Geologic History of the Yosemite Valley
Matthes FE. 1930. Geologic History of the Yosemite Valley. USGS Professional Paper 160. USGS. Washington, DC
"The incomparable valley" the Yosemite has been called by those who admire and love it— and rightly so, for where can be found another valley of such distinctive beauty, such impressive grandeur, such captivating charm? Yet hardly less appropriate, from another point of view, would be the title "valley of mystery," for surely no other valley has aroused more curiosity among scientists or laymen or given rise to more speculation and discussion as to the secret of its origin. So extraordinary is the appearance of the Yosemite Valley, with its sheer, monumental cliffs and massive, rounded domes, its lofty, swaying waterfalls and verdant, parklike floor, that it seems in a class by itself, created in some special, unusual way, apart from all other valleys and canyons. No person of intelligence, it is safe to say, ever beheld the Yosemite Valley who did not instantly wonder by what strange process it was formed and through what fortuitous circumstances it became endowed with such surpassing beauty and loveliness.
- Type
- Published Report
- Authors
- Matthes, Francois
- Date of Issue
- 1930
- Publisher
- USGS
- Units
- HIST , WRD , YOSE
- Keywords
- California, Cultural Resources, Description of the rocks, ehistory, Geographic sketch, Geologic History, Geology, Glacial History, glacial lakes, History, Maps, Natural Resources, postglacial history, WRBIB