ROAD TRIP | YOSEMITE | MARIPOSA MONO LAKE | BODIE | CALIFORNIA

YOSEMITE | CALIFORNIA ON THE ROAD AGAIN

A Road Trip Through Northern California

There’re a few things to consider when taking a road trip in the USA: 1. a good car, 2. good music, (Neil Young for example) 3. good stops. It’s not the miles in the car that counts, it’s the places and people you meet along the way. Northern California is a good place to practice the art.

WORDS AND PHOTOS BY FREDRIK LUNDGREN

Never underestimate the power of going on a road trip while blasting good music. After a three-hour long car trip from San Francisco with Neil Young in the speakers, we wind up on small, snaking back roads which leads to our destination for the day: the former mining town of Mariposa, just at the edge of Yosemite National Park.

I climb out of the car, and it feels like someone has pointed a hairdryer right in my face. The air is particularly warm, and it smells like a forest fire.

A walk through the town is easily done and over within a few minutes. The low buildings along the main street would make for an excellent backdrop to a classic western film.

There’s a clothing store, Fremont House, which looks welcoming and enticing. From the floor to the roof the place is full of cowboy boots, jeans, and shirts from brands like Pendleton and Wrangler. The staff are knowledgeable, and eager to explain why Wrangler jeans are a perfect fit for cowboys. In all honesty, while their prowess and passion for clothes were impressive, it was really the air-conditioning which kept me in there for so long.

Not far from Fremont House lies the Yosemite Climbing Museum. A sure stop for all those interested in climbing. The small white building doesn’t look like much, but inside is a towering amount of American climbing history. Local climber Ken Yager saw that there was a need to canonize the history of Yosemite’s climbers, and this museum is a testament to his vision. At the museum you’ll find artifacts, photos, publications, and memorabilia highlighting the history of climbing. Yager has taken

The smog from the forest fires put an eerie touch on Yosemite Valley.

Yosemite Climbing Museum in Mariposa. Get a pair of authentic jeans at Fremont House in Mariposa.

his passion for the outdoors even further by organizing the yearly ‘Facelift’, an event where people get together to go clean up trash and litter left in nature. Even small towns carry significant historical importance, Mariposa is one of them. From Native Americans to miners, history has walked and climbed all over here through the ages.

MARIPOSA GROVE According to the locals, you can’t visit Mariposa without seeing the Mariposa Grove. I personally feel a little hesitant to go see some massive trees when it feels like the thermometer is about to melt. But curiosity got me, and wouldn’t you know it, but I had no regrets. Mariposa Grove lies in the southern parts of Yosemite and is home to over 500 gigantic sequoia Trees, many of which are over a thousand years old.

“I am a park ranger here, hence the hat and the badge.” The welcoming words from ranger Scott Gediman as we get out of our car at Mariposa Grove. Just seeing his big smile is worth the trip. Ranger Scott has worked for the National Park Service for 32 years, but his burning interest for this career began when he was just a child. He tells us a fascinating story. In the beginning of the 1800’s, Mariposa Grove was a remote place, far from civilization. But by the middle of the century, people from out East began arriving in droves, seeking luck.

“There are many who insist that it was the army who, in the middle of the 1800’s, discovered Mariposa Grove and Yosemite. But that isn’t quite true and more so a biased view when you consider that Native folk had been living here for thousands of years”, says ranger Scott.

The Natives are still indeed here, and today offer their vast and intimate knowledge of the forest and how best to preserve it.

During the 1840’s there was a doctrine born into existence—Manifest Destiny. It indoctrinated those Americans living in Eastern States, that it was their right and destiny

We have met Ranger Scott before. See American Trails no 3.

to expand Westwards, which also gave credence and justification for the forced removal of indigenous people from their land and homes. It really kickstarted a slew of horrible events: the settlers vigorously hunted the wild animals, chopped down the forests, brutalized the Natives, and in some cases murdering scores of the population. Mariposa Grove’s nature, with its big trees, beautiful waterfalls, and pristine wilderness were under threat to disappear entirely. It was then that nature conservationists stepped in and stood up for nature, shielding this wilderness off and protecting what they could. One of them was a landscape photographer, Carleton Watkins. Watkins photographed and documented the sequoia trees to prove their existence, alas to no avail.

THE BIRTH OF THE NATIONAL PARKS The settlers unleashed a destructive rampage on nature at speeds which drastically changed the landscape in a short amount of time. When the photos of the pillaging, the barren forests, and clear-cut trees reached President Abraham Lincoln in June of 1864, he signed into act the Yosemite Land Grant. For the first time ever, land was set aside for protection and conservation. This was followed by Yellowstone, which became the world’s first National Park in 1872.

“You can argue which was actually the first National Park, says ranger Scott. The Yosemite Land grant was signed in 1864 and although Yosemite didn’t officially become a National Park until 1890, well, it all depends on how you count,” he laughs.

