USA > California > Tulare County > History of Tulare County, California with biographical sketches > Part 24
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STONE HOUSE.
When on the bottom you pass up the river a half mile, and reach " Stone House " a place used as headquarters, there being no house or hut in the valley. This house is formed by an immense block of granite sliding down over two huge bowld- ers and forming a complete room, open at one end, about ten by fifteen feet. It has a floor of clear white sand.
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GRAND AND SUBLIME SCENERY.
SILVER SPRAY FALLS.
From here a trip is taken to the "Silver Spray Falls " along up a branch stream. One cannot express their feelings at the sight of this truly grand view. The falls descend in three sec- tions; the first fall is 500 feet, the second one is 600 feet, and the third is 800 feet. The water of the latter is separated into misty spray before reaching the bottom, and adds much to its beauty ; hence its name, "Silver Spray."
SIERRA CANON AND WATERFALL.
The valley narrows down at the upper end into a cañon whose walls are perpendicular, and its width only 200 feet, including the river. The walls are 2,500 to 3,500 feet high.
TEHIPITEE DOME.
Here also can be obtained a view of Tehipitee Dome. It is formed of solid granite, and rises to an elevation of fully 6,000 feet above the valley. Its sides are perpendicular to within about 1,000 feet of the top when the gradual oval begins, which forms a perfect dome in shape. Its name Tehipitee is given it by the Indians and means " high rock." This dome and Silver Spray Falls are near the center of the valley, and about one-quarter of a mile distant from each other.
DESCRIPTION OF TEHIPITEE VALLEY.
This grand and remarkable valley is about three miles long and averages from one to one and one-quarter miles wide. It was first entered by Frank Dusy, by the Indian trail. In 1878 there was discovered another entrance, or trail, which was unknown even to the Indians. Some miners found it. Afterwards Mr. Dusy entered the valley by it. He says the trail must have been made at least twenty years before by white men, as trees had been felled by axes and other evidences of white men's work were noticeable.
In the valley were found remains of a camp-fire, and a grave on which stood a pair of boots, mouldering and crumbling with age. This trail is passable by mules, but in some places very difficult ..
DEPTH OF THIS VALLEY.
"The distance down from the top or rim of the valley, is about 6,000 feet, (5,280 feet make a mile) and the valley runs east and west or nearly. You enter the lower or west end. The valley closes up at the outlet of the river into a narrow cañon. Mr. Dusy went down this some three miles, until he entered another small valley of some sixty acres covered with oak timber. It was a perfect little gem of a place.
" Of the terrible grandeur of this valley it is hardly possible to convey any idea." In the valley are many grand cliffs, waterfalls and curious things that have as yet not been named or examined. It opens a wide field for those who love to explore and examine new scenes.
TRIPLE FALLS.
Beautiful and remarkable falls exist in the upper valley. The river divides into two streams which approach within fifty feet of each other, and each then falls 200 feet; the falls in descending approach and nearly touch each other and both fall into one basin about 100 feet in diameter ; then the united waters, after whirling around the basin, drop 400 feet. The stream continues on and then a remarkable sight is seen. The water falls 180 feet into a small basin which has an opening or chimney which carries the spray upwards and above the falls in a cloud which is seen for a long way. From above you see only the vast column of spray rising out of this chimney or hole.
A LIVING GLACIER.
North of this valley is Mt. Goddard, which has been explored by Mr. Dusy. Few people have traveled as extensively in the Sierra Nevada district as has Mr. Dusy, especially in the regions surrounding Mt. Goddard (14,000 ft.) on the head-waters of the middle fork of King's River, and the south fork of the San Joaquin. He describes, as seen last summer by himself and party, what is more like an Alpine glacier than anything seen or heard of in our Sierra, except the living glaciers found by John Muir on Mt. Lyall. It was six miles east of Mt. God- dard, on what may be called the Goddard Ridge-the divide
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GRAND AND SUBLIME SCENERY.
between the south fork of San Joaquin River and the middle fork of King's. It was a mass of elear, bluish ice, estimated to be 80 feet thick at its upper or deepest edge, where a vast erev- iee was found, 10 feet wide, be- tween it and the snow above it. It was about a mile long, and from 500 to 600 yards wide. On its edges were mo- raines, composed of shattered slate, which Mr. Dusy deseribes as forming there the upper por- tion of the slope. At the low- er end was a great mass of this slaty debris, which was being shoved along over a sub-strat- um of solid granite. He judg- ed that its movement down the cañon last summer was about ten feet, as that was the width of the deep ereviee on the upper edge, between the ice and snow . [This rate of travel, estimated by Mr. Dusy, is undoubtedly
too great, as we believe no glaeiers of the Alps have so fast a rate.]
