite Gateway Partners Newsletter • Winter 2015/2016

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Stanislaus National Forest Recreation Conditions Report: December 16, 2015 – 8:00 am Groveland Ranger District, Stanislaus National Forest

209-962-7825; 24545 Highway 120, Groveland, California 95321 Monday-Friday, 8:00am-4:30pm http://www.fs.usda.gov/stanislaus

Please use caution while in burned areas. Potential hazards include loose and falling rocks, flash floods, and debris flows. Trees may have been weakened from fire damage and ongoing drought and may fall at any time. Stay on designated roads and trails and within opened areas. Avoid the area during high winds or heavy rain.

Campgrounds Name

For reservations: 1-877-444-6777 or visit www.recreation.gov Status Conditions

Cherry Valley

Closed for the Season. Anticipated opening date: April 29, 2016. Amenities: accessible vault toilets, fire rings with grills, and food lockers. No RV hookups. Max RV/trailer: 36 ft.

Dimond O

Closed for the Season. Anticipated opening date: April 29, 2016. Amenities: accessible vault toilets, water faucets, fire rings with grills, and food lockers. No RV hookups. Max RV/trailer: 36 ft.

Lost Claim

Closed for the season. Anticipated opening date: April 29, 2016. Amenities: vault toilets (not fully accessible), picnic tables, water faucets, and fire rings with grills. RV/trailers not recommended.

Lumsden

Open. Free. Amenities: accessible vault toilets, picnic tables, and fire rings with grills. RV/trailers not recommended. See Lumsden Road (1N10) on page 2 for road conditions.

Lumsden Bridge

Open. Free. Amenities: accessible vault toilets, picnic tables, and fire rings with grills. RV/trailers not recommended. See Lumsden Road (1N10) on page 2 for road conditions.

Pines

Open – Free (until April 29, 2016). 10 single sites and 1 group site (50 people). Amenities: accessible vault toilets, picnic tables, fire rings with grills, and food lockers. No RV hookups. Max RV/trailer length is 32 feet. Water is not available in the campground during the winter season.

South Fork

Closed due to hazardous trees damaged during the 2013 Rim Fire.

Sweetwater

Closed for the Season. Anticipated opening date: April 29, 2016. Amenities: accessible vault toilets, picnic tables, water faucets, fire rings w/ grills, & food lockers. No RV hookups. Max RV/trailer: 32 ft.

Dispersed Camping/Concentrated Use Areas Name

Status Conditions

Anderson Valley

Open. Amenities: vault toilet. No garbage service – pack it in, pack it out.

Cherry Borrow

Open. No motorized access December 16 to April 14. See Motor Vehicle Use Map info on page 2.

Joe Walt Run

Open. Amenities: vault toilet. No garbage service – pack it in, pack it out.

Montgomery Gulch

Open. Amenities: vault toilet. No garbage service – pack it in, pack it out.

Spinning Wheel

Open. No motorized access December 16 to April 14. See Motor Vehicle Use Map info on page 2.

A current California Campfire Permit is required to use a camp stove, barbecue or have a campfire outside of developed areas. Local fire restrictions in effect will supersede the campfire permit, so inquire at the Forest Service Ranger Station nearest your destination before building or maintaining a campfire. Permits are available for free at Ranger Stations.

Water Name

Status Conditions

Cherry Lake

Open. Boat launch is open – motor boats not recommended due to low water level. Camping within 100 feet of the high water mark is prohibited (Forest Order: STF-2015-03). No parking along shoreline.

Tuolumne Wild & Scenic River

Open. A permit is required to float between Cherry Creek and Merals Pool and from Merals Pool to Ward's Ferry from May 1 to October 15. Free permits can be picked up at the Groveland Ranger Station. Page 1 of 2

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Stanislaus National Forest Recreation Conditions Report: 12/16/2015 - 8:00 am

Groveland Ranger District, Stanislaus National Forest

Day Use Areas Name

Status Conditions

Bower Cave

Open. No permits required to view cave. Entering the cave or camping are prohibited.

