Just in time for memorial day the half dome cables in yosemite national park will be in place and ready for visitors starting tomorrow, friday, may 11, 2018. In july 2015, it shed a massive amount of stone, changing the character of the classic forever. As yosemite national parks primary philanthropic partner, we are dedicated to preserving the park and enriching the visitor experience. Hiking there is so popular, even day hikers have to have a permit to hike the monolith, limiting the numbers of people hiking the great monolith. This guide covers everything you could possibly need or want to. Backpackers, including those who want to camp in little yosemite valley, should request a half dome permit with their wilderness permit. But earth science is not just about what we can see with the naked eyethe molten lava, icy mountain peaks, steep canyons, and towering waterfalls. Half dome granodiorite is granodiorite see also granite found in a region on and near half dome, in yosemite national park, california, united states. Geology underfoot in yosemite national park by allen f.
With a multitude of colorful photos and illustrations, and prose tooled for the lay reader, geology underfoot in yosemite national park will help you read the landscape the way a geologist does. There are seven intrusive suites in yosemite national park. In fact, only 10% of its widening and 12% of its excavation are thought to be the result of glaciation. Yosemite s most iconic attraction and most prestigious hike. Page 121 the great bulk of the granitic rocks in the yosemite region belong to two series of intrusions, the members of each series exhibiting an especially close relationship to one another. B, cathedral peak granite, polished by the ancient glaciers figure. Half dome in yosemite, national park, california, usa. How half dome formed scenic wonders yosemite cabins. Named from fact that it composes half dome, in yosemite national park, ca. A permit is required to ascend the cables to the top of half dome and can be obtained in the daily lottery on. The timelapse movies are created by stitching together still frames from the yosemite conservancy web cams. If the cams are up and things are working, six new movies are created and uploaded daily.
If youre looking for a yosemite national park book for trip planning or just general information, read on. Yosemite is famed for its perfect granite, but the geologic reality is that the valley is a dynamic landscape in which the cliffs are constantly sloughing. Book a site in advance or grab one of the half that are firstcome, firstserved. The geologic story of yosemite national park usgs publications. North dome is a granite dome in yosemite national park, california. Half dome, one of yosemite s most iconic formations, is named for its distinct shape. Such is true especially on the summit of half dome, in and about the little yosemite valley, and in the illilouette basin. The tuolumne intrusive suite contains many famous rock types including the half dome granodiorite and cathedral peak granite.
One side is a sheer face while the other three sides are smooth and round, making it appear like a dome cut in half. Yosemite national park geologist greg stock climbing below glacier point. Stretching from the western foothills to the jagged,000foot peaks on the sierras crest, yosemite encompasses some of the most dramatic alpine scenery in america. Half domes iconic image is known to many around the world, but beyond this simple image is the story of a mountain born of unique geology. Muir also referred to it as south dome in his the yosemite book. Above yosemite falls and about a half mile north, i get a great view of half dome and take the opportunity to explain its geologic history on our way to north dome across the valley.
Ansel adams popularized half dome with his hauntingly beautiful black and white. The impression from the valley floor that this is a round dome which has lost its northwest half is an illusion. Considering how half dome formed introduces you to the wonders of sierra nevada geology which involves both molten fire and bulldozing ice. For day hikers, permits are available by lottery in march, with a limited number available two days in advance. Many of the things yosemite is famous for are here. This webcam shows the rocks sheer face from ahwahnee meadow on the valley floor. A view of half dome and the yosemite valley on august 28, 20 in yosemite nationall park, california. Even the hike to lassen peak compares to yosemite s half dome if you dont mind that lassen peak is higher, lacks the cables and is easier to summit.
Half dome, like the other granite exposures in yosemite, formed from socalled intrusions of magmamolten rockthat solidified underground to form. To guide you on the popular hike to top of yosemite s iconic half dome, map includes little yosemite valley, glacier point, north dome, vernal fall, nevada fall, clouds rest, yosemite creek, tenaya lake, mono meadow, panorama trail and more. This book, which makes available in one volume a comprehensive. An ahwahneechee tale of half dome long ago, two travelers, tissiak and her husband, tokoyee, fought with each other. The granite crest rises more than 4,737 ft 1,444 m above the valley floor.
Published february 6th 2007 by burford books first published june 1st 2005. Half dome is a worldrenowned 8,800foot landmark in yosemite. The geology underfoot series encourages you to get out of your. Learn how the dome was formed, the best places to view it and how to hike it. Going on a discovery treks yosemite backpacking trip and tour is a once in a life time experience. Yosemite is a glaciated landscape, and the scenery that resulted from the interaction of the glaciers and the underlying rocks was the basis for its preservation as a national park. Iconic landmarks such as yosemite valley, hetch hetchy, yosemite falls, vernal and nevada falls, bridalveil fall, half dome, the clark range, and the cathedral. Books online about yosemite national park, arranged by author. Half dome is yosemite s most iconic attraction in all of yosemite valley. Exfoliation joints wrapping around half dome in yosemite national park, california. This book explores the history of yosemites half dome.
