History of Yosemite National Park
In 1864, Yosemite became California’s first state park and on October 1, 1890, Yosemite was established as a national park. John Muir and his Sierra Club, which is one of the oldest, largest, and most influential grassroots environmental organizations in the United States, lobbied the government and influential people to create a unified Yosemite National Park. Overgrazing of meadows (especially by sheep), logging of Giant Sequoia, woodlands being recklessly depleted, and other damage caused to the ecosystem led John Muir to become an advocate to protect Yosemite. He helped put the area under federal protection and also helped persuade local officials to eliminate grazing from the Yosemite high country. Furthermore, according to the National Park Service website, in its early days, Galen Clark and others lobbied to also protect Yosemite Valley from development, which led to the park being set aside for preservation and public use. Yosemite was designated as a World Heritage Site in 1984. It is recognized for its spectacular granite cliffs, waterfalls, clear streams, Giant Sequoia groves, and biological diversity.
About 10 million years ago, the Sierra Nevada was uplifted and then tilted to form its relatively gentle western slopes and the more dramatic eastern slopes. The uplift increased the steepness of stream and riverbeds, resulting in the formation of deep and narrow canyons. Furthermore, about one million years ago, snow and ice accumulated, forming glaciers that moved down the river valleys causing the movement of ice masses cut and sculpted the U-shaped valley that attracts many visitors today.
Half Dome
Half Dome is a granite dome at the eastern end of Yosemite Valley in Yosemite National Park. It is one of the indisputable monarchs of Yosemite National Park, a lopsided, sheer fin soaring high above Yosemite Valley. One side is a sheer face while the other three sides are smooth and round, making it appear like a dome cut in half. The granite crest rises more than 4,737 ft (1,444 m) above the valley floor. Formed as a giant molten underground intrusion, it became exposed through the centuries of erosion by weather and glaciers.