Carlon

Open. Upper Carlon amenities: picnic table, accessible vault toilet. Lower Carlon amenities: accessible vault toilet, picnic tables, charcoal grills. No overnight camping.

Middle Fork

Open. Amenities: accessible vault toilet, and picnic tables. No overnight camping.

Rainbow Pool

Open. No alcoholic beverages or overnight camping. No garbage service – pack it in, pack it out.

Rim of the World Vista

Open. View of Tuolumne Wild & Scenic River and Rim Fire area. Amenity: vault toilet.

Trumbull Peak

Open. No motorized access December 16 to April 14. See Motor Vehicle Use Map info below.

Trails (Non-Motorized) Name

Status Conditions

Andresen Mine

Open to hikers and day use horseback riding (mountain biking prohibited). Recommended trailhead is near Holm Powerhouse on 1S23Y off of Cherry Lake Road (paved).

Carlon Falls

Open. Trail enters Yosemite National Park – pets and mountain biking prohibited.

Emigrant Wilderness

Open. Wilderness permits required year round. Gate at Cherry Lake dam open April 15 to December 15. High clearance vehicles recommended for accessing Shingle Springs Trailhead.

Hamby

Open to hikers and day use horseback riding (mountain biking prohibited).

Indian Creek

Open to hikers and day use horseback riding (mountain biking prohibited).

Little Golden Forest

Open. Nature Trail - Self-guided brochures available at Groveland Ranger Station.

Preston Falls

Open to hikers and day use horseback riding (mountain biking prohibited). Vault toilet trailhead.

Tuolumne River Canyon

Open to hikers and day use horseback riding (mountain biking prohibited).

Roads and Motorized Trails Name

Status Conditions Forest roads are not maintained for winter or wet weather use. Use caution and drive defensively when traveling on open roads in the forest through the winter. Rocks, snow and ice may be encountered in the roadway.

Cherry Lake Road (1N07)

Open. Trailers not recommended. Gate at Cherry Lake dam closed December 16 to April 14.

Cottonwood Road (1N04)

Open to highway legal vehicles only. Gate across Chery dam closed December 16 to April 14

Lumsden Road (1N10)

Open to highway legal vehicles only (as well as hiking, horseback riding, and mountain biking). RV/trailers not recommended. Section between Lumsden Bridge and 1N01 closed December 16 to April 14. Not recommended during weather events (rain or heavy winds).

1S12 and 2S84 (Little Nellie Falls Area)

Closed to motorized use December 16 to April 14. See Motor Vehicle Use Map info below.

Please refer to the Motor Vehicle Use Map (MVUM) for information on motorized access on Forest Service Routes. North: South: The MVUM displays National Forest System routes (roads and trails) or areas designated open to motorized travel. The MVUM provides information on other travel rules and regulations. Routes not shown on the MVUM are not open to public motor vehicle travel. Routes designated for motorized use may not always be signed on the ground, but will be identified on the MVUM. Page 2 of 2

Yosemite Gateway Partners Newsletter • Winter 2015/2016

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Groveland - North Gateway Pine Cone Singers

“Beautiful December Dreams” By Bob Swan

The Pine Cone Singers performed their Winter Holiday Concerts, with the theme “Beautiful December Dreams”, at the Groveland Evangelical Free church on December 10 through 13. We want to thank everyone who braved the weather to listen to our mix of traditional and jazzed-up holiday music, and who joined us in the carol sing-a-long. We also thank those who supported the concerts: Pastor Ron Cratty, and the congregation of the Evangelical Free church, for allowing us to perform in their beautiful sanctuary; our concert accompanist Jason Jeffrey; pianist Fred Faiella for music during intermission; sound technician Rich McKey; videographer Bruce Carter; Miguel Maldonado, for photography & CD/DVD editing; Wayne Phillips, slide show coordinator; and all the spouses and friends who helped with set-up and managing the shows. Many thanks also to our generous annual sponsors, and to our partners at the Groveland Area Involved Neighbors (GAINs).

