Lembert Dome, Yosemite National Park

July 19, 2012

Lembert Dome, Yosemite National Park

Photographer: Nel Graham
Summary Author: Nel Graham

The photo above shows Lembert Dome in Tuolumne Meadows, Yosemite National Park, California. This feature is a 500 ft (152 m) high, granite dome called a roche moutonnee. It was formed when glaciers covered this area during the Pleistocene Epoch. The dome is formed of Cathedral Peak Granodiorite, which is easily identified by its large orthoclase phenocrysts. On hiking to the top, you can see areas of glacial polish and striations that show the direction of glacial motion. These striations occur mainly in aplite dikes that tend to be more resistant to weathering than the granodiorite. You'll also see stands of Douglas-fir and erratic boulders left stranded when the glacier retreated. Photo taken on June 29, 2010. 

Photo Details: Camera: Panasonic DMC-TZ4; Focal Length: 4.7mm (35mm equivalent: 28mm); Aperture: f/8.0; Exposure Time: 0.0016 s (1/640); ISO equiv: 100; Software: Ver.1.0.

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