On Von Schmidt's route across the Sierra Nevada in 1855

[jrbouldin]

I have long had most of Von Schmidt's field notes from his Mount Diablo Baseline survey across the Sierra, from Ranges 19 through 31 East, but had actually used them only when I was doing research in Yosemite 20 years ago, all in Townships 1-2 South, Ranges 19-20 East, MDM. Given the date and location of this survey, I've always been fascinated by it, and found it strange that the precise route taken had only ever been described once, and only for part of the route, and it was published in an obscure journal, over 75 years ago and almost entirely ignored since. Although accurate relative to the handful of physical features it mentions, that account also contains statements I don't necessarily agree with. Most readers here are probably aware that Von Schmidt was not on the actual MDB for its 60+ miles across the Sierra Nevada; he was in fact offset, from one to six plus miles south of it, the entire way. Why did he do this? And just where did that put him: what natural features did he cross and where?

What I have found is a pretty damn interesting story, all told, and not just for the details of the route. In fact I think it has to go down as one of the more interesting cadastral survey lines in US history (another book needing to be written). It was in fact as much of a mountaineering route-finding exercise, and wilderness exploration, as a survey. A publication of some kind is definitely in order, which I think would appeal to surveyors, mountaineers and Yosemite historians.

A few highlights:
1. From Ranges 19 to 25 East, the line taken is entirely within what is now Yosemite NP and Von Schmidt's crew was without a doubt the first to cross certain very prominent or popular features within it. Depending on whether you believe the Joseph Walker party was the first across this area in 1832 (which is controversial) Von Schmidt's crew were the third or fourth party to look down Yosemite Valley, which they did from several points to the northeast. This was just three years after Tredwell Moore's military expedition in pursuit of Chief Tenaya and the "Uzumati" tribe, which they very roughly paralleled for many miles. West of Tenaya Creek it was all terra incognita, and east of it Moore had gone northeast on a route of least resistance (via the old Mono Trail through Tuolumne Meadows, etc.) which Von Schmidt did not have the luxury of following. It was basically terra incognita the whole way across for both parties but of course Von Schmidt had to follow, and measure, straight lines the whole way.

2. Von Schmidt was already offset one mile south, in what is now T01SR16E, but he then offset four more miles in T01SR17E. Most likely, he did this to avoid several crossings of the Tuolumne River and Cherry Creek in the upcoming miles. These would have been extremely difficult crossings, and possibly impossible, in early June of 1855. Both are standard, viciously steep, unglaciated river canyons typical of the western Sierra Nevada. There were very few bridges or ferries, if any, across the Tuolumne at the time. They would likely have had to build a boat, which might not have worked anyway, given that both rivers can be dangerous raging torrents in June, and at any rate they had several pack mules with them to get over. They avoided all these problems by offsetting five miles south, which line they continued for 33 miles before offsetting even further, in Range 22 East. Three miles south would have worked as far as avoiding the river canyons went, but by being five miles south they also avoided the massive obstacle of Mount Hoffman--the first major mountain on the route. [They actually crossed a low elevation spur of it, very near the present TIoga Road (CA Highway 120).

3. The above line took them across the forested, rolling plateau lands north of Yosemite Valley, including the upper headwaters of the South Fork of the Tuolumne, and those of Cascade, Yosemite and Tenaya Creeks, all tributaries of the main Merced. The terrain becomes increasingly glaciated and severe east of Yosemite Creek, and east of Tenaya Creek the survey had to have turned into a full-on route finding challenge across a landscape dominated by the glaciated granitic terrain for which the Sierra Nevada is famous. There can be no question that Von Schmidt would have climbed many of the nearby ridges and peaks in order to get a landscape view, so as to determine the route of easiest passage over whatever distance those views allowed him. However, only those features they crossed on their actual line are described in his field notes. Of course, none of these features had names at this point, and there were no maps. And again, they had several mules they also had to get across this stuff and pack mules can't go where men can.

4. They passed very near what is now Olmsted Point--the overlook on the Tioga Road that looks right down Tenaya Canyon towards Cloud's Rest and Half Dome and at this point they verified for themselves the wild, almost unbelievable stories of Moore, and Lafayette Bunnell of the Mariposa Battalion of 1851, of the fabulously sublime landscape that is now the heart of Yosemite NP. In June of 1855, word had still not gotten out to the general public about this--there were no tourists until later that same summer. Like Bunnell, Von Schmidt had an aesthetic side to him, as is shown in his notes and drawings, and one can only imagine what this moment must have been like for him and his crew.

5. Moving eastward, identifiable features on the route are:

--passing about 9 chains N of the northernmost of the three Sunrise Lakes

--passing just SW of the SW terminus of the Matthes Crest--an isolated knife-edge granite monolith, part of what is now known as the Cathedral Range--a rock climber's paradise and world class destination, for sure.

