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 Host a viewing party for Ken Burns’ new film: “National Parks: America’s Best Idea.”
Dozens of Yosemite Association members and friends responded to our invitation this year to hold film preview parties, which have been held in Georgia, Texas, Alaska and throughout California. Now, we invite you to play a starring role in this exciting series by hosting a viewing party at your home or another location in your community. The first 10 people that agree to host a viewing party will receive a free copy of the soundtrack CD to the film. All we ask is that you choose a date and location, put out the word to as many people as you can accommodate, and encourage guests to stay connected with Yosemite Association as members and/or email news subscribers (we’ll send the soundtrack to you after your event). If you’d like, we’ll help connect you with other members and friends of the Yosemite Association in your area, and post info about your event on our website and Facebook page.
If you are interested in hosting an event, please contact Membership and Development Director John Friedrich, jfriedrich@yosemite.org.
Picture the Perfect Winter Evening in Yosemite
Picture the lucky winner of the Bracebridge Raffle: relaxing in the great hall of the Ahwahnee Hotel, fire crackling, snow falling out the window, enjoying an opulent dinner and show-this could be you!
Tickets usually sell for hundreds of dollars per ticket but the winner of our Bracebridge Raffle will receive two tickets to the Bracebridge pageant on December 14 and a two night stay at the Yosemite Lodge. Tickets can be purchased for $10 a ticket by calling our office at (209) 379-2317 or you can make the purchase online by clicking here. Each ticket is $10, so please donate the total amount of all tickets you would like to purchase. Just write “Bracebridge tickets" and the number you would like to purchase in the "Comments" section at the bottom of the form. The lucky ticket will be drawn at our Fall Gathering in Wawona on Oct.3. You need not be present to win.
 Yosemite Association is on Facebook! 
Find out about upcoming events, see and post photos, participate in discussions about your experiences in the park, and learn how you deepen your connection with and support of Yosemite. Just type “Yosemite Association” in the Facebook search bar.
Noted John Muir Historian Visits Yosemite
The Parsons Summer Series recently featured a well known panel on John Muir and his role in Yosemite National Park. The panel discussion was led by University of Kansas historian Donald Worster, the author of the recent “A Passion for Nature: The Life of John Muir.” He was joined by Michael Cohen, the author of “The Pathless Way: John Muir and the American Wilderness.
Worster’s presentation focused on Muir’s lifelong passion for the religion of nature. Pulling from his book, the first true historical treatment of Muir, Worster calls Muir a prophet, much like Moses, Joseph Smith and others who have invented a radically new and different religion that centered on nature. During the time Muir was advancing his thoughts, he believes that people were beginning to doubt their traditional religions and were receptive to Muir’s new religion as a spiritual vision in tune with science. Muir wanted a direct relationship to god and he worshipped co-equal deities—god and nature—which many now describe as pantheism or polytheism.
The Parsons Series is hosted by the National Park Service with support from the Yosemite Association and its members. For those interested in John Muir, the Association features many products, including Worster’s book: “A Passion for Nature,” Lee Stetson’s “The Wild Muir,”“Meditation of John Muir: Nature’s Temple”, "John Muir: His Life and Letters and Other Writings",
and a gift set of the California quarter with John Muir.
Picture: Donald Worster with Lee Stetson, who plays John Muir in Yosemite and throughout the world.
Final Week to Register for Fall Gathering at Wawona!
September 25 is the deadline to register for our 34th annual Fall Gathering on the grounds of the Wawona Hotel on Saturday, October 3, 2009. Exclusively for Association members, this event includes morning interpretive walks, lunch, interesting speakers, a fundraising raffle and auction, book signings, a wine and cheese reception, and an authentic evening barn dance. This year’s speakers will include world-renowned photographers Karl Kroeber and Mike Osborne, photographers of First Light.
If you are a member of the Association, you should have received a registration form in the mail in early August. If you need a replacement form, please email Noel, nmorrison@yosemite.org. Want to participate, but you are not yet a member? Join today by clicking here, and we’ll get you an event registration form right away. Give us a call at 209-379-2646 with any questions.
Big Meadow Fire: All Roads Open in
Yosemite National Park!
The Big Meadow Fire, which has been burning through 7,425 acres across Yosemite’s western edge, is now 100% contained. All roads into Yosemite National Park, including the Big Oak Flat Road and portions of the Tioga Road, are now open with no restrictions. The roads, which have been closed since Wednesday, August 26 due to the Big Meadow Fire, allows visitors to enter Yosemite Valley via Highway 120.
The Crane Flat Campground and the Tamarack Flat Campground remain closed until further notice. The Bridalveil Creek Campground, originally slated to close September 8, will remain open until October 12 in an effort to accommodate more visitors staying overnight within the park.
Yosemite Fire Crews will continue to monitor for sporadic hotspots to prevent any further fire activity. Visitors driving on the Big Oak Flat Road and the Tioga Road are urged to use caution as some smoke may still be present. In addition, multiple pull-outs along either road may be closed due to hotspots in proximity to the road. The Tamarack Creek to El Capitan trail, the Rockslides to El Capitan trail, and the Old Big Oak Flat Trailhead to El Capitan all remain closed at this time.
For more details check the NPS incident reports.