We want to extend special thanks to Choral Director Ron Randall for once again leading us to a successful performance (and for his arrangement of “Masters In This Hall”). This was Ron’s last session with us, and we deeply appreciate the musical knowledge, patience, good humor, and professionalism that he has shared with us during the past two years. Thank you, Ron. In other news, we elected our new Board for 2016. We look forward to the leadership of President Sally Salinas, Vice-President Cris Field Todd, Secretary Luke Sullivan, Treasurer Sandra Menacho, and Performers’ Representative Susan Fisher. The group will meet again, starting on Tuesday, January 26, at 3 p.m., in the Groveland Community Hall, to prepare for our Spring concerts. Any musically inclined folks are invited to join us. The only requirement is the ability to attend a twoand-a-half hour rehearsal once a week, Tuesdays at 3 p.m. If you’re interested, come try us out. Thanks for your support.

YHH staff photo

L-R: Cris Field Todd, Luke Sullivan, Sally Salinas, Sandra Menacho and Susan Fisher

Yosemite Gateway Partners Newsletter • Winter 2015/2016

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Groveland - North Gateway Southern Tuolumne County Historical Society

Museum Happenings By Carrie Carter

At the Black Road and Highway 120 intersection in Big Oak Flat was the impressive stone structure of Mecartea’s Blacksmith Shop with its two key-stoned arched openings covered by iron doors. A large locust tree at the corner provided abundant shade for customers and their horses. The Big Oak Flat family’s story began in the summer of 1849 as 16-yearold Elvira Smith and her parents left Missouri to head west by wagon train. They crossed the Yuba River by fall and camped in Marysville and waited for Elvira to recover and regain strength from smallpox which she had contracted coming overland. In the early 1850s, the Smith family settled in Chinese Camp where there was plenty of work for Elvira’s father Samuel. It wasn’t long before Elvira’s father died. About the same time that the Smith’s arrived, a 23-year-old miner named James Mecartea from Ohio also settled there. In a small town it was inevitable that the two young people would meet and by June 24, 1852 James and Elvira were married and made a home that was soon filled with children. Their first child, Jim, was the first white child born in Chinese Camp. James and Elvira lived there for twenty years and had a total of 11 children. Of all the eleven Mecartea children, only one was a girl, Alice, “blond and notably pretty.” Even with the hired local Miwok women to help, one can only imagine the huge volume of cooking, cleaning, baking, and sewing that Alice and her mother, Elvira faced daily. James was able to feed all those mouths initially by working in Egling’s blacksmith shop in Chinese Camp before buying a shop of his own south of where the State Historic Marker sits today. In 1872 James Mecartea, wife Elvira and their eleven children moved from Chinese Camp to Big Oak Flat. They purchased an existing wood framed house and a stone building which would become the family’s smithy from a merchant named Michael Noziglia. Noziglia & Co. operated a store in the center suite of the Gamble building before leaving Big Oak Flat in 1875 to run his business in Raboul’s Store in Groveland (now Helping Hands store). To make the Big Oak Flat stone building fireproof and workable as a blacksmith shop, Mecartea added a layer of dirt on the roof. Business was good; there was a constant stream of haulers, miners, ranchers, and cattlemen all needing work to be done on their wagons or their animals. Picks and horses shoes were popular items made by James with payment usually in gold dust or produce and with eleven children to feed, bounty from one’s garden or field was probably very welcome. It wasn’t long before the family increased by two more boys in their Big Oak Flat home.

