The High Sierra

Were the painter, novelist, tourist, geologist, naturalist, or any other scientist, to search the world over for a point, easy of access, that combined most wonderfully in the domains of nature all elements of the sublime, immense, picturesque, curious, weird and varied in forms, colors and startling contrasts, and extent of mountains, valley and lake scenery, he or she would not be far wrong to locate it on one of the highest granite or lava peaks in the High Sierra Mountains of California. In fact we may seriously question, after a fair comparison, whether any part of the world outside this truly unique region, accessible or inaccessible, more fully and attractively unites all features above indicated, where the confines of civilization and the contrary barely touch each other.

Paraphrased from the writing of James A. W. Wright.  1879