Tuolumne Peak is a

mountain A mountain is an elevated portion of the Earth's crust, generally with steep sides that show significant exposed bedrock. Although definitions vary, a mountain may differ from a plateau in having a limited summit area, and is usually higher t ...

, in

Yosemite National Park Yosemite National Park ( ) is a List of national parks of the United States, national park of the United States in California. It is bordered on the southeast by Sierra National Forest and on the northwest by Stanislaus National Forest. The p ...

, in the area of

Tuolumne Meadows Tuolumne Meadows () is a gentle, dome-studded, sub-alpine meadow area along the Tuolumne River in the eastern section of Yosemite National Park in the United States. Its approximate location is . Its approximate elevation is . The term ''Tuolumn ...

. It is a fractured granite, twin summited peak, and is close to geographic center of the park. Tuolumne Peak is located approximately northeast of

Mount Hoffmann Mount Hoffmann is a prominent peak in northeastern Mariposa County in the center of Yosemite National Park, California, United States. It rises above May Lake and is a day hike of (one-way) from Tioga Pass Road. The mountain is named for the ...

via a granite ridge-line. It is climbed less often than Hoffman, probably due to a more difficult approach. There is

rock climbing Rock climbing is a climbing sports discipline that involves ascending climbing routes, routes consisting of natural rock in an outdoor environment, or on artificial resin climbing walls in a mostly indoor environment. Routes are documented in c ...

, on Tuolumne Peak. Tenaya Glacier had effects, at least near Tuolumne Peak, during the

Wisconsin Glacial Stage The Wisconsin glaciation, also called the Wisconsin glacial episode, was the most recent glacial period of the North American ice sheet complex, peaking more than 20,000 years ago. This advance included the Cordilleran Ice Sheet, which nucleate ...

, over-topping the ridge that connects Tuolumne Peak to Mount Hoffman, isolating both tops.

Climate

Tuolumne Peak is located in an

alpine climate Alpine climate is the typical climate for elevations above the tree line, where trees fail to grow due to cold. This climate is also referred to as a mountain climate or highland climate. Definition There are multiple definitions of alpine cli ...

zone. Most

weather front A weather front is a boundary separating air masses for which several characteristics differ, such as air density, wind, temperature, and humidity. Disturbed and unstable weather due to these differences often arises along the boundary. For ins ...

s originate in the

Pacific Ocean The Pacific Ocean is the largest and deepest of Earth's five Borders of the oceans, oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic Ocean in the north to the Southern Ocean, or, depending on the definition, to Antarctica in the south, and is ...

, and travel east toward the Sierra Nevada mountains. As fronts approach, they are forced upward by the peaks (

orographic lift Orographic lift occurs when an air mass is forced from a low elevation to a higher elevation as it moves over rising terrain. As the air mass gains altitude it quickly cools down adiabatically, which can raise the relative humidity to 100% and cr ...

), causing them to drop their moisture in the form of rain or snowfall onto the range.

Gallery

File:Lower Cathedral Lake, Tuolumne Peak.jpg, Lower Cathedral Lake and Tuolumne Peak File:Mount Hoffman and Tuolumne Peak, area of Tuolumne Meadows, Yosemite.jpg, Mount Hoffman (L) and Tuolumne Peak (R)

References

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External links

On the first known ascent

Hiking to Tuolumne Peak

Peakbagger on Tuolumne Peak
Geology of Yosemite National Park Mountains of Yosemite National Park Mountains of Mariposa County, California Igneous intrusions Mountains of Northern California Cretaceous magmatism Igneous petrology of California Felsic intrusions

Climate

See also

Gallery

References

External links