Dan's Outside

In John Muir's Footsteps

SFGate:

A Santa Cruz couple are hoping to restore some popularity to one of the classic early views of Yosemite, reopening a 19th century door on what Muir came to regard as a holy vista — the “sanctum sanctorum of the Sierra.”

Donna and Peter Thomas, a husband-and-wife team of artists who spend most of their time producing hand-bound fine-press books, have rewalked a long-forgotten trail from San Francisco to Yosemite that Muir took, also mostly on foot, for his first Sierra visit in 1868. The couple spent two days last week on the last — and certainly most spectacular — segment of the trail into the valley, the culmination of a guidebook they’re writing to help others follow Muir’s footsteps.

Eventually, they’d like to see directional signs and even overnight accommodations along the 300-mile route they are calling “John Muir’s trans-California ramble” — as reminders of the continuing power of Muir’s legacy and his infectious love of Northern California’s outdoors.

“In 20 years, hundreds of people could be doing at least parts of this trip, maybe thousands,” Peter Thomas said as he and his wife walked the last portion with a Chronicle reporter and photographer.

The <a href="In John Muir’s Footsteps“full article is worth a read… and the whole trail sounds like it might be worth the walk!
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June 4, 2007 - Posted by gdanmitchell | Places, Technique