In 'The Mountains of California (Illustrated Edition)', John Muir beautifully captures the essence of the Sierra Nevada mountains through vivid descriptions and detailed illustrations. Muir's lyrical prose transports the reader to the rugged landscape, depicting the flora, fauna, and geological formations with a sense of reverence and awe. This book serves as a valuable historical document of the natural beauty of the Sierra Nevada region, written in Muir's signature style that combines scientific observation with poetic storytelling. It is a must-read for nature enthusiasts and those interested in the preservation of wilderness areas. Muir's passion for the environment and his advocacy for conservation are evident throughout the pages of this book, making it a compelling read for anyone seeking to connect with the natural world on a deeper level.

When John Muir moved to San Francisco, he immediately left for a week-long visit to Yosemite, a place he had only read about. Seeing it for the first time, Muir noted that "He was overwhelmed by the landscape, scrambling down steep cliff faces to get a closer look at the waterfalls, whooping and howling at the vistas, jumping tirelessly from flower to flower." He climbed a number of mountains, including Cathedral Peak and Mount Dana, and hiked the old Indian trail down Bloody Canyon to Mono Lake. He lived in the cabin for two years and wrote about this period in his book First Summer in the Sierra. Muir wrote few more books about his days in California and also a few about California's nature and wild life including The Mountains of California, Our National Parks, The Yosemite and Picturesque California.

John Muir (1838-1914), also known as 'John of the Mountains' and 'Father of the National Parks', was an influential Scottish-American naturalist, author, environmental philosopher, glaciologist, and early advocate for the preservation of wilderness in the US. His activism helped preserve the Yosemite Valley, Sequoia National Park and many other wilderness areas, and the Sierra Club, which he co-founded in 1892, remains a prominent conservation organization. The spiritual quality and enthusiasm for nature expressed in his writings has inspired readers, including presidents and congressmen, to take action to preserve large nature areas. Muir's family emigrated from Scotland to the US in 1849, starting a farm in Portage, Wisconsin, and aged 22 Muir enrolled at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Although he never graduated he learned enough geology and botany to inform his later wanderings. Muir first came to California in 1868 and devoted six years to the study of the Yosemite Valley. After working in Nevada, Utah, and Colorado, he returned to California in 1880 and made his home there. In The Mountains of California (1894) he pays tribute to the beauties of the Sierra, recounting not only his own journies by foot through the mountains, glaciers, forests, and valleys, but also the geological and natural history of the region, ranging from the history of the glaciers, the patterns of tree growth, and the daily life of the animals and insects. With 66 black and white illustrations from engravings and photographs.