In April of 1890 daughter Alice married Charles P. Hall, manager of Big Oak Flat’s Tip Top Mine and over the years had two sons, James and Charles. Then in 1899, family patriarch James Mecartea developed pneumonia and died at the age of 75. Austin, third youngest child, who never married took over the blacksmith shop with his brother George until the advent of the automobile put them out of business and closed the big iron doors forever. Over the years, one or more of the Mecartea brothers could always be counted on to make ‘house calls’ up in the mountains, to shoe horses or repair wagons. In 1916 Mecartea son Chester was shot in the chest and killed after drinking and quarreling with Dan Sullivan at the Sullivan Ranch in Groveland. The deadly Spanish influenza epidemic claimed three more siblings, James, Joseph, and Charles in 1918. In 1945 Austin was killed instantly when trapped under an overturned truck in which he was riding on Priest Grade. Eugene was almost totally blind and lived alone in a house across the road from the family home until his death in 1950 and is interred with many of his family members in the Divide (Oak Grove) Cemetery. In the fall of 1943 the roof of the old smithy burned igniting everything inside and in the 1980s what remained of the shop was torn down. Wild berry bushes cover the large depression where once sat the well-kept orchard, garden, blacksmith shop and the grape arbor passageway that led to the long gone family home. But the Mecartea name lives on in numerous descendants and their Big Oak Flat legacy is one of pioneer resilience and a strong work ethic. You can leave a lasting legacy, too, by making a New Year’s resolution to join STCHS and help in the preservation and promotion of our area’s rich history. If you’ve never visited the Museum, make a resolution to come see what you’re missing. If you have a few hours each month to spare, make a resolution to train as a docent and welcome Museum visitors from around the world. The New Year is a time of new beginnings and there’s no time like the present to help us conserve the past.

Yosemite Gateway Partners Newsletter • Winter 2015/2016

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Groveland - North Gateway

Groveland Trail Heads News

By Ariel Galos

With the help of a grant from the Sonora Area Foundation www.sonora-area.org/, the Groveland Trail Heads will be able to break ground with the help of volunteers on a public hike/bike trail system in Pine Mountain Lake’s Unit 16. The purpose of the trail system is to provide the Groveland community with a safe and fun system of trails for biking, hiking, walking, and running. The totality of the project will provide challenges for users of all ability levels. Pine Mountain Lake Association’s Board of Directors has generously given the Groveland Trail Heads permission to design and construct recreational trails to fulfill community-wide needs for more and better trail access. The partnership between the Groveland Trail Heads and Pine Mountain Lake association is a vital step toward the creation of a trail recreation destination within our community. The Groveland Trail Heads is a registered non-profit dedicated to the creation of a mountain bike and multi-use trail recreation destination in the Stanislaus National Forest and surrounding communities in order to strengthen economic, social, and recreation opportunities for all people who live and work in the area.

As a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to the betterment of our communities, we re-invest every cent we receive into the planning and facilitation of our trail projects in Tuolumne County and all donations are tax-deductible. Donations can be made via our web site: www.grovelandtrailheads.org/contribute/ As a chapter of the International Mountain Bicycling Association (IMBA) – the nation’s largest mountain bike trail advocacy organization – the Groveland Trail Heads were fortunate to receive training from both IMBA’s Trail Solutions and top trail advocates in the US Forest Service this past October during the Groveland Trail Stewardship Summit. The Summit focused on the implementation of a collaborative approach to the sustainable design and construction of recreational trails and made it possible for the Groveland Trail Heads to both design and construct ecologically sustainable trails. It is this knowledge the group will bring to the Pine Mountain Lake trail project to complete the project and to educate the public. Come and do something for your community and get your hands dirty with us! Ground breaking starts on Saturday, January 9. If you prefer, there are other ways to contribute to this effort. Project information and sign-ups are available online at www. grovelandtrailheads.org

Yosemite Gateway Partners Newsletter • Winter 2015/2016

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Coulterville - North Gateway All Aboard To Coulterville Annual Gala By Dale Silverman

