..."A Treasury of the Sierra Nevada".
It is a collection of previously released articles, essays and personal accounts from the individuals listed above (and many more not listed) regarding the mighty Sierra Nevada of CA. It was first published in 1983 by Wilderness Press located in Berkeley, CA. It was compiled and edited by Robert Leonard Reid.
Let me start off by explaining that I chose this book to review after being laid up in bed for 24 hours with a flu bug at my brother's cabin in Tahoe over the New Years weekend. Very appropriate locale, yet I would have preferred to have been drinking, eating and romping around in the snow surrounded by all of my family. Regardless, when life hands you a lemon... might as well learn something while shivering under the covers of your bed!
It was not the first time that I have picked up this book at his cabin. Aha! A sign of a truly good book. One you can pick up time after time and enjoy reading. The factual stories and perspectives contained within help to give you a real picture of what the Sierras were like 150 years ago. What it was like trying to cross with some of the first immigrant wagon trains.
It also helps to shape the history of environmentalism and conservation that focused on the Sierra Nevada through John Muir's work all the way up to David Brower's work in the 60's and 70's. A classic quote from David Brower that struck me as so perfect was his reaction to Disney's refusal to embrace his recommendation for either tunnel or fly-in only access into a remote and secluded valley Disney was eyeing for development. These would obviously be less of an impact than a paved road. When Disney brushed off these alternate plans as way too expensive, Brower responded, "you are going to change something FOREVER, so you can amortize the costs over a thousand years".
If reading a 17 year old boy's account of surviving the winter alone at Donner Lake in the mid 1800's sounds interesting then put this book on your to read list. If getting a little taste of what native american/CAian life was like back before the automobile, again, put it on the list. If you want to know what the Sierra Nevada's flora and fauna were like before Ronald McDonald and Starbucks reigned supreme, you'll like this book. All of this with a few interesting maps, diagrams, sketches, photos, and a first hand account of cannibalism, what more could you ask for.
Many of the stories surrounding the first explorers/immigrants made me realize just how soft we as a society have become. I'm sure if Jedediah or Kit woke up covered in four feet of snow with a spot of the 24 hour flu they would have laced up their old snow shoes and been off before I could have made my cup of coffee, scrambled my eggs and toasted my bagel around the ole campfire.
Enjoy!
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