Our Story
Our goal is to increase circulation through subscription and advertising support, along with expanding our online presence to better serve our advertisers and far flung readers, and to publish interesting and entertaining articles, many preserving the rich and treasured historical legacy of Yosemite lore and the golden Mother Lode.
Each issue may contain contibution from authors such as Elizabeth and John O’Neill, who wrote Tioga Tramps and other books about Yosemite; David Lukas, a published naturalist living near Yosemite; and Matt Johanson, whose new book Yosemite Epics features stories from many Yosemite personalities including back-country skiers buried by an avalanche, a rock climber whose rope snaps, and a climbing legend whose daring kayak adventure helps him disover greater health and happiness. Also, excerpts and photographs from several authors and photographers, who have grown up in or worked in Yosemite, are regulalrly featured.
October 30, 1964, after their ten-day ascent of the North American Wall, Yosemite National Park, California. Photograph(s) and article appeared in the January-March 2010 issue of the Yosemite Gazette. To read the full article click on this text or click on the Archives (January-March 2010) menu bar above).
Yosemite Mountain Men
(From left) Tom Frost, Royal Robbins, Chuck Pratt and Yvon Chouinard at the El Capitan summit just over 50 years ago.
Stories of Yosemite Past
Other stories have included a recounting of the first airplane to land in Yosemite Valley, the first car over Tioga Pass, the pros and cons of raising or razing Hetch Hetchy Dam, an interview with the son of Ansel Adams ("Carrying Ansel's Cameras") and stories about both trail trials and endurance riding as well as calf branding and the Erickson Family cattle drive. We've also featured several series of articles *The Annals of a Gold Miner" and "Tangled Web of Personalities, Power and Politics" about the early days of the history of Yosemite National Park and the Stanislaus National Forest, contiguous territorial neighbors but run by different federal agencies.
Daring First for Yosemite
The first airplane to land in Yosemite Valley. Lt. James James Stephen Krull poses next to his Curtis JN-4 which landed in Leidig Meadow, May 27. 1919. “Everyone watching breathed a sigh of relief because it was believed that the feat was impossible…” from the story in the Winter 2008 issue of the Yosemite Gazette. To read this account online on this web site hop to the Archives (Winter 2008) or click here to read about a daring young man in his flying machine.
And Yosemite Stories Not Long Past
We’ve also published a series of stories called “The Best Way to see Yosemite is…” which have included rides into the park in both 1941 Cadillac Deluxe Convertible and a 1966 427 Shelby Cobra, as well as stories about hiking and biking in Yosemite. Other stories have included a recounting of the first airplane to land in Yosemite Valley, the first car over Tioga Pass, the pros and cons of raising or razing Hetch Hetchy Dam, and stories about both trail trials and endurance riding as well as calf branding and the Erickson Family cattle drive.
This charming account of staying overnight at the world renowned Ahwahnee Hotel was written by a women who had worked at the hotel when she was a teenager. Many years later she was invited by a friend to spend one night at the hotel. But, it wasn't just any room, it was the Queen's Suite, so called for Queen Elizabeth, who stayed at the Ahwahnee during a 1983 visit to Yosemite. To read this account online on this web site hop to the Arhives (April-June 2012) tab turning to Page Two or click here to read about this special night in Yosemite recollections.
The Best Way to See Yosemite is....
from the Queen's Suite at the Ahwahnee
Distribution and Circulation
Distribution is through all advertisers and the visitors centers for Yosemite, Tuolumne, Twain Harte, Calaveras, Mariposa, Oakhurst, Lone Pine, Independence, Bass Lake and Bishop Chambers of Commerce; the visitors centers at Mammoth Lakes and Lee Vining, and any coffee shop that doesn’t throw us out, plus other outlets such as post offices, banks, libraries, museums, galleries, bed and breakfast establishments and the like.
Our 10,000 quarterly print run (40,000 total per year) of the Yosemite Gazette is circulated in various gateway and historic Gold Rush communities surrounding Yosemite National Park (4.5 million visitors a year) from the eastern slope including Bodie, Lee Vining, Bishop, Mammoth and Mammoth Lakes, southwestward over to Bass Lake, Oakhurst, Mariposa and El Portal and northwards along historic California Highway 49 to Coulterville, Groveland, Jamestown, Sonora, Columbia Historic State Park (nearly one-half million visitors per year), Angels Camp and Murphys in southern Calaveras County.