About midway between the north and south ends of this "Snowy Range" and extending from the ragged summits of its eastern edge to the semi-arid foothills at the west, lies Yosemite National Park, 1125 square miles of incomparable scenic beauty. Yosemite Valley, contrary to most peoples' preconceived idea, lies fully 25 miles west of the Sierra crest. It is countersunk 4000 feet into the granite of the gently inclined plateau, which above its rim averages from 7000 to 8000 feet in elevation. The characteristics of this region immediately adjacent to Yosemite Valley are different from those of the High Sierra to the past. Very little of it is above the timber-line, as the dominating summits--Mount Hoffman (10,921) at the north, Clouds Rest (9924) at the east, Mount Starr King (9179) at the southeast, and Horse Ridge (9600) at the south--average less than 10,000 feet in altitude. The magnificent forests with which the slopes are clothed are interspersed with perfectly formed granite domes, with meadows and wild-flower gardens, with polished granite pavements, and with innumerable manifestations of Nature which give the trails of the region an ever-changing charm. YOSEMITE VALLEY Bisecting this district from east to west is the great trough of Yosemite Valley, its bottom gouged down more than half way to sea level. The same type of geological architecture is exemplified by the Hetch Hetchy a few miles to the north and by the canyons of the San Joaquin, Kings and Kern to the south. In none of these however, are magnitude, beauty and accessibility so ideally combined as in Yosemite. ORIGIN As to the origin of these valleys, and of Yosemite in particular, there is still some discussion among scientists. Whitney's old theory of a great cataclysm and the sinking of a small block of the earth's crust has been entirely displaced, and geologists are now seeking to determine if glaciers have been solely responsible for the present landscape or whether ice and water worked hand in hand. A good summary of the various theories of geological history, as well as a popular discussion of all the geological phenomena of the region, is contained in the "Sketch of Yosemite National Park and an Account of the Origin of Yosemite and Hetch Hetchy Valleys," by Dr. F. E. Matthes of the U.S. Geological Survey. This government publication may be obtained in Yosemite at the office of the Superintendent for ten cents. EARLY HISTORY