Tuolumne Meadows
Encyclopedia
Tuolumne Meadows is a gentle, dome-studded sub-alpine meadowy section of the Tuolumne River
, in the eastern section of Yosemite National Park
. Its approximate location is 37°52.5′N 119°21′W. Its approximate elevation is 8619 feet (2627 m).
, Budd Creek, Delaney Creek, and Unicorn Creek. In spring as soon as the snow melts, it is not uncommon to see large areas of the meadows flooded and practically transformed into a lake.
The mountains of the Sierra near the meadows have some permanent snowfields: in the summer they are mostly free of snow. Although brief, the late spring and summer wildflower bloom in Tuolumne Meadows is host to a wide variety of California wildflowers, including the relatively rare Purple Webber, a type of lupin
.
Plant species composition changes across the meadows with different landforms, landscape positions, and summer water-table depths. Areas with seasonal flooding and deep-standing water support the inflated sedge
and Sierra willow
. The main herbaceous wet-meadow species include alpine aster
, nearly-black sedge
, King’s ricegrass
, western bistort
, Breweri’s reed grass
, and dwarf bilberry. Thread-leaved sedge
, pussy-toes
, Sierra lodgepole pine, and Ross sedge
are found in drier uplands within or on the edge of the meadow.
(in the background of the image, looking south), Lembert Dome
and Mount Dana
(to the north). Camping
is available at the Tuolumne Meadows campground (reservations recommended). Excellent hiking
and rock climbing
are accessible from Tuolumne Meadows, which tends to be less crowded than Yosemite Valley
. The John Muir Trail
and the Pacific Crest Trail
run through Tuolumne Meadows. Downstream (flowing to the right (western) side of the image), the Tuolumne River
cascades over Waterwheel Falls
, near Glen Aulin
, eventually pooling at Hetch Hetchy Reservoir
.
The roads to the meadows are generally free of snow from June through October. Due to the extreme elevation, road access is closed through winter season in the Meadows.
Many back country hiking and backpacking trails start in Tuolumne Meadows including the primary route to summit Mount Lyell, the highest peak in Yosemite National Park
.
to Lembert Dome on the east side of the Meadows. Since the area is all at a high elevation, the climbing season is mainly limited to June through September.
The rock is porphyritic
granite
, a very strong form of granite. It has a tendency for exfoliation
which helps produce and preserve the distinctive dome shapes. The resulting climbing includes both face and crack routes, the former often runout due to limited numbers of bolts, and the latter frequently following very thin cracks. The local ethic is to limit the placement of bolts on new routes and to forbid the addition of bolts to existing routes, resulting in distances of 40 feet (12 m) or more between bolts.
The major domes include:
In addition, the peaks of the nearby Cathedral Range
, such as Cathedral Peak
, Pywiack Dome, and Medlicott Dome are traditionally considered part of the climbing area.
Tuolumne River
The Tuolumne River is a California river that flows nearly from the central Sierra Nevada to the San Joaquin River in the Central Valley...
, in the eastern section of Yosemite National Park
Yosemite National Park
Yosemite National Park is a United States National Park spanning eastern portions of Tuolumne, Mariposa and Madera counties in east central California, United States. The park covers an area of and reaches across the western slopes of the Sierra Nevada mountain chain...
. Its approximate location is 37°52.5′N 119°21′W. Its approximate elevation is 8619 feet (2627 m).
Natural History
The meadow vegetation is supported by shallow groundwater. The water comes from 1,000 mm (39 inches) of precipitation annually, predominately in the form of snow. Water arises from snowmelt and hill-slope aquifers, and flows through the Tuolumne RiverTuolumne River
The Tuolumne River is a California river that flows nearly from the central Sierra Nevada to the San Joaquin River in the Central Valley...
, Budd Creek, Delaney Creek, and Unicorn Creek. In spring as soon as the snow melts, it is not uncommon to see large areas of the meadows flooded and practically transformed into a lake.
The mountains of the Sierra near the meadows have some permanent snowfields: in the summer they are mostly free of snow. Although brief, the late spring and summer wildflower bloom in Tuolumne Meadows is host to a wide variety of California wildflowers, including the relatively rare Purple Webber, a type of lupin
Lupin
Lupinus, commonly known as Lupins or lupines , is a genus in the legume family . The genus comprises about 280 species , with major centers of diversity in South and western North America , and the Andes and secondary centers in the Mediterranean region and Africa Lupinus, commonly known as Lupins...
.
Plant species composition changes across the meadows with different landforms, landscape positions, and summer water-table depths. Areas with seasonal flooding and deep-standing water support the inflated sedge
Carex vesicaria
Carex vesicaria is an essentially Holarctic species of sedge known by the common name Blister Sedge. The dried fibers, sometimes used as thermal insulation in polar regions, are known as sennegrass, saennegrass or similar, from the plant's Bokmål name Sennegras.-Distribution:This sedge is native to...
and Sierra willow
Salix eastwoodiae
Salix eastwoodiae is a species of willow known by the common names Eastwood's willow, mountain willow, and Sierra willow. It is native to the northwestern United States, where it grows in subalpine and alpine climates in mountain habitat such as talus and streambanks.-Description:It is a shrub...