BLUE CAÑON FALLS.
Another remarkable falls in the region is called by Mr. Dusy "Blue Cañon Falls." The height of this fall is about 800 feet perpendicular, and falls direet- ly into the King's River. This does not include any caseades; but one direet fall. The stream is some 30 feet wide. We give a very good view of this fall in our illustration.
MONARCH LAKES.
These two beautiful lakes lie at the foot of Miner's Peak. The upper lake is two miles in length by one in width, and is surrounded by lofty mountains, which give it the appearance of lying in a basin hewed from solid granite roek. The upper-lake is separated from the lower lake by a solid granite dam, to the right of which there is an opening, through which pour its sparkling waters down a steep precipice into the lower lake. The lower lake is about half the size of the upper one. Both are very deep, and their waters are as clear as a crystal. These lakes are situated in a very romantic lo- eality, and the seenery on every side is very grand and picturesque. Far away rise the granite peaks and tall pines of the Sierras, while here and there you see other lesser lakes and glimpses of mount- ain meadows. These lakes must event- ually become a popular resort to those in search of health, rest, trout and game. The distance from Mineral King to these lakes is about four miles, of access on foot or with animals. A short distance from these lakes are magnificent forests of pine, and mountain meadows, where may be found deer in abundance, and at certain seasons of the year the sportsman can have the brown and black bear for a target.
NATURAL BRIDGES.
There are several of these natural bridges about this locality. Two of BLUE CAÑON FALLS. them are on Natural Bridge Creek, and the bridges which give its name to the creek, span it at a point less than a quarter of a mile above its junction with Volcano Creek. The Hockett trail crosses the larger bridge. Large junipers grow on and near it. Its length is about twenty-five feet, its width at least twelve feet, and the
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GRAND AND SUBLIME SCENERY.
height of its level surface is about twenty feet above the bed of the limpid stream that dashes wildly through the narrow opening beneath it. Height above sea level, 8,300 feet. The formation is the deposit from mineral springs containing lime. True, a dark basaltic lava exists in large quantities there, and for eight or ten miles down Volcano Creek, to its very mouth, where the basaltic columns are found.
A BEAUTIFUL TREE DESTROYED.
Messrs. McKiernan, Manley, and Hubbs, of Visalia, shipped from Tulare City a section of one of the largest, if not the largest, of all the big trees that have yet been discovered in California. The tree from which this section was taken was 111 feet in circumference at the butt, and stood 250 feet in height, at which elevation it was broken off. At the breaking off place in was 12 feet in diameter. These gentlemen had been at work getting this seetion ready for exhibition for nearly a year. This section was 14 feet in height, and was ent from the body of the tree twelve feet from the ground, the base being so irregular in form, the irregularity extending up from the roots, that it was inexpedient to take the lowest part. At the distance of twelve feet from the ground, the tree was. twenty-six feet six inches in diameter, this being the diameter of the base of the section exhibited. The top of the tree, or stub, as it really was, was felled twenty-six feet from the ground, the labor of felling it.occupying four men nine days.
This great tree made a noise when it came down that rever- berated through the mountains like a peal of thunder. The work of taking out the section, which is exhibited, was then commenced from the top. The men dug the inside of the tree out with axes, these tools being the only ones that could be used to advantage. The wood was left six inches thiek, exclusive of the bark, which ranges from three to ten inches in thickness.
BIG TREE ON EXHIBITION.
The diameter of the tree where it was felled (the diameter of the top of the section that was exhibited) is twenty-one feet. This shell was sawed down, making fifteen gigantic slabs. This tree stood six miles away from a public road, and a road was built this whole distance, in order to get this section of the tree out. Each slab made a load for eight horses. The whole fifteen made two ear loads. The owners of this great natural curiosity exhibited it in the East, and expected to make some money out of it, but strange to say, it failed to draw, and the owners never realized the first cost of its exhibi- tion. It was put up on Market Street in San Francisco, where the writer visited the interior, which made a large room. On one side was a staging, ereeted for visitors, with a band stand on the opposite side. Around the interior were hung pictures of other large trees. It would hold a great many people at one time, and was a real curiosity.
Some attempts have been made at times to preserve these
trees, but they are rapidly disappearing. One Martin Vivian was arrested in 1876, and found guilty of vandalism in cutting down one of these large trees. He was fined $50 by the Court. He ought to have been imprisoned for life ! He cut it down to take to the Centennial at Philadelphia.
VISIT TO BIG TREES.