HISTORY CENTER CLOSES FOR ANNUAL REVAMP The Northern Mariposa County History Center will be open on Thursday, December 31st from 10 – 4 pm before closing for its annual January display refurbishing. The Gala Reopening Party is set for Saturday, February 6th with the museum resuming its regular Wednesday through Sunday, 10 am to 4 pm schedule beginning Wednesday, February 10th. Bargain hunters take note, Holiday items remaining in the gift shop will be marked down up to 50% beginning Saturday, Dec. 26th as well as on the 27th then again for the last two days before closing, Wednesday and Thursday, the 30th and 31st! NEW DOCENT TRAINING SESSION

If your New Year’s resolutions included giving back to your community or getting out of the house more, now is the perfect time to contact Helen Bauman as she has a New Docent training session scheduled for Tuesday, January 26th. Just call the museum, 209878-3015 and leave a message and she will contact you with the details. A 3-hour per month, February through December commitment is all that is needed. New docents will have an opportunity to meet the rest of the wonderful group of Docent volunteers at an appreciation luncheon that will take place in February. ALL ABOARD TO COULTERVILLE! The Museum will reopen with its popular annual Gala event, this year themed “ALL

ABOARD TO COULTERVILLE”. It will take place from 2 – 5 pm on Saturday, February 6th. This annual fundraiser is important as it sets the tone for the upcoming year. It also gives everyone a chance to see the new displays at the museum. AND, if anyone happens to have any antique railroad items they would be willing to loan to the museum, either for the day or for the year, please call 878-3015 or leave your contact information. And for those who loaned us hats for this past year’s displays, a big thank you and a reminder to call and arrange pick-up of your items during January. Be sure and check out what’s happening at the museum on the “Northern Mariposa County History Center” Facebook page and on the museum’s website, www.coultervillehistorycenter. org in the 2016 Calendar section.

Yosemite Gateway Partners Newsletter • Winter 2015/2016

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Coulterville - North Gateway John Muir Geotourism Center By Monty J. Thornburg, PhD, JMGC President

“It’s time to bring childhood back outside!” says Kenny Ballentine, founder of the “Nature Kids Institute” and partner with the JMGC. The John Muir Geotourism Center (JMGC) is pleased to announce that at a recent meeting of the Board in Waterford, the former Vice Mayor of Modesto, Mr. John Gunderson, volunteered and was selected to join the JMGC Board of Directors. Mr. Gunderson, once a business owner and resident of Mariposa is now working with many organizations to improve the scenic beauty along the Tuolumne River in the Modesto area and to add hiking and biking trails. “It’s hoped that someday those trails will reach to Waterford city” said the Waterford Mayor, Mike Van Winkle, at the meeting. Mr. Van Winkle also spoke about the river front project in Waterford and a vision for a possible link to Modesto. At the recent StanCOG meeting, Mayor Van Winkle, a member, supported the designation for the “Historic Yosemite Highway” (132) to become the “John Muir Highway” through

Stanislaus County and to LaGrange. Mr. Charles Turner, JMGC Director, former Waterford Mayor and StanCOG member, was voted in to become the JMGC Vice President at the same meeting in Waterford. Mr. Turner has become a leader with the JMGC and has been meeting with various groups throughout the region including at the UC Merced Campus, at StanCOG and in Sacramento with groups interested in economic development. Mr. Turner will be a wonderful addition to the Executive Board with the JMGC. Ms. Pam Felkey was named to assume the position of Curator at the JMGC Building in Coulterville and she will also continue with her duties as a Director on the Board. Ms. Felkey, Mr. Turner and Mr. Gunderson will be working together with JMGC Consultant, Mr. Kenny Ballentine, on projects. Those projects will be in keeping with the goals of the JMGC; Youth Outdoor Education and Geotourism for the general public.

Designation Of State Hwy 132 As The John Muir Hwy Advances By Monty J. Thornburg, PhD, JMGC President

enhance our mission to increase awareness of the history of our region through this project and others. More information about an exciting history preservation project in collaboration with UC Merced and the Northern Mariposa History Center initiated by the JMGC will be the subject of next month’s article.