. The main herbaceous wet-meadow species include alpine aster
Aster alpinus
Aster alpinus is an ornamental plant native the mountains of Europe , with a subspecies native to Canada and the United States. It is a perennial forb having purple, pink or blue flowers belonging to the genus Aster.-Description: It grows to be about 6-12 inches...
, nearly-black sedge
Carex subnigricans
Carex subnigricans is a species of sedge known by the common name nearlyblack sedge.-Distribution:This sedge is native to the western United States from California to Wyoming, where it grows in moist and dry mountain habitat above in elevation in sub-alpine and alpine flora zones, such as in the...
, King’s ricegrass
Ptilagrostis kingii
Ptilagrostis kingii is a species of grass known by the common names King's ricegrass and Sierra false needlegrass. It is endemic to the high mountains of the Sierra Nevada of California, where it grows in meadows and near streams in subalpine and alpine climates.-Description:It is a tuft-forming...
, western bistort
Polygonum bistortoides
Polygonum bistortoides , syn. Bistorta bistortoides, is a perennial herb in the genus Polygonum....
, Breweri’s reed grass
Calamagrostis breweri
Calamagrostis breweri is a species of grass known by the common name shorthair reedgrass.It is native to the mountains of northern California and Oregon, where it grows in forest and meadow in subalpine and alpine climates. This is a perennial grass without rhizomes which forms tufts and bunches up...
, and dwarf bilberry. Thread-leaved sedge
Carex filifolia
Carex filifolia is a species of sedge known by the common name threadleaf sedge.-Distribution:This sedge is native to much of western North America, from Alaska to California and Manitoba to New Mexico, where it grows in moist and dry habitat....
, pussy-toes
Antennaria corymbosa
Antennaria corymbosa is a species of flowering plant in the daisy family known by the common name flat-top pussytoes. It is native to parts of northwestern North America from central Canada to California to Colorado, where it grows in moist, cool areas such as mountain meadows and riverbanks...
, Sierra lodgepole pine, and Ross sedge
Carex rossii
Carex rossii, commonly known as Ross's sedge, is a hardy, monoecious species of sedge that is often a pioneer species in areas with little or no established vegetation, or in places where disturbance has occurred. It flowers in May and June....
are found in drier uplands within or on the edge of the meadow.
Recreation
Tuolumne Meadows has a good view of the Cathedral RangeCathedral Range
The Cathedral Range is a mountain range immediately to the South of Tuolumne Meadows in Yosemite National Park, USA. It is a beautiful range, sculpted by glaciers out of granite. The tops of the peaks in the range were above the level of the highest glaciation, and are therefore uneroded and...
(in the background of the image, looking south), Lembert Dome
Lembert Dome
Lembert Dome is a granite dome rock formation in Yosemite National Park in the U.S. state of California The dome soars above Tuolumne Meadows and the Tuolumne River and can be hiked starting at the Tioga Road in the heart of Tuolumne Meadows, west of the Tioga Pass Entrance to Yosemite National...
and Mount Dana
Mount Dana
Mount Dana is a mountain on the eastern edge of Yosemite National Park in the U.S. state of California. At an elevation of , it is the second highest mountain in Yosemite . Mount Dana is the highest peak in Yosemite that is a simple hike to the summit...
(to the north). Camping
Camping
Camping is an outdoor recreational activity. The participants leave urban areas, their home region, or civilization and enjoy nature while spending one or several nights outdoors, usually at a campsite. Camping may involve the use of a tent, caravan, motorhome, cabin, a primitive structure, or no...
is available at the Tuolumne Meadows campground (reservations recommended). Excellent hiking
Hiking
Hiking is an outdoor activity which consists of walking in natural environments, often in mountainous or other scenic terrain. People often hike on hiking trails. It is such a popular activity that there are numerous hiking organizations worldwide. The health benefits of different types of hiking...
and rock climbing
Rock climbing
Rock climbing also lightly called 'The Gravity Game', is a sport in which participants climb up, down or across natural rock formations or artificial rock walls. The goal is to reach the summit of a formation or the endpoint of a pre-defined route without falling...
are accessible from Tuolumne Meadows, which tends to be less crowded than Yosemite Valley
Yosemite Valley
Yosemite Valley is a glacial valley in Yosemite National Park in the western Sierra Nevada mountains of California, carved out by the Merced River. The valley is about long and up to a mile deep, surrounded by high granite summits such as Half Dome and El Capitan, and densely forested with pines...