--from a local high point, Von Schmidt could see looming the vertical cliff face SW of Rafferty Peak, and yet more vicious terrain SE of there (Fletcher Peak), which he would have to thread the needle through. He did so, apparently passing right above the cliff but putting him face to face with an extremely steep, glaciated descent towards what is now Tuolumne Pass. How they chained this without resorting to triangulation I can't imagine, but they did. They were into it for keeps at this point--far too advanced to turn back and yet with increasingly severe terrain still ahead.

--skirting just S of Evelyn Lake, and in fact offsetting slightly to get around it

--after crossing another steep ridge extending N from Amelia Earhart Peak they were looking down into the Lyell Fork of the Tuolumne, which no matter which route you choose, is very steep on both sides, and probably swollen in June. Although flowing straight north, Von Schmidt mistakenly thought that this was the upper headwaters of the San Joaquin--he had no idea that this was the same river he had avoided in the foothills. It's possible that he was almost completely surprised by a major river crossing at this elevation, though not by the canyon it was in.

--at this point they were approaching the Sierra Nevada Crest. There are actually two crests here, near each other. The W-most is known as the Kuna Crest, which was an extension of their climb out of the Lyell Fork canyon, about a 3100 foot climb from the river to the crest at around 12,100 feet. This placed them straight south of, and high above, the center of Helen Lake, which they descended very steeply directly toward. They then offset to the east and proceeded along the E shore of the Lake and beyond, at which point they were roughly two miles straight west of Mount Lewis, which is very near the Sierra Crest.

--to the summit of Mount Lewis, apparently straight up from due west. Mt Lewis has a N-S trending ridge line and I believe Von Schmidt hit it near its S end. This is super steep and half of it is scree/talus--how they chained up this I have no idea. Indescribably spectacular terrain geologically, from the summit of which he states in his field notes:

"Set flag on top of high mountain peak for triangulation. The eastern side of this mountain is almost perpendicular, this being the summit ridge of the Sierra Nevada Mountains, which bears off S by E. From this point, the views of the country lying East and S.E. is magnificent. Mono Lake with its two islands lying in the N.E. looks beautiful and in [illegible], take the scenery altogether it is the most beautiful that I ever saw"

This from a man who just two weeks before had been one of the first to look down Yosemite Valley from the northeast and just a few days earlier been the first to cross the Lyell Canyon and the Kuna Crest, with the first direct crossing of the spectacular Cathedral Range thrown in for good measure.

From the summit, he executed a triangulation that took him 296 chains straight east, from which point he made his way back to the true MDB line, by reversing his cumulative offset. This point was about four miles S of the S shore of Mono Lake. He then continued the true line eastward towards the approximate boundary with the Utah Territory, now Nevada.

I don't have time to create a map right now. If you want to track the route from the locations described, the relevant USGS 7.5 minute quads, west to east, are: Tamarack Flat, Yosemite Falls, Tenaya Lake, Vogelsang Peak, Koip Peak. The June Lake quad continues it eastward. These are all freely downloadable from the USGS.

More later as time allows...there are some interesting and important side stories...

[Jim Frame]

I'd love to learn more about this, as I've hiked to many of the features mentioned: Mt. Hoffman, Kuna and Koip peaks, sunrise Lakes, Helen Lake -- basically anything day-hikeable from Tuolumne Meadows. My wife, son and I have spent a week or so in Tuolumne Meadows every summer for the last 27 years. Are there any online documents describing the Von Schmidt survey that you can point me to?

[jrbouldin]

That's impressive Jim. I know nobody who has ever been to Helen Lake--that is rough terrain and not easy to get to and the shattered metamorphic rock, off trail, makes it even worse. I've never been to it.

Unfortunately there is almost nothing available that I can see, which surprised me. I figured there would be a story in American Surveyor or similar pub but I haven't found anything. Von Schmidt seems to be known mainly for his CA-NV boundary survey line in 1872/73, but he did much more than that, quite an interesting guy overall. Six years ago an article on him was published in the Eastern Sierra Journal--it mentions but gives no details on the route taken. The article I mentioned was published in Yosemite Nature Notes in 1949, the whole series of which has been put on line as part of the Yosemite Online Library (fantastic resource). See https://www.yosemite.ca.us/library/yose ... 8/28-4.pdf, the article by Emil Ernst.

I'm putting together a map of his route, based on his recorded topography, and recorded distances and bearings, and I'll post it as soon as I can. There are a number of locations I'm dead sure of but some that I am not, where conflicts or uncertainties exist between the topographic calls and the stated measurements--the area west of Tuolumne Pass in particular.