The concept that an area of land and nature should be protected and preserved for everyone to enjoy, forever, was a new idea at that time. Today there are 423 National Parks in the USA. The National Parks are one of the best ideas to come out of this country, and rightfully so. It is hard not to be taken back by the nature here. Everything is so big that you half expect a T-Rex to come rumbling through the tree canopy.

Alligator jerky, anyone? The rangers help you with maps and other things you need to know.

OUT OF THE HAZE RISES THE IMPRESSIVE VERTICAL WALL THAT IS EL CAPITAN. LIKE A MONUMENT AMONGST THE FOREST, IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO MISS WITH ITS CHARACTERISTIC SMOOTH AND GREY GRANITE FACE. UNFORTUNATELY THE VIEW IS LIMITED DUE TO THE SMOKE, BUT THE POWERFUL FEELING OF BEING MET BY THIS ANCIENT SUMMIT IS STILL HARD TO BEAT.

The stillness and scent of the trees has a noted calming effect on me, there is something truly special about this place. It was this exact feeling after all that gave birth to the National Parks. One can’t simply stand under the canopy of a 300 foot tall tree without reflecting on its story and the history of this place. You can easily say that ranger Scott’s passion for these trees is infectious, and it is thanks to people like him that these forests and all their might remain standing.

YOSEMITE VALLEY The air is stuffy and the smoke from nearby forest fires hangs like a blanket over the trees in Yosemite Valley, which is just a short car ride from Mariposa Grove.

Out of the haze rises the impressive vertical wall that is El Capitan. Like a monument amongst the forest, it is impossible to miss with its characteristic smooth and grey granite face. Unfortunately the view is limited due to the smoke, but the powerful feeling of being met by this ancient summit is still hard to beat. I’m on the hunt for a climber to interview, so I peel off at a vantage point and venture forward on foot. The climbers are absent, and I wind up in a near meditative state due to the silence and awe of it all—the perfect all natural cure for my chronic restlessness.

Ranger Scott takes us along a tour through the valley. The smell of smoke is a constant reminder of the fires in the area, and everywhere we look there are traces of its destruction. While it is underwhelming perhaps to see burned down forests, there is always another way to look at it. Forest fires are a necessary evil for many species in the forest. The fires actually keep the forests healthy and

The valley floor is beautiful. If you have time for a hike, it is even more fantastic.

OUT IN THE BOONDOCKS LIES A SMALL FORGOTTEN TOWN, WHICH FOR MANY YEARS AGO WAS FULL OF LIFE—BODIE. WE CHAT WITH A PARK GUARD AND EXPLAIN WHERE WE ARE GOING, BUT HE ADVISES AGAINST IT, EXPLAINING THAT A STORM IS ROLLING IN AND THAT RAIN HANGS IN THE AIR. THIS OF COURSE DOES NOTHING TO STOP TWO ENTHUSIASTIC SCANDINAVIANS IN SHORTS.

in fact promote a vast array of species. The cones from the sequoia tree for example need fire in order to open and release their seed. Of course, the fires do cause damage; animals and people can and do wind up in danger and death amongst the blazes.

Therefor knowledge about forest fires is extremely important, knowledge that ranger Scott instils to tourists and politicians alike. He explains how for thousands of years ago, planned and inscribed burns were utilized by indigenous peoples to maintain nature.

PARK RANGERS Hunting and logging were a threat to Yosemite for a long time. People could come here to hunt and chop down trees without repercussion. That was until 1905, when the park rangers began patrolling these areas. Eleven years later these rangers were organized under an official bureau, the National Park Service, with the goal to protect flora and fauna.

“A park ranger is always in conflict because every year we take in millions of guests and tourists, while at the same time having the goal to protect nature, so it is a fine balance, but everything in nature is about a delicate balance”, says ranger Scott.

He explains that the uniform which he bears is modelled after the cavalry uniforms of the First World War, hence the hat. On the hat he proudly points out a hatband made of sterling silver with a sequoia motif, an heirloom from his precursor which is nearly 60 years old. After dinner, the haze and smell of smoke from the fires have dissipated. The views get better, and it starts to smell of lupine and butterscotch from the pines.

We would have really liked to hike on some of the trails in Yosemite, but sadly there wasn’t time this trip. But salvage the situation with a few drinks at the Ahwahnee Hotel bar in the company of ranger Scott, who has a few more stories up his sleeves.

MONO LAKE AND WHOA NELLIE DELI Early the next morning we head east over the mountains. With stomachs growling, we stop in at a gas station in Lee Vining to fill up the tank and our bellies. Some locals challenge us to try the station’s fish tacos. Gas station and fish tacos are two words which I have never heard in the same sentence, and something about that combo just seemed suspect. The gas station’s restaurant is called Whoa Nellie Deli, and it boasts a view over Mono Lake. Even the staff recommend the “World famous Fish Tacos” and to my surprise, they taste incredible.

The view, fresh ingredients, and superbly fried fish make Woah Nellie Deli the perfect little lunch pit stop. Stomachs and gas tanks full, we roll forward along gravel roads down to Mono Lake, the great salt lake in the Sierra Nevada known for its formations of limestone towers. It smells wonderful, there’s wild sage growing all around the lake. The thick heat in the air beckons us to take a dip, so we cool off our feet in the water.