A party who visited this locality in 1882, says: " We walk around them, look up, exclaim and wonder, but find no words adequate for the occasion." The largest " Gen. Grant," has been measured, and requires an immense amount of twine to clasp his giant waist, and is grand and massive in his propor- tions. Others are called "The Siamese Twins," " The Twin Sisters," " The Centennial," etc. The largest, and the one of most interest to us, is the one from which the section was taken to the Centennial. It now lies prostrate, and reminds one of the hulk of a great ship in wreck. The interior of the trunk has been burned, and the sun pours through the great knot- holes into a gloomy eavern.
FELLING BIG TREE FOR CENTENNIAL EXHIBITION.
The rains have come through also, and formed a little lake on which one could easily row a boat. We elimb on top of the great Centennial body, and walk from end to end.
Standing by one of these patriarchs of the forest, one is first struek with what he sees, their mammoth proportions and beautiful foliage, but soon the inind endeavors to solve the question of age.
The road that was worked in 1878, for the party to trans- port the tree over, is now scarcely perceptible, being filled in many places by fallen timber, making it very dangerous to attempt a passage over it, besides being considered impraetica- ble. As there was a party last year desirous of visiting the spot, an l gazing upon the stump, still left standing, J. E. Shuey conceived the idea of going there with a six-horse teamn, when he first mentioned it, the party thought that the proper place for him was Stockton. The employees at the mill said that if he could drive up and down that mountain, he eould cross the Alps. The feat was accomplished, and a party of
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fifteen enjoyed a picnic upon the spot where onee the shadows of the mighty monarch fell; but we are sure that if Hank Monk could have seen the manipulator of the ribbons, sending that team down those mountains, on the return trip, he would have felt sure that the passengers would be on time (what there was left of them), and would have conceded to him the palm.
MOUNTAIN LUMBER FLUME.
Summit Hill is situated high up on the mountain side, inae- cessible to wagons ; therefore the lumber has to be sent down 1,800 feet by a flume, which has such a deseent that it is quite a sight to see with what rapidity the lumber reaches the foot of the mountain. Teams are waiting at nearly all hours of . the day for loads to Mountain View, and other points farther down the valley.
HIGHEST POINT IN UNITED STATES
MT. WHITNEY. 15100 IT 15.000 MT. TYNDALLJury MT. KAWEAH MOOOFT.
DIVIDE BETWEEN VALLEYS 12000/T,
13000.
BRODO
TEHIPITEE DOME [OG FT
TEHIPITEE VALLEY 1000FT.
PARADISE VALLEY coger.
KERN CANON SOOOFT
11000
DOME MOUNTAIN 8925 FT.
10,000
9,000
BIG MEADOWS 1.400FT
BALD MOUNTAIN 7.936TT
RIVER
1000
2,000
BIG TREE'S COOOFT IL
RIVER
THOMAS MILL 5,414 FT
RIVER
5000
4000.
1000
2000
1,000
. MESNO JOUY
LEVEI CE SEA.
DIAGRAM SHOWING COMPARATIVE DEPTH OF VALLEYS.
PARADISE VALLEY.
From Tehipitee Valley you ean go south to Paradise Valley, or King's River Canon, as it was first ealled. Prof. Whitney, who visited this valley, and attempted to go north towards Tehipitee (then unknown), reported an "impassable barrier." But this is found not to be so, and a good trail passes over the ridge, or mountain, which is 13,000 feet high, as shown in the diagram.
This valley says Prof. Whitney, is from half a mile to a mile wide, and eleven miles long. It is elosed at the lower end by a deep and impassable eañon. It is deeper and its sides more precipitous than Yosemite's. Many points are from 4,000 to 6,000 feet high. At the head of the valley is a solid rock wall, a perpendicular precipiee of " from 6,500 to 7,000 feet high." " It rivals, and in many respects, even surpasses Yosemite in
altitude of surrounding cliffs." The altitude of their camp at the lower end of this valley, they gave approximately as 4,737 feet ; at the higher, 5,218 fect. This shows a height of over 12,000 fect for the eliff's and peak at the upper end, which the miners eall Mt. Tumble, because huge bowlders occasionally rush down its steep declivities, cutting down and shivering in pieces pine trees from four to six feet in diameter.
DESCRIPTION OF PARADISE VALLEY.
We are indebted for the following information about the Paradise Valley to an interesting article, written by J. W. A. Wright, who has made several trips to this region, and is familiar with the scenery.