For three days well guide you on a hike to the famous and most popular location half dome. So mammoth a feature as half dome could only have been carved from a sparsely jointed rock. Probably no granitic rock in the yosemite region affords better opportunity to become acquainted with the ferromagnesian mineralsbiotite and hornblendethan the half dome. Due to its large file size, this book may take longer to download. Yosemite has more domes than any other place on the planet. There is a limited number and they go fast so dont wait. Geology underfoot in yosemite national park sfgate. The explanation of how odd geologic formations arose from ancient magma flows provides the reader with. Timelapse movies of yosemite national park half dome. Dear friends, i greet you from yosemite the story of half dome includes the an ahwahneechee taleand a geology story. It can be reached by trail from the tioga pass road, or by going up the yosemite falls trail and heading. It is a wellknown rock formation in the park, named for its distinct shape.
Click on any of the images below to view a timelapse movie of yesterday in yosemite. Yosemite national parks iconic half dome of granite my. Half dome is a granite dome at the eastern end of yosemite valley in yosemite national park. The trail to half dome from yosemite valley is an extremely strenuous hike covering over 17 miles. The great majority of yosemite valleys widening, for example, was due to jointcontrolled rockfall. Published by tom harrison maps, these shadedrelief topographic maps are print. Lots of good history information on yosemite and half dome but what is most important is information regarding preparing for and executing the hike itself. As the rim fire continues to burn on the western edge of. Occurs at head of yosemite valley, in all of tenaya canyon, little yosemite, and all domes surrounding them, half dome being most prominent. These may be termed the biotite granite series of the yosemite valley and the tuolumne intrusive series. This book, which makes available in one volume a comprehensive summary of the. Yosemite online librarybooks about yosemite national park. Age of rock cretaceous, 93 myr mountain type granite dome. Yosemite geologist shares his park favorites sfchronicle.
This book explores the history of yosemite s half dome. Yosemite national park online books and exhibits, frequentlyasked questions, lodging, and a list of top yosemite web sites. Half dome, which sits in the eastern end of yosemite valley, resembles its name. It is smoothly rounded on three sides and a sheer vertical face on the fourth. Geology of half dome, yosemite national park youtube. How geology formed yosemite national park yosemite is a dazzling landscape that captivates everyone who sets foot in the park. Sentinel dome is to the right of hd near the right edge and i believe thats clouds rest above left of the grain elevator. Bold exposure of the half dome grandiorite beneath glacier point. This 6x9 paperback has 299 pages that are packed with detailed information about yosemite geology. Hikers gain 4,800 feet of elevation along the trail that passes highlights such as vernal fall and nevada. For my high sierra loop hike, i used falls ridge, tenaya lake, merced peak, and vodelsang peak quadrangles. Every purchase you make helps support yosemite blog and allows us to add more features, content, and keep the doors open and the lights on. How did half dome, the massive rock monument in yosemite. The tuolumne intrusive suite is the youngest and most extensive, occupying about of the parks area.
Half dome s iconic image is known to many around the world, but beyond this simple image is the story of a mountain born of unique geology, transformed into an ecological island in the sky, and whose steep faces have inspired humans for over 7,000 years. The granodiorite forms part of the tuolumne intrusive suite aka tuolumne batholith, one of the four major intrusive suites within the sierra nevada. Even with smoky haze the first day when the valley reopened after being closed by wildfires, i could appreciate half dome from the hotel, or while driving around tioga rd. How geology formed yosemite national park james kaiser. Moon and half dome yosemite ansel adams 24x40 gallery quality framed art print nature photography. Half dome, which stands nearly 8,800 feet 2,682 meters above sea level, is composed of granodiorite, and is the remains of a magma chamber that cooled slowly and crystallized thousands of feet beneath the. Half dome is a granite dome at the eastern end of yosemite valley in yosemite national park, california.
Yosemite as seen through time, the subject of geology underfoot in yosemite national park by allen f. If you plan to hike half dome, you must have a permit. The focus of the book is to provide information on safe hiking practices to complete. Its most famous, half dome can be seen from yosemite valley and glacier point inside the park. The explanation of how odd geologic formations arose from ancient magma flows. Some people want to go deeper, to learn about what drives the surface processes and other features of the.
Explore waterfalls, wildflowers, mountain lakes, miles of trails and superlative geology or climb rugged brokeoff mountain for a. If youre planning to hike half dome while youre in yosemite, this one best. This is the place people are usually thinking of when they think about yosemite. You can help keep yosemite blog up and running by visiting one of the retail partners featured on this site. If you would like to see which quad covers which areas of the park, you can visit yosemite s topo map page. At the head of the valley in yosemite national park as if on a pedestal stands half dome. In spite of james hutchings eloquent statement accompanying the frontispiece to this volume, half dome is nearly as whole as it ever was. Half dome, and yosemite valley has the clark range and buena vista. Even from here, more than 4,000 feet below the top of the dome, you can get a clear sense of the majesty of this granite feature. Iconic landmarks such as yosemite valley, hetch hetchy, yosemite falls, vernal and nevada falls, bridalveil fall, half dome, the clark range.