It’s hard to process that this lake has been here for over a 750,000 years ago. Along its edges, limestone formations rise up. Known as Tufa Towers, these stone monoliths make invoke my memory back to Pink Floyds, “Wish You Were Here”. A quick Google search later, and I understand why. The renowned photo of one of the members diving into water was taken here. The car trip out of there is a trip in itself, as we blast Pink Floyd at full volume, barrelling out of there as Mono Lake drifts away.

BODIE - GOLD, BARS & BROTHELS Out in the boondocks lies a small forgotten town, which for many years ago was full of life—Bodie. We chat with a park guard and explain where we are going, but he advises against it, explaining that a storm is rolling in and that rain hangs in the air. The dark clouds behind him, impose threateningly against his silhouette. This of course does nothing to stop two enthusiastic Scandinavians in shorts.

The author is hiking at Mono Lake.

Bodie was once a boom town. Now it’s a ghost town in arrested decay.

“HE WAS HUNG BY THE GANG BODIE 601 MONDAY THE 24TH OF JANUARY 1881.” SO BEGINS THE HEADLINE OF THE BODIE FREE PRESS AND ITS ARTICLE PUBLISHED THE MORNING AFTER ONE OF THE MOST INFAMOUS EVENTS IN THE TOWN’S HISTORY. THE PIECE IS ABOUT THE GANG KNOWN AS THE ‘601 VIGILANTE GROUP’. THE NUMBERS “601” IS COMMONLY KNOWN TO MEAN “6 FEET UNDER, 0 TRIALS, 1 ROPE”.

We pat each other on the back and say, “It’ll be good”.

Bodie was founded in the middle of the 1800’s and was once a lively mining town. It grew quickly over the years. Between 1877 and 1880 the town boomed, with Bodie inhabiting 10,000 people, of which 31 of them were Swedish. The rumors of gold in the hills had spread, and enticed people to come searching for luck of all kinds. Shortly thereafter, the city went bust and became a ghost town as the gold dried up and everyone left to chase their dreams elsewhere. Today it is totally empty and off the beaten tracks from modern settlements. The bars echo empty with dusty glasses left on the tables; pool sticks left out as if the game got cut short. It’s like the whole populace just went up in smoke.

With people came culture, banks, bank robbers, churches, and railways. There was even a daily newspaper, a jail of course, and nearly 65 bars and saloons. With money in the pocket, a luck-seeking gold miner could order luxurious food and drink; oysters on ice were shipped in via the rails. But with all good comes some pain, and in this case “The Bad Men of Bodie”. Bar fights, gunshots, and prostitution were a part of the day-to-day life. Many miners went straight from their holes in the earth, directly to the brothel after work, to blow the money they had earned. This lust, combined with money and alcohol ended in tragedy for many of those who lived in Bodie.

BODIE 601 “He was hung by the gang Bodie 601 Monday the 24th of January 1881.” So begins the headline of the Bodie Free Press and its article published the morning after one of the most infamous events in the town’s history. The piece is about the gang known as the ‘601 Vigilante group’. The numbers “601” is commonly known to mean “6 feet under, 0 trials, 1 rope”. In the article you can read the account of what went down. It’s stated that a man named Joseph DeRoche was dancing with another man’s wife during a ball at the Miner’s Union Hall. This did not sit well with the women’s husband, and a brawl ensued. DeRoche left the ball, and later that evening the man and his wife also left, exiting onto Main Street. Out of the darkness jumped DeRoche forward, shooting the man in the head. He was arrested immediately and turned over to the acting sheriff, who was heavily intoxicated, allowing DeRoche to escape custody. It wasn’t long before the 601 Vigilante Group caught up with him, subsequently hanging him to death. A paper nailed into the victim’s breast read: “Everyone take warning. Don’t let anyone cut him down. Bodie 601.”

ARRESTED DECAY It’s raining and lighting dances down from thunder clouds as I wander along main street. The fantasy takes over me, and I envision this ghost town as it was back then, breaming with life. Cowboys on horses, folks smashing beer glasses, pistols firing freely. The town is frozen in time and is kept as such by California State Parks in a permanent state known as “arrested decay”. Meaning that the buildings are kept exactly as how they were found, not restoring the buildings, but rather keeping them exactly as they stand, bare and weather-beaten.

When the Gold Rush was over and the crash came, the people left for new places, taking with them just what they could carry, and the rest got left behind; objects and artifacts which would in essence become a time capsule for us modern visitors to this ghost town.

What makes Bodie truly fascinating isn’t just the ghost town aspect because there are a few towns like this one preserved in the USA. But with Bodie it’s how the people left it. Abandoned in a state which seems to suggest that they thought they would someday come back. To return to work, to school, or to that pool game. For us, it is time to turn back as well, towards San Francisco, as this road trip is nearing its end.

Forest fires are a part of the cycle of nature, but they can cause a lot of damage.