Sierra Point
Grizzly Peak
Mt. Broderick

Fri, Apr 15, 2005

With: Matthew Holliman

 Etymology
Sierra Point
Grizzly Peak
Mt. Broderick
 Story Photos / Slideshow Map Profile
Sierra Point previously climbed Sun, Mar 9, 2003
later climbed Wed, Jul 11, 2007

Sierra Point (4,800 ft.)

"A point sought for, and discovered, by Charles A. Bailey, from where one can see Illilouette, Vernal, Nevada, and Upper and Lower Yosemite falls. 'That point might no longer remain incognito, but be known to all lovers of Yosemite, on June 14, 1897, accompanied by Walter E. Magee and Warren Cheney, of Berkeley ... I deposited thereon Register Box of the Sierra Club No. 15, and took the liberty of naming it Sierra Point, in honor of the Sierra Club, and raised a flag bearing the name.' (SCB 2, no. 4, June 1898: 217.) The name appeared on the second Yosemite Valley map, 1918.

Because of dangerous hiking conditions that resulted in injuries, the former trail to the point has been eliminated."
- Peter Browning, Yosemite Place Names

Actually, only the first part of the trail was erased, the upper two thirds are still mostly intact. The gas-pipe railing at the top is still solidly anchored.

"The Spanish word for 'saw blade', or by extension for 'mountain range', was frequently used in Spanish times: any two or more peaks in a row might be called a sierra. The word appears also in the chief or secondary names of six land grants.

Sierra City, County, Valley, and Buttes and Sierraville were named directly or indirectly for their location in the northern part of the Sierra Nevada. The county, formed from a portion of Yuba Co., was established and named on Apr. 16, 1852. Sierraville post office is listed in 1867."
- Erwin Gudde, California Place Names

More of Bob's Trip Reports

For more information see these SummitPost pages: Grizzly Peak

This page last updated: Mon Mar 22 23:11:56 2010
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