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A PROPOSAL by the Sharsmith Peak Committee
TO FORMALLY NAME SHARSMITH PEAK
Purpose of website and background of proposal: This website has as its purpose to further establish the name Sharsmith Peak
for a summit on the crest of the Sierra Nevada of California, at the joint
border of Yosemite National Park and Inyo National Forest. This summit lies some
5 miles north of Tioga Pass. The peak is named for
the late Dr. Carl Sharsmith (1903-1994), photo on left, long-time ranger-naturalist of 64
seasons at Yosemite National Park. The peak name recalls the
substantial contributions Dr. Sharsmith made to visitor and public outdoor
education of the natural world as well as to his principal science of botany,
changing the outlook and even the life course of many who had the chance to be
with him.
The Sharsmith Peak name is now in informal use. Formally
naming Sharsmith Peak for Dr. Sharsmith
and the causes he stood for will promote similar dedication in present and future citizens.
By so promoting awareness of our Earth habitat, citizens can make effective
decisions concerning their planet, a vital step to help assure the future
well-being of all people. The naming thus supports the current environmental priorities
expressed by the American people as well as by citizens and leaders of other
nations.
Formal establishment of the Sharsmith Peak name is proposed to be done via
legislation in the U. S. Congress. (A proposal in 2006-7 to establish the name
through an administrative process failed in 2011.) A step in the legislative process is to
secure sponsorship of a bill by a U.S. congressperson(s),
passage by both houses of Congress, and signing by the president. The formal naming of Sharsmith Peak is supported by
many persons who have and have had leadership roles as legislators, national park
managers, writers, naturalists, and wilderness advocates, as well as
individual park visitors.
Photo from proposed Sharsmith Peak summit,
looking north-- photo by Chris Runner;
permission for use granted 10/03/07
CONTENTS OF SHARSMITH PEAK WEBSITE
and how to support the formal naming of
Sharsmith Peak
- See statements recognizing Dr. Sharsmith's
contributions and supporting the naming of Sharsmith
Peak. Note that many supporters are not generally in favor of
adding names to unnamed features unless compelling reasons exist to do so,
yet are in favor of this naming because of its overriding justifications.
- Find a Biography of Dr. Sharsmith
from Wikipedia. This biography is independent of the actions of the
Name4Carl or the Sharsmith Peak Committees. Additional biography
is on the websites www.name4carl.org
and www.sharsmithpeak.org.
-
Get background on the proposal from the archived website www.name4carl.org.
This gives
background on the lengthy period in which this naming has been proposed (at
least since 1976), summarizes federal naming policies, provides the history of the process to
both informally and formally name Sharsmith Peak, and gives another biography of Dr. Sharsmith and a list of the extensive works by and about him,
plus photos. The website documents the significant support
for formally naming Sharsmith Peak and carries forward the tradition of naming
peaks for prominent people and their contributions. Note that the
organizations of the Name4Carl Committee and its subsequent Sharsmith Peak Committee occurred decades after the movement to formally
name Sharsmith Peak began by individuals.
- Learn how a feature can be named for
Dr. Sharsmith. Here is discussed the federal administrative
procedure for naming features, a process which failed in this case and led
to the creation of the Sharsmith Peak Committee to pursue the
naming through legislation.
-
Note the recent naming of
another Sierra peak Mt. Andrea Lawrence. This peak on the
Sierra crest is some 15 miles south of Sharsmith Peak and was named by Act
of Congress in January, 2013. Mt. Andrea Lawrence is entirely within
legislated wilderness with its western slope in Yosemite National Park and
its eastern slope in Inyo National Forest (Sharsmith Peak is in legislated
wilderness only on its western slope).
-
Find the location of Sharsmith Peak
on detailed U.S. Geological Survey
topographic maps. Also shown is the Harvey Monroe Hall Research Natural
Area.
- Get an email
from the Sharsmith Peak Committee suggesting your participation
and ask to be on the contact list.
- Make contacts with your
congresspersons to support the formal naming of Sharsmith Peak. Organizations may do the same. See preliminary Senate bill proposed to formally name Sharsmith Peak. See a letter to Senator
Mark Udall (CO ) of the Senate Subcommittee on National Parks and a
similar letter
to Congressman Rob Bishop (UT) of the House Subcommittee on
Public Lands and Environmental Regulation. These
letters bring to the attention of these subcommittees the opportunities arising
from formally
naming Sharsmith Peak and seek the guidance and support of the
subcommittees.
Directly contact
your own U. S. senators and congresspersons
about your
support. Members of the
national parks subcommittees: exits are listed, with states and districts they represent. Copy this link a in a browser for a list of representatives and senators with contact information: Contact Us | Congress.gov | Library of Congress. Check
these links for your congresspersons and their addresses. Because you are
their constituent, your congresspersons expect to hear from you directly and
not through the Sharsmith Peak Committee and thus our committee
will not forward your input for you, but will assist you in preparing it if
needed.
- Publish
your statements
supporting formally naming Sharsmith Peak.
For our
committee to stay abreast of activities, you may optionally email the
results of your direct contacts with congresspersons to
Sharsmith Peak Committee
for
posting on
www.sharsmithpeak.org. As noted
above, however, our committee will not forward these to your
congresspersons, for you are their constituent.
- Post articles, publications,
legislation
supporting formally naming Sharsmith Peak.
Send any you notice to
Sharsmith Peak Committee for posting.
- Use References and resources:
- Status Reports
Sharsmith Peak Committee: Dick Ewart
(CA), Bryan Harry (HI), Dr. Owen Hoffman (TN), David Hubbard (OR), Bill Jones (CO), Ron Mackie (CA), Len McKenzie (CA), Lyndel Meikle (MT), Cindy Merry (BC), Debra Plant (CA), Jim Sano (CA), Lee Stetson (CA), Bill Wendt (CA). For biographies of committee members.
Send emails to Sharsmith Peak
Committee
Carl Sharsmith on Dana Plateau, mid-1980s--
when Carl was circa 80 years old with still 14 years of service to go
--by Jim Sano
Some more photos of Sharsmith Peak and its region of the Yosemite High Sierra , courtesy Taylor Stanton:
This www.sharsmithpeak.org site was last updated
May 22, 2024
It is sponsored
by the Sharsmith Peak Committee, the outgrowth of the original
Name4Carl Committee and the interim name Sharsmith Peak/Name4Carl Committee. All content is copyrighted ©
Sharsmith Peak Committee 2013. Use of this website's content for its purposes will be granted if
requested in advance. Submissions to the website may become public. Learn more at
Terms and Conditions.