John Muir & the Yosemite

John Muir arrived in California on March 28, 1868, and promptly set off on a six week walk to the Yosemite Valley. (Yeah I mentioned he liked to walk didn't I? SIX WEEKS!) He spent the next ten years of his life wandering around the Sierra Nevada's exploring and writing journals about his experiences and discoveries, that he would later turn into books. Everything that he found he loved, and this love was evident to everyone who met him. Muir’s love for the Yosemite Valley has been described as like the love of a mother for her child (O’Grady). With the help and encouragement of Robert Underwood Johnson, a magazine editor, Muir played an integral part in the campaign to make Yosemite a National Park. He used his writing to encourage people and politicians to preserve it, so future generations would also be able to enjoy it. Muir’s love for the region and role as a political activist continued in his attempt to stop the flooding of the Hetch-Hetchy Valley within the Yosemite. He along with the newly formed Sierra Club attempted to influence the people of San Francisco to save the valley. His passion for this landscape went so far as to negatively affect his public image. (However, he probably cared more about the valley than his public image!) “Muir’s public image was damaged by the excessive vehemence of his attacks upon the citizens of San Francisco, whom he denounced as ‘satanic’.” (Contemporary Authors Online) Muir's passion for the Yosemite is undeniable, and he fought fiercely to ensure its safety and preservation. Since his death, the Sierra Club has continued to follow in his footsteps and preserve his legacy.