Paradise Valley, or King's River Cañon, is on that branch of King's River, formerly called by Whitney and others the South Fork, but which, by later and more thorough exploration, proves to be the middle fork of that large stream, the third or fourth in eapaeity among the rivers of California. The valley is unexplored for at least five miles. That part of the Middle Fork which runs through this valley, is from 150 feet in width above, to 200 feet below, and from three to fifteen feet in depth at various points; and west of the valley it rushes into a deeper, narrower, wilder cañon than does the Mereed. at the lower end of Yosemite. Whitney truly remarks that in only two respects has Yosemite the advantage of what is now ealled Paradise Valley, viz., some of its walls, though not so high, are more vertical, and its falls are higher.
· CHARACTER OF THE VALLEY. .
Whitney's deseription is very aeeurate in saying : "The bottom of the valley is covered with granitic sand, forming a soil which supports a fine growth of timber, with here and there a meadow. The river abounds in trout." This timber, besides yellow pines (Pinus ponderosa) sugar pines (P. Lamber- tiana) and others of the conifers, some of them eight feet through at the base, comprises at least three species of the oak, the white (Quercus hindsii) black, (Q. Sonomensis) and live oak (Q. agrifolia); also maples (Acer circinatum) and alders (Alnus Oregona). Here the characteristic mountain or white eedar of California (libocedrus decurrens) attains its largest size, from six to eight fect in diameter, and fully 150 feet high.
COMPARISON WITHI YOSEMITE.
Compare figures of elevations with those for Yosemite, and the superior points of Paradise Valley are more clearly seen. Level of bottom of Yosemite Valley, about 4,000 feet above the sea ; while Paradise Valley is 4,737.
Width of Mereed River in the valley, 70 feet, while width of King's River in Paradise Valley is 200 feet.
Height of El Capitan above valley, 3,300 feet ; North Dome, 3,568 ; Half Dome, 4,737; and in Paradise Valley are pre- cipitous eliffs "from 3,500 to 6,000 feet above the base," while at the head of the valley, in a corresponding position
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GRAND AND SUBLIME SCENERY.
to Half Dome in Yosemite is a nearly vertical wall from 6,500 to 7,000 fect high.
Then the surrounding mountains arc much taller. The dividing ridge between the middle and north forks of King's River and twelve miles north of the valley, is at least 13,000 feet high, but accessible with guides for horses or men, though the geological survey did not succeed in finding the route.
BEAUTIFUL CASCADES.
Paradise Valley is made beautiful by a number of fine cascades, some Icaps of which are from 150 to 200 feet ; in fact a chain of these cascades called " The Falls," where the Middle Fork enters the east end of the valley, makes an entire descent of more than 2,000 feet in a milc and a half, or fully
BEAUTIFUL CASCADES.
4,000 fect in four miles. Thence toward the west, in succes- sion, on the north side, Copper, Granite and Deer Creeks ; and on the south side, Dubb's Creek, Roaring River and Summit Creek, besides smaller ones, form a series of magnificent . cascades, winter and summer, without ceasing, which dash down precipitous lateral cañons, descending from 3,000 to 5,000 feet in distances, varying from one to three miles. The size of this stream led some to call it the south fork of King's River. Its course is very winding, and mostly in deep canons, from 300 to 500 feet wide, cut down in solid walls of rock fully 2,000 feet deep in places. Of this decp gorge, the best view is had in passing up the valley. Just before it enters the valley. that strcam is condensed into a width of from ten to thirty
feet at different seasons, and plunges at one leap about 100 feet over a granite precipice, falling into a round, well-worn basin, with a deafening roar. This circular basin, in the solid gran- ite, is over 200 fcet across and at least 30 feet deep. It is full of the finest speckled mountain trout, which cannot get above it in that direction. Indecd all the other tributaries abound in these trout up to their higher falls.
NAMES OF MOUNTAINS VISIBLE.
In direct line, about' twelve miles east of the valley, is the south end of the Palisades, that grand range of perpen- dicular cliffs, of comparatively recent volcanic formation, along the summit ridge of the Sicrra, between Fresno and Mono Counties, which range from 13,000 to 14,000 feet in height.
Mount Goddard, about twenty miles north of northcast, is 14,000 feet ; Mount Silliman, twenty-two miles south, is .11,623 feet ; Mount King and Mount Gardner, sixteen miles southeast, probably over 14,000 fect ; Mount Brewer, twenty- three miles southeast, 13,886 feet, and is on a spur embraced by two branches of King's River. Ncar it ten peaks can be seen as high, and perhaps four, higher, according to the geological sur- vey. Slightly east of south, thirty-two miles, is the lofty Kaweah Peak, one of the highest points seen from San Joa- quin Valley, and estimated to be over 14,000 feet, though its exact height has really not been ascertaincd. Southeast, thirty miles, are Mount Tyndall, 14,386 feet, and Mount Wil- liamson,-" an inaccessible bunch of needles "-higher still, and about two miles north of Tyndall.
