Chinquapin, California
Encyclopedia
Chinquapin is a former settlement in Mariposa County
, California
. It was located 8.5 miles (14 km) north-northwest of Wawona
. Also, it is adjacent to the community of Yosemite West
It was named Chinquapin after Chinquapin Creek, which is immediately northwest of Chinquapin. Chinquapin Creek is today called Indian Creek. Chinquapin Creek (and therefore Chinquipin) was named for the Sierra Chinquapin (Chrysolepis sempervirens)
brush that grows in the area (with spiny seeds).
Chinquapin was the second ski area in Yosemite. This second ski area at Chinquapin was opened after the Wawona Tunnel was built (allowing Winter access). Before that, people skied on the glacial moraine in Yosemite Valley that is just east of the horse stables by the Pines Campgrounds. Later, the ski area moved from Chinquapin to Badger Pass on the Old Glacier Point Road. Today the ski area is in Simpson Meadow (below Badger Pass).
Chinquapin used to have a Gas Station up to the 1990s. Before that, the Gas Station was a small ski lodge (what some refer to as a "lunch room") that opened in 1933. The Gas Station was cleaned up as a toxic site by the park concessionaire (Delaware North) as a condition of their winning the Park concession in 1993 from the previous concessionaire (MCA Corporation).
As referenced in the Yosemite Environmental Education Center, Final EIS report, "The Chinquapin Developed Area Cultural Landscape encompasses not only the features of the Chinquapin Historic District, but also includes the whole intersection as well as an associated water tank located approximately 600 feet from the Comfort Station (Sandy and DuBarton; 2007). The period of significance for the Chinquapin Developed Area is 1933 to 1938, during which the buildings and landscape were designed and built. Proposed contributing features include: the Glacier Point Road and Wawona Road intersection, the Ranger Station (1934), Garage / Storage (1934), Comfort Station (1933), and Redwood Water Tank (1936). Of the contributing structures evaluated as part of the Glacier Road Rehabilitation Environmental Assessment (NPS; 2007), the redwood water tank (located along the Old Wawona Road), the double pipe culvert along Wawona Road, the water fountain in front of the Chinquapin Comfort Station, and the island in front of the Ranger Station contribute to the significance of the Chinquapin Developed Area as a cultural landscape."
The Old Glacier Point Trail begins at Chinquapin and is the only other trail in the vicinity of the site. It begins about 100 feet behind the bathroom facility, behind the old water tank in Chinquapin. As the name suggests it is the former road and leads northeast. On several trail maps, this trail is marked #7 as seen on this link’s page 2 example http://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/upload/badger-winter.pdf
“This reconstruction of the bridle trail from Chinquapin to Glacier Point as a 16-foot wide wagon road, allowed vehicle access to Glacier Point. In 2000, it was found to eligible for the National Register of Historic Places under Criteria A, B and C by Nave (2000) as indicated in Sandy and DuBarton (2007). In addition, Nave recommended that the remaining intact portions of the Old Glacier Point Road be recorded and added and that the entire route be nominated as the Old Glacier Point Road Historic District.”
Mariposa County, California
Mariposa County is a county in the U.S. state of California, located in the western foothills of the Sierra Nevada mountains. It lies north of Fresno, east of Merced, and southeast of Stockton. As of the 2010 census, the population was 18,251 up from 17,130 at the 2000 census...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. It was located 8.5 miles (14 km) north-northwest of Wawona
Wawona, California
Wawona is a census-designated place in Mariposa County, California. It is located east of Mariposa, at an elevation of 3999 feet...
. Also, it is adjacent to the community of Yosemite West
History
Chinquapin was built as a junction of the Old Glacier Point Road, which was built in 1882. Previously it was a bridle trail to Glacier Point (the current Glacier Point Road, which starts immediately north of the old road was built in 1940). On a 1896 U.S. Calvary map it is marked as "Chinquapin Station"It was named Chinquapin after Chinquapin Creek, which is immediately northwest of Chinquapin. Chinquapin Creek is today called Indian Creek. Chinquapin Creek (and therefore Chinquipin) was named for the Sierra Chinquapin (Chrysolepis sempervirens)
Chrysolepis
Chrysolepis is a small genus in the beech family Fagaceae, endemic to the western United States. Its two species have the common name chinquapin...
brush that grows in the area (with spiny seeds).