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ber agencies. The resolution from the City of Riverbank, for example, reads as follows and was passed unanimously. “The route taken in 1868 by famed naturalist John Muir on his first visit to Yosemite was parallel to today’s existing county-maintained J-132 route above historic Coulterville. The Mariposa County Board of Supervisors and John Muir historians have secured for the J-132 segment the designation of the John Muir Highway. The John Muir Geotourism Center, the nation’s first Geotourism center, which is headquartered in Coulterville, is seeking an extension of the John Muir Highway designation to the full length of the State Route 132 corridor from its western connections with I-5 and I-580 to Coulterville. This designation is intended to memorialize the traditions and accomplishments of John Muir but also to provide a marketing brand for Route 132, which is under-appreciated as an alternate scenic route to Yosemite National Park, and that with creative marketing could become a popular travel option for tourists from northern California and beyond.” The JMGC is pleased to continue with its mission to advance local tourism and

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Finally, Coulterville will be on the map for tourists to learn about our important history. Thanks to the efforts of the JMGC , (Stancog) passed a resolution with unanimous consent by all incorporated cities in Stanislaus County and the Board of Supervisors of Stanislaus County to advance the designation of State Highway 132 as the John Muir Highway. This process began with a partnership with the City of Waterford and moved forward throughout the Spring and Summer of 2015 with all cities voting on the measure. On June 17, 2015 (Stancog) the Stanislaus Council of Governments voted to pass the measure along to all members. At that time, I, Monty Thornburg, President of the JMGC, provided information about the effort to rename part of State Route 132 to the John Muir Highway. Charles Turner offered comments in support of the effort. There was consensus to take the idea to the member agencies for resolutions and to then return to the Policy Board for a resolution. Member Van Winkle said the City of Waterford had already passed a resolution and that it would be provided to the mem-

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Yosemite Gateway Partners Newsletter • Winter 2015/2016

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Madera County - South Gateway New Name: Visit Yosemite - Madera County By Rhonda Salisbury

At Yosemite’s southern gate, Madera County is excited to start 2016 with a... NEW NAME: Visit Yosemite | Madera County NEW LOCATION: 40343 Hwy 41 in the heart of Oakhurst NEW WEBSITE: Please stop by and say hello at our new visitor’s center. We also invite you to visit us online at YosemiteThisYear.com. Coming up, enjoy one of our favorite events: February 13-14 Wine & Chocolate Weekend | Madera Wine Trail

Kim Lawson Director of PR & Media Yosemite Sierra Visitors Bureau 559.683.4636 ext. 204 [email protected] Connect: Facebook | Twitter

Yosemite Gateway Partners Newsletter • Winter 2015/2016

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visit california Meet Mo McElroy

Tourism is a major economic driver for California. More than 251 million visitors traveled to the state from every corner of the world in 2014. Travelers spent $117.5 billion in California, an all-time high in terms of both actual and inflation-adjusted dollars. Visit California’s marketing program of work is deployed around the world to inspire travelers to come to the state. The nonprofit organization develops and maintains marketing campaigns and initiatives — in partnership with the state’s travel industry — that keep California top-of-mind as a premier travel destination. Visit California offers a variety of marketing programs and tools to travel-related businesses and industry partners. From no-cost content submission opportunities, to robust integrated international campaigns, working with Visit California will help your brand reach essential consumer, trade and media audiences. Want to ensure your business is effectively participating? Meet with your Visit California Industry Liaison Mo McElroy. She will be happy to share more information about Visit California’s co-opportunities, media events, trade shows, publications, conferences and other partnership opportunities. To connect with Mo McElroy, contact [email protected] or 707.490.5079. For more information, go online at industry. VisitCalifornia.com

Yosemite Gateway Partners Newsletter • Winter 2015/2016

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Mariposa - West Gateway Mariposa Storytelling Festival

