Lembert Dome Hike

As Highway 120 enters Tuolumne Meadows, Yosemite National Park, at the far end (top of the photo below) is Lembert Dome.

The view above from this end of the dome does not show its highest part, but from the campground view of the south side you can see that it rises in three increasingly higher levels.

A trail starts at the parking lot below the dome, along the side road from Highway 120 to the stables. It climbs steeply to a spacious backside ridge that has great views for anyone acrophobic. (Photo below from Tiffany Fast).

Continuing on towards the top, we become grateful that the dome is made completely of Cathedral Peak Granodiorite, which has enough texture to walk on without slipping, and many crystals sticking out slightly from the rock to help with hand holds, finger holds and boot placement. (Photo below from Tiffany Fast).

You can perch yourself on a glacial erratic on the very top.

There are great views in all directions. At one end of the meadow you’ll spot Pothole Dome, and above it Tuolumne Peak, then looking towards the left from there, Fairview Dome, Mount Hoffman, Cathedral Peak, Tresidder, Echo Peaks, Echo Ridge, Unicorn, Johnson Ridge, Johnson Peak, Mount Lyell, Lyell Canyon, Kuna Crest (the highest point here is Kuna Peak) Mount Gibbs, Granite Divide, Mount Dana, Gaylor peak, 12002′, Dingley Dome and Ragged Peak.

Here, a telephoto view down to the meadow and river:

A telephoto view of Cathedral Peak:

Here, a telephoto view of the glacier on Mount Lyell:

See a 360 degree Google street view from the top of Lembert Dome.

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Global warming is real! Check out these August 14, 1903 and August 14, 2003 photos of the Lyell Glacier melt:

The second photo was taken by Hassan Jules Basagic IV for his masters thesis (used with his permission).

Read his masters thesis on glacier change in the Sierras: http://web.pdx.edu/~basagic/snglac.html

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Enhance your hike by reading:

The day hike gear section at Camping equipment checklist

GORP and hiking snacks

 

The National Park Service often warns hikers :

“Avoid becoming dehydrated or experiencing heat exhaustion. Drink plenty and drink often; pace yourself; rest in the shade; eat salty snacks.”

“Replace sodium lost through sweat by supplementing your water intake frequently with salty, easily digested snacks, such as trail mix or nuts.”

Avoid salt tablets, as they can irritate your stomach and cause nausea and/or vomiting, can raise blood pressure, cause stomach ulcers, and seriously affect people with heart disease.

 

Thunderstorm and lightning safety includes the answer to the question: Why can’t you swim during a lightning storm? A strike on a lake doesn’t kill all the fish in the lake.

At altitude you will probably feel out of breath at first and may even get a headache and lose appetite. You can get more sunburned. Your tent mate might seem to stop breathing.

Top reasons not to speed in a National Park

The use of cell phones for photography (with or without a selfie stick) has made preventable injury
or even death by selfie common
They were just taking a selfie . . .

Backpacking Advice

see also: Cell phones in the wilderness which has advice on how/when to use a cell phone to contact 911 in the wilderness and a warning about interference between cell phones, iPods and avalanche beacons.

You can’t always expect a helicopter rescue

fatal, near fatal or close call incidents/accidents in camping, backpacking, climbing and mountaineering

GPS is not infallible

Can a person who is prescribed an epi-pen risk going into the wilderness? and some sting prevention notes are at: Anaphylaxis quick facts

Leave no trace

Hiking Advice has hot weather hiking advice, hiking logistics and the answer to the question: When is the best time of day to cross a mountain stream?

Enhance your drive to the park: Road trip advice and etiquette

Safe distances from wildlife