John Muir’s Friendship with Harriman paid off when the naturalist was energetically trying to establish Yosemite Valley as a national park. Harriman lobbied each powerful senator he knew in Washington to convince them to protect the valley. When the bill came up for a vote in Congress, neither the wilderness advocate nor the tycoon could count on getting their way. Each man held their breath. The bill passed in a close vote; all in support of natural parks cheered its success. Visitors to Yosemite today have a lot to thank Muir and Harriman for, as we reap the benefits of his efforts. When my friends and me hiked its many trails and stood by their cascading waterfalls, we, like many before us, found Yosemite to be an exhilarating, magical