Our Annual Mariposa Storytelling Festival brings you the best storytelling performances every 2nd weekend in March. This spring 2016 will be our 29th Annual Storytelling Festival! This festival begins in historic Mariposa, with storytelling events on Friday, March 11 and Saturday, March 12. On Sunday, March 13, the festival moves to Yosemite National Park for the finale in the East Auditorium at the Yosemite Valley Visitors Center. Go to http://www. mariposaartscouncil.org/ mariposa-storytellingfestival/ to register and get the program schedule. Order your tickets early! Our evening shows typically sell-out several weeks before the festival. Order online before February 5th and receive $5 off our Special 2 Day Festival Passes. You may also order your tickets by calling us at (209) 9663155 or (800) 903-9936.

Yosemite Gateway Partners Newsletter • Winter 2015/2016

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Mono county visitors

East Gateway - Top Seven Reasons to Visit Mono Lake By Laura Lashbrook

Scenery: Mono Lake’s spectacular scenery is otherworldly. Its waters always seem to be a different shade of blue or green, its unique limestone tufa towers warrant hours of exploration, and the surrounding landscape – from the volcanic Mono Craters to the iconic Eastern Sierra – are world-class. History: From the native Katzadika’a people’s way of life to the first westerners, Mark Twain’s famous visit in his book Roughing It to more recent history in a political and environmental struggle over water rights, Mono Lake’s history is rich and fascinating. Science: Mono Lake’s unique scenery owes itself to the unique chemistry of its waters. Containing chlorides, carbonates and sulfates, it’s almost three times saltier than the ocean! All those minerals built its famous tufa towers and shaped the local ecology that makes the region a natural wonder. Geology: The Mono Basin is a tectonic basin formed by faults and a warp in the earth’s crust – dating somewhere from one to three million years old. The Mono Craters to the south are North America’s youngest volcanic chain – most recently erupting 700 years ago. Paoha Island in Mono Lake – also volcanic in origin – emerged within the last 350 years, making a protected place for birds to nest. Birding: Mono Lake is a migratory bird mecca, and a must-

see spot for any birder. Eared Grebes, Wilson Phaloropes, Rednecked Phalaropes and 79 other species pass through Mono Lake, and 85 percent of California’s breading population of California gulls nests at Mono Lake. Pop Culture: From Clint Eastwood’s classic western, High Plains Drifter, to a picture on the album jacket of Pink Floyd’s Wish

You Were Here, Mono Lake’s landscape has been a magnet for the film industry, musicians, artists and photographers. Enjoy an occasional 80s hair band jam? Mono Lake was also the filming location for Cinderella’s Don’t Know What You Got (Till It’s Gone). The ghost town Bodie is in there too. Yosemite: Sitting at the crossroads of US Highway 395 – which spans the scenic eastern Sierra, and Highway 120, which climbs Tioga Pass to the eastern entrance of Yosemite National Park – Mono Lake is the gateway to the park’s Tuolumne Meadows, Tenaya Lake and Olmsted Point.

If you go: Stay at Tioga Lodge right across the street from Mono Lake, and grab a bite to eat at the Mono Inn with a beautiful view across the lake, or the unique and fun Whoa Nellie Deli. Ice cream at the Mono Cone on a warm summer day shouldn’t be missed either. Visit the Mono Lake Committee Information Center in Lee Vining to learn more, or drop by the Mono Basin Scenic Area Visitor Center which overlooks Mono Lake to speak with Forest Service staff. Find out more at monocounty.org or call (800)8457922. About Mono County: Located approximately 310 miles west of Las Vegas, 315 miles north of Los Angeles, and 280 miles east of San Francisco, Mono County accesses the east entrance to Yosemite National Park and beckons visitors in all seasons. The region was listed among the Top 10 U.S. destinations by Lonely Planet and its major thoroughfare, US Highway 395, has been named among the country’s best five road trips by USA Weekend. From abundant trout fishing, hiking, horseback riding and bird watching in summer, stunning fall foliage in autumn, to wintertime pursuits of skiing and snowboarding, crosscountry skiing, snowshoeing – and simply partaking in good oldfashioned fun in the snow – Mono County is a year-round recreation paradise. For more information or to request guides, visitwww. MonoCounty.org or call 800-8457922.

