 |
|
Of all the world's eighty or ninety species of pine trees, the Sugar Pine (Pinus Lambertiana) is king, surpassing all others, not merely in size but in lordly beauty and majesty. In the Yosemite region it grows at an elevation of from 3000 to 7000 feet above the sea and attains most perfect development at a height of about 5000 feet. The largest specimens are commonly about 220 feet high and from six to eight feet in diameter four feet from the ground, though some grand old patriarch may be met here and there that has enjoyed six or eight centuries of storms and attained a thickness of ten or even twelve feet, still sweet and fresh in every fiber. -- Download Description
In this nature-writing classic, John Muir eloquently portrays the valley he called his "marvelous wonderland," providing detailed descriptions of its flora, fauna, and natural features. He demonstrates a rare ability to portray both scenic splendors and moments of pulse-pounding excitement, such as peering over the dizzying brink of Yosemite Falls or scaling snow-covered South Dome to watch his half-mile-long shadow dance on the sea of clouds below him.
|