. The John Muir Trail
John Muir Trail
The John Muir Trail is a long-distance trail in the Sierra Nevada mountain range of California, running between the northern terminus at Happy Isles in Yosemite Valley and the southern terminus located on the summit of Mount Whitney . For almost all of its length, the trail is in the High Sierra...
and the Pacific Crest Trail
Pacific Crest Trail
The Pacific Crest Trail is a long-distance mountain hiking and equestrian trail on the Western Seaboard of the United States. The southern terminus is at the California border with Mexico...
run through Tuolumne Meadows. Downstream (flowing to the right (western) side of the image), the Tuolumne River
Tuolumne River
The Tuolumne River is a California river that flows nearly from the central Sierra Nevada to the San Joaquin River in the Central Valley...
cascades over Waterwheel Falls
Waterwheel Falls
Waterwheel Falls is a waterfall in the Sierra Nevada of California, located at in Yosemite National Park. It is the largest of the many waterfalls of the Tuolumne River. Its upper part contains a series of small ledges, each of which creates a small plume as the water is deflected away from the...
, near Glen Aulin
Glen Aulin
Glen Aulin is a segment of the Tuolumne River valley, upriver from the Grand Canyon of the Tuolumne, approximately long. It is located at , at an elevation of approximately .Glen Aulin is home to the Glen Aulin High Sierra Camp....
, eventually pooling at Hetch Hetchy Reservoir
Hetch Hetchy Reservoir
Hetch Hetchy Reservoir is a reservoir in Yosemite National Park, about northeast from the city of Merced, California. The reservoir has a capacity of and is formed by the concrete gravity O'Shaughnessy Dam in Hetch Hetchy Valley on the Tuolumne River...
.
The roads to the meadows are generally free of snow from June through October. Due to the extreme elevation, road access is closed through winter season in the Meadows.
Many back country hiking and backpacking trails start in Tuolumne Meadows including the primary route to summit Mount Lyell, the highest peak in Yosemite National Park
Yosemite National Park
Yosemite National Park is a United States National Park spanning eastern portions of Tuolumne, Mariposa and Madera counties in east central California, United States. The park covers an area of and reaches across the western slopes of the Sierra Nevada mountain chain...
.
Rock climbing
In contrast to the big walls of Yosemite Valley, climbing at Tuolumne generally consists of short- to medium-length routes on eleven major domes and a number of minor ones, stretching from the Stately Pleasure Dome above Tenaya LakeTenaya Lake
Tenaya Lake is a lake in Yosemite National Park, located between Yosemite Valley and Tuolumne Meadows.Tenaya Lake was created by the Tenaya branch of the Tuolumne Glacier as it passed through Tenaya Canyon. The lake is supplied by a network of creeks and springs including Murphy Creek to the...
to Lembert Dome on the east side of the Meadows. Since the area is all at a high elevation, the climbing season is mainly limited to June through September.
The rock is porphyritic
Porphyritic
Porphyritic is an adjective used in geology, specifically for igneous rocks, for a rock that has a distinct difference in the size of the crystals, with at least one group of crystals obviously larger than another group...
granite
Granite
Granite is a common and widely occurring type of intrusive, felsic, igneous rock. Granite usually has a medium- to coarse-grained texture. Occasionally some individual crystals are larger than the groundmass, in which case the texture is known as porphyritic. A granitic rock with a porphyritic...
, a very strong form of granite. It has a tendency for exfoliation
Exfoliation (geology)
Exfoliation joints or sheet joints are surface-parallel fracture systems in rock often leading to erosion of concentric slabs.- General characteristics of exfoliation joints :* Commonly follow topography ....
which helps produce and preserve the distinctive dome shapes. The resulting climbing includes both face and crack routes, the former often runout due to limited numbers of bolts, and the latter frequently following very thin cracks. The local ethic is to limit the placement of bolts on new routes and to forbid the addition of bolts to existing routes, resulting in distances of 40 feet (12 m) or more between bolts.
- Stately Pleasure Dome
- Polly Dome
- Daff Dome
- Pothole DomePothole DomePothole Dome is a granite dome on the West side of Tuolumne Meadows, in Yosemite National Park. The summit of the dome is easily accessible by foot from a parking area on the Tioga Road. The view from the summit includes most of Tuolumne Meadows and in the distance, Cathedral Peak...
- Lembert DomeLembert DomeLembert Dome is a granite dome rock formation in Yosemite National Park in the U.S. state of California The dome soars above Tuolumne Meadows and the Tuolumne River and can be hiked starting at the Tioga Road in the heart of Tuolumne Meadows, west of the Tioga Pass Entrance to Yosemite National...
- Fairview DomeFairview DomeFairview Dome is a prominent granite dome in Yosemite National Park, located north of Cathedral Peak and west of Tuolumne Meadows.John Muir wrote of the peak:...
In addition, the peaks of the nearby Cathedral Range
Cathedral Range
The Cathedral Range is a mountain range immediately to the South of Tuolumne Meadows in Yosemite National Park, USA. It is a beautiful range, sculpted by glaciers out of granite. The tops of the peaks in the range were above the level of the highest glaciation, and are therefore uneroded and...
, such as Cathedral Peak
Cathedral Peak (California)
Cathedral Peak is part of the Cathedral Range, a mountain range in the south-central portion of Yosemite National Park in eastern Mariposa and Tuolumne Counties. The range is an offshoot of the Sierra Nevada...
, Pywiack Dome, and Medlicott Dome are traditionally considered part of the climbing area.