A Youngster's Memory of Yosemite and Elvis Presley

Posted by Interdisciplinary 6 - The Sierra Nevada

April 5, 2007

An essay by Arlene Jamar

Thinking about my first experience in the Sierra Nevada Mountains brought back memories of a family outing that was unique for many reasons. My family often took trips during school holidays but these were usually to a resort with a swimming pool and often in area where there were hot springs.

We lived in Inglewood, California which was really just a contiguous part of Los Angeles. With so much city surrounding us, it was difficult to leave the city to experience the "country" and then when we did, everyone else seemed to be there also. We might go to the mountains to play in the snow in the mountains in the Los Angeles area. My family didn't go camping because my mother refused to "rough it" but fortunately, I was able to have camping and hiking experiences at Girl Scout summer camp.

This family outing was special and different -we were going to Yosemite National Park! We piled into our brand new, yellow 1954 Buick. As usual, my two sisters and I were in the back seat. I don't think that our cat was along on this trip. My middle sister would occasionally become car sick -possibly because of my parents' peculiar habit of smoking while traveling in the car.

This was the time that Elvis Presley was a rising young star and I can remember leaning into the front seat as the family discussed this young man with his unique musical style accompanied by gyrating hips. We had no idea then of what a legend he would become.

This trip was memorable too because we were actually going to "rough it" a bit. We were to stay in Curry Village in one of the tents on a platform. We ate our meals in the dining room and planned the day to include the Ranger talk. We were in awe at the most exciting and spectacular event each evening, the fire fall. After dinner, someone from the valley floor would yell up to Glacier Point, "let the fire fall!" and a stream of fire would cascade to the valley floor just like a waterfall.

I remember Mirror Lake, a part of the Merced River that idled through the valley floor and widened out to perfectly mirror the trees and mountains behind it. It was a wonderful new experience walking in such a wooded setting while enjoying the river and deer. I had never seen such water falls!

In my mind's eye, or in an actual photograph somewhere in the album is our big new yellow Buick as it drove through the huge tree with a road cut through it.

Our trip ended and we returned home. Little did I know that this visit to Yosemite National Park would be my first experience of many wonderful experiences in the Sierra Nevada Mountains.

I have since returned to Yosemite and enjoyed very different view points from hiking the many trails. Many years after our visit in the new Buick, my Dad and I hiked to the top of Yosemite Falls. Another very memorable hike, was from Glacier Point with an overnight at Little Yosemite campground, to the top of Half Dome and then down to the valley floor. Yosemite is a spectacular gem of a place and my first fond memory of experiencing the mountains in my backyard, the Sierra Nevada.