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| Is Badger Pass Ski Area Headed for Extinction? |
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Badger Pass resort in Yosemite National Park was once
the nation's top ski destination, a contender
for the Winter Olympics. But with ticket sales hurting
and its lodges in disrepair, Badger Pass, the oldest ski
resort west of the Mississippi, may be going the way of
the dinosaurs.
Visitation (30,000-40,000 visits) at Badger has plunged
to less than half of what it was more than 60 years
ago. Structures around the centerpiece building, a
once-proud copy of a wooden Tyrolean lodge, are
riddled with rot.
Stewart Collins, who manages guest recreation services
for Delaware North in Yosemite, calls the notion of
shutting down Badger Pass "the rural equivalent of an
urban legend. It's true that the building needs a great
deal of work. For its long-term future, it ought to be
utilized more than four months out of the year. But the
historic value comes from winter operations. If those
were to go away, then it's just another old structure
out in the woods."
As Paul McHugh, author of a recent article about
Badger Pass in the San Francisco Chronicle,
observes: "Like a skier teetering upon the brink of a
cliff, this venerable old resort could be resurrected, or
it could plunge toward its final destruction. The
outcome will depend on which way most of the
interested parties push." (Photo courtesy of Michael
Maloney, S.F. Chronicle)
To read the full Chronicle article about Badger Pass.... »
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| YA Gift Memberships Are Appreciated for a Full Year! |
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Yosemite Association membership is a thoughtful gift
and a year-long reminder of the park and its beauty.
Introduce your family and friends to the wonders of
Yosemite, and help support our important work at the
same time!
Along with their memberships, we will send your gift
recipients a card and our handsome 2004 Yosemite
calendar. The calendar features twelve beautiful full-
color 14 x 11 inch photographs, and sells in our
bookstores for $11.95.
As usual, memberships at the "Supporting" ($60) level
and above also come with additional thank-you
gifts. Every membership counts in contributing to
the care, well-being, and protection of America's
foremost national park - Yosemite!
Memberships start at just $35, and the free
calendar is a bonus gift worth $11.95! You can
order now through our on-line store; just enter the
name and addres of your gift membership recipient in
the "Ship To" field, and enter any special message or
instructions in the "Comments" field. You can also order
by calling (209) 379-2317.
To purchase a gift membership online... »
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| A Great Book for Children about Life Under the Snow |
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We've discovered a wonderful new children's book,
Who Lives in the Snow?, that is as
beautiful as it is educational. Although on the surface
the snow looks quiet and serene, life down under is
anything but. Mites search for small insects, spiders
prey on springtails, the unsociable shrew hunts for
spiders and beetles, and the vole builds tunnels through
the snow.
The chipmunk, waking in its winter bed deep in the
ground, nibbles on seeds it has stored under its
mattress of leaves. In the meadow, the red fox hunts
for breakfast as it trots across the icy crust of the
snow.
Carefully researched by Jennifer Berry Jones and
remarkably well-illustrated by Consie Powell, this picture
book describes the hardy creatures who survive
and often flourish in their dark winter world. It even has
a glossary and a list of suggested reading. It is
recommended for children ages 4 to 10.
This special book about winter for kids is priced at
$15.95. With their 15% discount, YA members can
buy it now for only $13.56!
To purchase Who Lives in the Snow?... »
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| Yosemite Meditations a Big Hit |
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Since we announced the publication of our new gift
book, Yosemite Meditations, in the last
newsletter, we have been amazed by the warm
response it's received. One company ordered 40 copies
to give as holiday gifts to its customers, and lots of our
members have purchased multiple copies.
It's a great, inexpensive present for anyone who cares
about Yosemite, and you can pick it up anytime for an
inspiring quote or two and a few beautiful images of the
park.
A typical spread matches a quote by Laura
Gilpin ("A river seems a magic thing. A magic,
moving, living part of the very earth itself.") with a
photo of Vernal Fall and the churning Merced River
below it. Another shows a remarkable view of a pink
sunset over the Sierra Crest alongside Albert
Einstein's observation that: "There are two ways
to live; one is as though nothing is a miracle. The other
is as if everything is."
This hugely popular new book (we sold nearly two
hundred in Yosemite Valley over the Thanksgiving
holiday) is priced at only $9.95. With their discount,
YA members can buy it now for only $8.46!
To purchase copies of Yosemite Meditations... »
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| Stanford Recognizes Lost Minaret Climber |
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Legendary Sierra mountaineer, Walter A. Starr,
Jr., who died while climbing alone in the Minarets in
1933, was the subject of a recent Stanford Alumni
Association magazine feature. Starr's disappearance
was detailed and explored in YA's compelling book
entitled Missing in the Minarets written
by
William Alsup, who also authored the Stanford article.
To read the article,
click here.
A companion article notes that a climbing party from
Stanford recently installed a memorial plaque to
honor Starr on Michael Minaret, not far from where
the intrepid mountaineer perished. To read about the
plaque and the group that installed it,
click here.
In a review of Missing in the Minarets in the
American Alpine Club Journal, the book is
described as "part mountaineering history, part
detective story, and part photo album. It is 100
percent engaging reading. Alsup's lucid prose is
complemented by the inclusion of numerous well-
reproduced photographs, some of which are historical
and others documentary images made by the author
himself."
We highly recommend Missing in the Minarets for
any Sierra mountaineer, historian, or
adventurer. It's a thoughtful gift that normally
retails for $24.95. As always, YA
members receive a 15% discount, and can purchase
this classic work of Sierra history for only $21.21!
To purchase Missing in the Minarets...
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