Chinquapin was the second ski area in Yosemite. This second ski area at Chinquapin was opened after the Wawona Tunnel was built (allowing Winter access). Before that, people skied on the glacial moraine in Yosemite Valley that is just east of the horse stables by the Pines Campgrounds. Later, the ski area moved from Chinquapin to Badger Pass on the Old Glacier Point Road. Today the ski area is in Simpson Meadow (below Badger Pass).
Chinquapin used to have a Gas Station up to the 1990s. Before that, the Gas Station was a small ski lodge (what some refer to as a "lunch room") that opened in 1933. The Gas Station was cleaned up as a toxic site by the park concessionaire (Delaware North) as a condition of their winning the Park concession in 1993 from the previous concessionaire (MCA Corporation).
As referenced in the Yosemite Environmental Education Center, Final EIS report, "The Chinquapin Developed Area Cultural Landscape encompasses not only the features of the Chinquapin Historic District, but also includes the whole intersection as well as an associated water tank located approximately 600 feet from the Comfort Station (Sandy and DuBarton; 2007). The period of significance for the Chinquapin Developed Area is 1933 to 1938, during which the buildings and landscape were designed and built. Proposed contributing features include: the Glacier Point Road and Wawona Road intersection, the Ranger Station (1934), Garage / Storage (1934), Comfort Station (1933), and Redwood Water Tank (1936). Of the contributing structures evaluated as part of the Glacier Road Rehabilitation Environmental Assessment (NPS; 2007), the redwood water tank (located along the Old Wawona Road), the double pipe culvert along Wawona Road, the water fountain in front of the Chinquapin Comfort Station, and the island in front of the Ranger Station contribute to the significance of the Chinquapin Developed Area as a cultural landscape."
Trailheads near Chinquapin
The Deer Camp trailhead is just south of Chinquapin and Glacier Point Road. As you hike along the trail above Hwy 41, it passes over Rail Creek and Strawberry Creek on its way to Deer Camp on Empire Meadow. The trail’s endpoint is at the town of WawonaThe Old Glacier Point Trail begins at Chinquapin and is the only other trail in the vicinity of the site. It begins about 100 feet behind the bathroom facility, behind the old water tank in Chinquapin. As the name suggests it is the former road and leads northeast. On several trail maps, this trail is marked #7 as seen on this link’s page 2 example http://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/upload/badger-winter.pdf
“This reconstruction of the bridle trail from Chinquapin to Glacier Point as a 16-foot wide wagon road, allowed vehicle access to Glacier Point. In 2000, it was found to eligible for the National Register of Historic Places under Criteria A, B and C by Nave (2000) as indicated in Sandy and DuBarton (2007). In addition, Nave recommended that the remaining intact portions of the Old Glacier Point Road be recorded and added and that the entire route be nominated as the Old Glacier Point Road Historic District.”
See also
- Henness Ridge Fire LookoutHenness Ridge Fire LookoutThe Henness Ridge Fire Lookout in Yosemite National Park was built in 1939 by the Civilian Conservation Corps which was a public work relief program for unemployed men age 18-24...
- Yosemite WestYosemite WestYosemite West is an unincorporated private community of resort homes located in the southern area of Yosemite National Park just off Wawona Road, a continuation of State Route 41 from Fresno. It is situated one mile south of the Chinquapin intersection of Wawona Road with the Glacier Point Road...
- Yosemite National ParkYosemite National ParkYosemite National Park is a United States National Park spanning eastern portions of Tuolumne, Mariposa and Madera counties in east central California, United States. The park covers an area of and reaches across the western slopes of the Sierra Nevada mountain chain...
- Yosemite ValleyYosemite ValleyYosemite Valley is a glacial valley in Yosemite National Park in the western Sierra Nevada mountains of California, carved out by the Merced River. The valley is about long and up to a mile deep, surrounded by high granite summits such as Half Dome and El Capitan, and densely forested with pines...
- Badger Pass Ski AreaBadger Pass Ski AreaBadger Pass Ski Area is a small ski area located within Yosemite National Park. Badger Pass is one of only three lift serviced ski areas operating in a US National Park...
- Mariposa County
- History of the Yosemite areaHistory of the Yosemite areaFor over 3,000 years Sierra Miwok, Mono, Paiute, and other Native American groups have lived in the central Sierra Nevada region of California. When European Americans first visited the area that would later become Yosemite National Park, a band of Miwok-speaking Native Americans called the...