HIGHEST POINT IN UNITED STATES.
Thirty-eight miles southeast is the culminating point of all the Sierra Nevada, Mt. Whitney, whose height is not far from 15,000 feet, and whose huge slopes, cañons and table- lands form the immense water-shed that is draincd by Kern River and its numerous tributaries.
All these, and hundreds of less-noted peaks, can be scen from high points ncar Paradise Valley. This grand canon of King's River, nestling thus in the midst of the most magnifi- cent Alpine scenery of America, which surrounds it within a radius of fifty miles, is, in straight lines, fifty-five miles north- east of Visalia, sixty-five slightly north of east from Fresno City, thirty miles northwest of Independence, and fifty miles, a little east of south, from Mammoth City. From Yosemite Valley and its kindred wonders about seventy-five miles south- east.
DOUBLE SUNSET EVERY DAY.
A remarkable natural phenomenon of this valley is a double sunset every day, as seen from near Copper Creek. Regularly at 1:30 P. M. the sun passed behind a very high cliff and peak on the south side of the great canon. For about two hours it would remain concealed from view, and would then burst forth again from beyond the western edge of Mount Capitan and
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GRAND AND SUBLIME SCENERY.
just over the falls of Roaring River. Then they had a second sunset about the same hour that it occurs in San Joaquin Valley, the sun seeming to pass down the deep gorge to the the westward, where King's River finds its exit towards the plain. Few, if any other, regions of our coast, or any other country, can claim sueh sunsets twice a day. Another fact in nature worthy of record, is that, because of the dense shade of the high walls on the south side of this valley, the snow dis- appears, trees bud, and flowers bloom on the north side, immediately under its perpendicular cliffs -- which refleet the sun's rays down into the valley-in February, three months sooner than on the south side. In the latter region snow remains in the deep erevices and gorges till in June. Similar effects of the more or less direet rays of the sun are seen along all the southern or northern slopes, not only of the mountains of our coast, but throughout the world. The wild flowers of this valley are much the same as in Yosemite.
FIRST PARTIES WHO WINTERED IN VALLEY.
The first white men to spend the winter of 1877-8 in the val- ley, says J. W. A. Wright, were W. A. Clark, Wm. Hieks, Wm. Hilton, and L. M. Grover, all of them having experienee as mountaineers and hunters. Leaving Visalia November 10th with a paek-train, earrying their winter's supplies and tools, they reached the valley on the 1,4th, and immediately located a eamp near the upper end of the valley, north of the river, and on the east bank of Copper Creek, from which their supply of water was to come. Feed being searee, as some 180,000 sheep had been driven through the mountains of Fresno that dry summer, of which at least 60,000 were lost, they sent out their paek animals to bring additional supplies, and made it their first eare to put up a substantial eabin, built of rough pine logs, well chinked and daubed, having a puneh- eon floor and a substantial stone chimney, supported in part by a log frame on the outside. The first week in Deeember the paek-train returned with their last supplies, and hurried out again that it might not be eaught in heavy snow-storms, then daily expected on the higher ridges. A few stray stoek began to gather in the valley around the eamp, led by the instinct that warns them of the approach of winter, and inclines them to seek the presence and protection of man in such isolation. These consisted of several small bands of sheep, two cows and ealves, and five horses, ineluding a handsome young blaek stallion. The latter was the only one of the entire number that survived the bears and scarcity of food through the winter, though the eold alone was not severe enough to kill them. It was mild and pleasant nearly all winter-never severely eold. They usually kept their door open all day, exeept for about two weeks. All of which shows this fine valley to be comfort- ably habitable every winter for men and domestie animals, with proper preparation of food and shelter, whenever it becomes an objeet to remain there.
PLENTY OF GAME.
Previous to January 20th, they killed three einnamon and a black bear, using their hindquarters and sliees of tenderloin for meat. Among other game in and around this valley are the fine, large gray squirrel (sciurus fossor, of our higher mountains, oceasional floeks of the wild pigeons of California, the band-tailed pigeon (Columba jasciata) and the fisher, or American sable (Mustela Pennantii) the largest of the Marten family. The squirrels come in great numbers late in the fall, and spend the winter in the valley. There they get abundance of acorns, a food of which the bears are also very fond. In the dense forests, along the adjacent slopes, however, the dusky grouse (Tetrao obscurus) is found in sufficient numbers to afford good sport for hunters. The common dove (Zenaidura caro- linensis), found all over the United States, abounds there in
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