1 October: Yosemite National Park

Yosemite National Park was established on this date in 1890, making it the third national park in the USA. 10 things you might not know about it: 

1. The word Yosemite means “killer” in the Miwok language and referred to a tribe that used to live there but were driven out by the Mariposa Battalion. The indigenous people called the area "Ahwahnee" which means "big mouth".
2. The first champion of the region was one John Muir, originally from Scotland but living in Wisconsin. He first visited in 1868 and wrote about it: “No temple made with hands can compare with Yosemite.” The articles he wrote helped raise awareness of the area and contributed to the eventual establishment of Yosemite National Park.
3. One of the things the park is famous for is its waterfalls. At 2,425 feet, Yosemite Falls is one of tallest in the world, but is actually made up of three separate falls – Upper Yosemite Fall, the middle cascades and Lower Yosemite Fall.
4. Horsetail Fall sometimes gets caught by the setting Sun so that it appears like a ribbon of Fire down the side of the cliff. Mid to late February is the time to go if you want to see it. Another amazing sight happens in spring and early summer when there’s a full moon – rainbows at night.

5. A waterfall of fire was once one of the park’s top tourist attractions.

    Beginning in the early 1870s, James McCauley, who owned a hotel on Glacier Point, used to kick the burning embers of the campfires over the cliff at the end of the evening. Visitors liked the shower of fire so much they began to pay McCauley to continue the practice. In the early 1900s after hearing guests reminisce about it, David Curry started doing it again. It continued until the National Park Service ended it in 1968.
6. More than 400 species of animal live in the park. One is the rare Sierra Nevada red Fox, which was spotted for the first time in nearly 100 years on a wildlife camera.
7. The park is also home to some amazing plants, in particular the giant sequoia trees which are the largest living things on Earth. The oldest of these trees in the park is called Grizzly Giant.
8. Most people visit in the summer but there are winter sports on offer, too. These are mainly due to the fact the park put in a bid for the Winter Olympics in 1932, the only national park ever to do so. Toboggan runs, a large Ice skating rink and a small Ski jump were built, but the park lost out to Lake Placid. However, the infrastructure was there now to create a winter sports destination.
9. It’s the place to go if you’re into rock climbing. In fact, it’s said to be the birthplace of climbing as a sport. The highest point is Mount Lyell. Other well known summits are Half Dome and El Capitan.
10. Yosemite’s most luxurious hotel once served as a military hospital. In 1943, the U.S. Navy leased the Ahwahnee Hotel and converted it into a military hospital. Doctors hoped the park’s tranquillity and scenery would soothe shell-shocked patients, but it didn’t quite work out like that. The towering cliffs caused claustrophobia, and the park’s isolation meant patients got bored and dwelt on their disturbed thoughts. Hospital administrators converted the facility into a general physical rehabilitation unit instead.

 

Killing Me Softly

Sebastian Garrett is an assassin. It wasn’t his first choice of vocation, but nonetheless, he’s good at it, and can be relied upon to get the job done. He’s on top of his game.

Until he is contracted to kill Princess Helena of Galorvia. She is not just any princess. Sebastian doesn’t bargain on his intended victim being a super-heroine who gives as good as she gets. Only his own genetic variant power saves him from becoming the victim, instead of Helena. 

Fate has another surprise in store. Sebastian was not expecting to fall in love with her.

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