Lembert Dome facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Lembert Dome |
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Lembert Dome from Tuolumne Meadows
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| Highest point | |
| Elevation | 9,455 ft (2,882 m) NAVD 88 |
| Prominence | 290 ft (88 m) |
| Geography | |
 Lembert Dome
Location in California
Lembert Dome
Location in the United States
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| Parent range | Sierra Nevada |
| Topo map | USGS Tioga Pass |
| Geology | |
| Age of rock | Cretaceous |
| Mountain type | Granite dome |
| Climbing | |
| Easiest route | Hike, class 1 |
Lembert Dome is a huge, rounded rock in Yosemite National Park in California. It's a type of rock formation called a granite dome. This amazing dome rises about 244 meters (800 feet) above the beautiful Tuolumne Meadows and the Tuolumne River.
You can hike up Lembert Dome! The trail starts right off the Tioga Road. This road is in the middle of Tuolumne Meadows. The dome is about 13 kilometers (8 miles) west of the Tioga Pass Entrance to Yosemite National Park.
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What is Lembert Dome?
Lembert Dome is a giant piece of granite. It was shaped by ancient glaciers. Imagine a huge ice sheet moving over the land. It smoothed one side of the rock and plucked away pieces from the other. This creates a special shape called a rôche moutonnée. It has a smooth, gently sloped side (the "stoss" slope) and a rougher, steeper side (the "lee" slope).
How Lembert Dome Got Its Name
The dome is named after Jean Baptiste Lembert. He was a person who settled in Tuolumne Meadows in 1865. Sometimes, people mistakenly call him John Lambert.
Before it was called Lembert Dome, it had other names. In 1879, a group mapping the area called it Soda Springs Dome. The famous naturalist John Muir had his own name for it. He called it Glacier Rock.
Fun Things to Do at Lembert Dome
Lembert Dome is a popular spot for outdoor activities.
Hiking Lembert Dome
If you love to hike, you can walk up the back side of the dome. This is the easier way to reach the top. For a bigger challenge, you can take a steeper path up the front. Both trails offer amazing views of the park.
Rock Climbing
For experienced rock climbers, Lembert Dome offers many exciting routes. Climbers can start right from the parking lot near Tioga Road. There are many "free climbing" routes here. This means climbers use ropes for safety, but they climb using only their hands and feet on the rock.
Nearby Domes
Lembert Dome is not the only cool rock formation in the area. It is close to other domes like Puppy Dome and Dog Dome.
