Imagine a founder of the Sierra Club, a bikepacker who traveled by bicycle on dirt roads and trails, camping wherever he pleased, a man who climbed all the routes in Yosemite, a real estate mogul who could live like a tramp, a man headed for a tragic fate.
Charles Augustus Bailey was a signer and witness of the articles of incorporation of the Sierra Club, on June 4, 1892:
https://www.sierraclub.org/articles-incorporation
He discovered and named "Sierra Point" in Yosemite valley:
Tue, Jul 13, 1897 – Page 11 · The San Francisco Call (San Francisco, San Francisco, California, United States of America) · Newspapers.com
Read about the discovery in his own words. (Really, it's worth it.)
He made first ascents in Yosemite.
He was part of the committee which secured a headquarters for the Sierra Club at Yosemite valley, along with Joseph LeConte:
He was a Berkeley real estate owner and developer, who built, among other things Panoramic Way, which is in the National Park Service's National Register of Historic Places.
He was also a bicycle tourist. Since everything was dirt back then (1901), I'll just call him a bikepacker:
Tue, Oct 8, 1901 – Page 8 · Oakland Tribune (Oakland, Alameda, California, United States of America) · Newspapers.com
Sat, Oct 12, 1901 – 8 · The Los Angeles Times (Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, United States of America) · Newspapers.com
https://calisphere.org/item/ark:/13030/hb4m3nb36h/
Sadly, he died climbing El Capitan, having nearly reached the top. It was the last ascent in the valley he hadn't climbed. But what I find more intriguing (as a bike person) is that he rode from Oakland to Yosemite on his bicycle, before attempting the climb:
MEETS DEATH IN YOSEMITE. WHILE SCALING EL CAPITAN Wed, Jun 7, 1905 – 6 · The San Francisco Examiner (San Francisco, California, United States of America) · Newspapers.com
HE FELL DOWN EL CAPITAN Wed, Jun 7, 1905 – Page 10 · Oakland Tribune (Oakland, Alameda, California, United States of America) · Newspapers.com
CLIFF CLIMBER MEETS DEATH Wed, Jun 7, 1905 – Page 3 · The San Francisco Call (San Francisco, San Francisco, California, United States of America) · Newspapers.com
FALLS FROM CLIFF TO DEATH. Charles A. Bailey, Well Known Real Estate Man Killed in Yosemite. Tue, Jun 6, 1905 – Page 1 · Oakland Tribune (Oakland, Alameda, California, United States of America) · Newspapers.com
More about Mr. Bailey, and his organization, and walking:
Sat, Jul 17, 1909 – Page 4 · Oakland Tribune (Oakland, Alameda, California, United States of America) · Newspapers.com
I do find it unconscionable that an organization like the Sierra Club continues to fight against access to trails for mountain bikers. Mr. Bailey certainly was one.
Charles Augustus Bailey was a signer and witness of the articles of incorporation of the Sierra Club, on June 4, 1892:
https://www.sierraclub.org/articles-incorporation
He discovered and named "Sierra Point" in Yosemite valley:
Tue, Jul 13, 1897 – Page 11 · The San Francisco Call (San Francisco, San Francisco, California, United States of America) · Newspapers.comRead about the discovery in his own words. (Really, it's worth it.)
He made first ascents in Yosemite.
He was part of the committee which secured a headquarters for the Sierra Club at Yosemite valley, along with Joseph LeConte:
He was a Berkeley real estate owner and developer, who built, among other things Panoramic Way, which is in the National Park Service's National Register of Historic Places.
"Nature has made but a few spots on earth where
such an array of varied landscapes is found,
and only one such on the Pacific Coast, and
placed it opposite the only Golden Gate."
—Charles A. Bailey, 1889
From Bailey, Charles A., 1890. Berkeley the Beautiful: San Francisco, Dakin Publishing Company, 10pp.He lived at 1387 Harrison Street, in Oakland, CA with his family; Alice, Cora, Raymond and Bryant.
He was also a bicycle tourist. Since everything was dirt back then (1901), I'll just call him a bikepacker:
Tue, Oct 8, 1901 – Page 8 · Oakland Tribune (Oakland, Alameda, California, United States of America) · Newspapers.com
Sat, Oct 12, 1901 – 8 · The Los Angeles Times (Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, United States of America) · Newspapers.com
"Charles A. Bailey was a real estate developer active in Berkeley at least from the 1870s to 1890s. The library has a copy of this map available for closer scrutiny in the Berkeley History Room."
https://calisphere.org/item/ark:/13030/hb4m3nb36h/
Sadly, he died climbing El Capitan, having nearly reached the top. It was the last ascent in the valley he hadn't climbed. But what I find more intriguing (as a bike person) is that he rode from Oakland to Yosemite on his bicycle, before attempting the climb:
"Charles A. Bailey was one of the wealthiest and best known real estate men of Oakland and Berkeley, and was prominent in the First Presbyterian Church of this city. He left for the Yosemite two weeks ago, riding all the way on a bicycle, of which sport he was an enthusiastic adept. He was, moreover, an expert mountain-climber, and it is believed by his friends here, in the absence of details as to his death, that he was killed while attempting to climb El Capitan, this being the only peak in the Yosemite of which he had not hitherto made the ascent."And:
Mr. Bailey left for the Yosemite on May 29 and he expected to be absent for two or three weeks, which was his annual outing in the mountains. He was so fond of riding on a wheel that he took his bicycle with him to the Yosemite, riding the entire distance.
MEETS DEATH IN YOSEMITE. WHILE SCALING EL CAPITAN Wed, Jun 7, 1905 – 6 · The San Francisco Examiner (San Francisco, California, United States of America) · Newspapers.com
HE FELL DOWN EL CAPITAN Wed, Jun 7, 1905 – Page 10 · Oakland Tribune (Oakland, Alameda, California, United States of America) · Newspapers.com
CLIFF CLIMBER MEETS DEATH Wed, Jun 7, 1905 – Page 3 · The San Francisco Call (San Francisco, San Francisco, California, United States of America) · Newspapers.com
FALLS FROM CLIFF TO DEATH. Charles A. Bailey, Well Known Real Estate Man Killed in Yosemite. Tue, Jun 6, 1905 – Page 1 · Oakland Tribune (Oakland, Alameda, California, United States of America) · Newspapers.com
More about Mr. Bailey, and his organization, and walking:
Sat, Jul 17, 1909 – Page 4 · Oakland Tribune (Oakland, Alameda, California, United States of America) · Newspapers.comI do find it unconscionable that an organization like the Sierra Club continues to fight against access to trails for mountain bikers. Mr. Bailey certainly was one.
Comments
Post a Comment