Yosemite Gateway Partners Newsletter • Winter 2015/2016

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CSERC receives national recognition from the USFS for volunteer restoration project efforts! The non-profit Central Sierra Environmental Resource Center (CSERC) has received awards at both the Regional and National levels for the restoration work that CSERC staff and volunteers have done on the Stanislaus National Forest. The Mi-Wok Ranger District nominated CSERC for the awards, acknowledging both the amount of volunteer hours that CSERC has contributed as well as the amount of funding CSERC has helped to secure for projects in the forest. CSERC was selected from a list of 65 nominees submitted to the Washington Office for agency consideration.

Are you interested in volunteering with CSERC to help get important restoration work done on public lands of the Northern Yosemite region? Put your name on CSERC’s volunteer list so you can be contacted about future opportunities to get involved and to do worthwhile work with like-minded people. Contact [email protected] or go to CSERC’s Volunteer page for more information.

www.cserc.org   Yosemite Gateway Partners Newsletter • Winter 2015/2016

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Bond, James Bond Across 1. Cries of discovery 5. Rice wines, served hot 10. Foreshadow 14. 9th Mon. 15. Living symbol of China 16. 2013's Rim ___ 17. In between 18. Wear away 19. The F in BOF 20. 1989 Timothy Dalton Bond film, w/ 22Across 22. See 20 across 24. Pineapple genus 25. Measured in decibels 28. Artfully persuasive in speech 29. 1979 Roger Moore Bond film 33. Weep 35. Kilovolt-ampere: Abbr. 36. Mild expletive 37. Gen. Hershey's 1960s org. 40. Late, like birthday cards 43. Formerly: Fr. 44. Asian dwarf buffalo 46. It's 80% nitrogen 47. Yoga class requirement 49. 1995 Pierce Brosnan Bond Film 51. Type of tide 54. He ____ the backstroke 55. Like Horny Toads 57. 2002 Pierce Brosnan Bond film, w/ 62 Across 62. See 57 Across 63. Big Boss in Bahrain 65. Cabinet Department 66. AWOL, e.g. 67. Mono Lake's formations 68. Japanese animation

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Yosemite Gateway Partners Newsletter • Winter 2015/2016

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Bond James Bond - solution A S A L A

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Yosemite Gateway Partners Newsletter • Winter 2015/2016

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Board of Directors - Fiscal Year 2015-2016

President John DeGrazio

209.532.7014

[email protected]

1st Vice President Candy O’Donel-Browne

209.966.4876

[email protected]

Secretary Debbie Cook

209.878.3227

[email protected]

559.662.6050

[email protected]

2nd Vice President Miguel Maldonado

209.962.4917

Treasurer Larry Cope

209.989.4058

Director Brittany Dyer

Director Charles Altekruse Director Craig Schmidt

Director Les Marsden



510.913.3669

[email protected] [email protected]

[email protected]

760.934.2712, x1333 [email protected] 559.708.6027

Director Robert Peters

818.203.2201

Director Terry Selk

209.742.4567

[email protected]

[email protected]

[email protected]

YGP mailing address: P. O. Box 888 – Groveland, CA 95321

Upcoming meeting: January 14, 2016 Cliff/Falls Rooms, Yosemite Lodge, Yosemite National Park (across the courtyard from the Garden Terrace Room) To register for this meeting use http://tinyurl.com/gnaxye5 (if you already registered, Thank You - and we’ll see you soon) Map is not at scale

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From and to Highways 140, 120 and 41

Cliff-Falls Rooms

Yosemite maps

http://www.yosemitepark.com/yosemite-maps.aspx Yosemite Gateway Partners Newsletter • Winter 2015/2016

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