Available NOW: Ken Burns: The National Parks: America’s Best Idea Companion Book & CD!
Ken Burns’ newest documentary, The National Parks: America’s Best Idea, has been in the making for 10+ years. Airing Nation-wide on PBS September 27 – October 2 in two-hour nightly segments, the anticipation of this film is creating quite a stir! THE NATIONAL PARKS is the story of an idea as uniquely American as the Declaration of Independence: that the most special places in the nation should be preserved for everyone. The series traces the birth of the national park idea in the mid-1800s and follows its evolution for nearly 150 years, chronicling the addition of new parks through the stories of the people who helped create them.
The companion book, by Dayton Duncan and Ken Burns, is now available for purchase. Also available now is the Soundtrack CD to the film that includes four stunning music videos viewable on your computer (CD-ROM). For details and to purchase visit our website now
and select the “The National Parks: America’s Best Idea” category from the left side-bar.
The 6-disc DVD set of the film will be available starting at the Yosemite Association web-store on October 6th. Stay tuned for special offers that will be provided to Yosemite Association members during the week of the broadcast
Latinos in the Landscape
On Friday afternoon October 2 Yosemite Association is hosting a special educational program to highlight the little known history of Hispanic contributions to Yosemite’s protection. Instructor Betsy Rivera has researched and written about the historic role of Latinos in Yosemite
and the Sierra and will lead a short hike in Wawona to explore this long heritage. This is a unique chance to gain a new angle on Yosemite with a marvelous leader.
There are related programs on Sunday morning, when author, ranger and emerging media star Shelton Johnson shares the story of the African-American presence in Yosemite, and author/naturalist Shirley Spencer teaches a program about some of Yosemite’s perennial botany. Tuition for all programs is $41, or $35 for members of Yosemite Association. Free camping and free park entry are included for attendees. Go to
Picture: Betsy Rivera leads "Latinos in the Landscape"
GoodSearch
, the innovative company that donates a penny per search to the non profit organization of your choice, now gives you the power to help the Yosemite Association while you shop online.
Setting it up is easy-just go to Goodsearch and enter Yosemite Association the “Who Do You GoodSearch For?” box, then enter the items you are searching for online (just like you would use a similar search engine). You can also see how much money has been raised through GoodSearch for Yosemite Association. Add Goodsearch or partner site, Goodshop, to your favorites and use your online searches and shopping to help promote stewardship and conservation in Yosemite.
 Jeff Maurer Mourned
Long-time Yosemite Association naturalist Jeff Maurer perished in a climbing accident on Dana Plateau August 30. Jeff taught our very popular course on Yosemite’s birds of prey and was one of the state’s experts in raptor biology/ecology. Jeff had also taught for Yosemite Institute years ago and had been working as a wildlife biologist for the National Park Service for the past several years. His absence from Yosemite leaves a significant resource gap that will probably never been filled. He is terribly missed by his family and the many friends he cultivated with his generosity, liveliness, humility and diverse skills. Family and friends will gather at the Mono County Park north of Lee Vining to celebrate Jeff’s life at 2:00 p.m. on September 20.
Donations to Yosemite Association in Jeff’s memory will be used to support the education programs that were so important to him. Click here to donate in Jeff’s memory. Please complete the information about the memorial gift at the bottom of the form.
Picture: Jeff Maurer on Mono, courtesy of NPS.
Sierra Nevada GeoTourism
The Yosemite Association has endorsed an exciting new “Sierrra Nevada GeoTourism” project, which seeks to celebrate the Sierra Nevada mountain range, while contributing to the economic health of the region, by promoting sustainable tourism.You are invited and encouraged to submit nominations for inclusion in a Sierra Nevada GeoTourism Map Guide. History buffs and adventurers, backpackers and foodies, birders and sightseers will discover unique destinations based on recommendations from those who know best--residents ofand visitors to the Sierra Nevada.
Submitting a nomination to the website is easy. Click on the “Nominate” button, and complete the online form. The online form walks you through various questions about your favorite Sierra destination, and you are encouraged to submit photos with your nomination.You can also peruse the 100 nominations submitted by over 70 area residents by clicking on the “map” tab. Mouse over the map’s icons to read a thumb-nail description of Mono Lake and the Little Lakes Basin in the Eastern Sierra. Volunteer with the Sierra Foothill Conservancy to keep the Merced River “wild and scenic,” or learn about the geology of the Sierra on an outdoor adventure
with the Yosemite Association. When you submit a nomination, an icon will appear on the map. Click on the icon and you can read a full description of the place.
What do you love about the Sierra Nevada? Help tell the story of this extraordinary mountain range by going to www.SeirraNevadaGeotourism.org.
Picture from the Park:
Picture: Yosemite Association and Yosemite Fund volunteers team up to greet visitor's during the Fee Free Weekends, courtesy of David Guy.
Please Support Our Work
For more than 85 years, the National Park Service and the member-powered Yosemite Association have partnered to help support and protect Yosemite National Park. With Ken Burns’ much anticipated film, "America's Best Idea" set to air this September, there has never been a more exciting time to support and stay connected to our treasured Yosemite. Whether you become new member, renew your membership, or make a donation, every dollar you spend will be put to good use supporting educational, environmental, research, arts and volunteer programs in Yosemite National Park.
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