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Tuolumne Meadows

Submitted By: Josh Janes on Jun 15, 2006
Administrator: Greg Opland
Elevation: 7,000 feet
Latitude: 37.8308  Longitude: -119.4710 
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Tuolumne Meadows area and Tenaya Lake, from Olmste...


Description 

Tuolumne Meadows is the high country climbing area of Yosemite National Park. The region is highlighted by many beautiful granite domes which offer the ultimate in knob and slab climbing. There are also classic non-dome formations like Cathedral Peak (first ascent by John Muir in the 1800's) and the Matthes Crest which are very popular with climbers. Tuolumne Meadows is a beautiful, serene place without many of the tourist popularity issues plaguing Yosemite Valley these days. The usual Tuolumne "season" for climbing runs from May through mid-Fall or so.


Getting There 

Tuolumne Meadows is accessed via highway 120, either from the west or via Tioga Pass from the east. The Tioga Pass road is generally closed (snowfall) from fall through mid to late May or so (sometimes later, depending on the snow).


Weather 


The Classics

Mountain Project's determination of some of the classic, most popular, highest rated routes for Tuolumne Meadows:
West Ridge, Mount Conness   5.6     Trad, Alpine, 10 pitches, 1500 feet, Grade IV   Mt. Conness
Southeast Buttress   5.6     Trad, Alpine, 5 pitches, 700 feet, Grade II   Cathedral Peak
Great White Book   5.6 R     Trad, Alpine, 5 pitches, 450 feet   Stately Pleasure Dome
Hobbit Book   5.7     Trad, 4 pitches   Mariuolumne Dome : Main Wall
Matthes Crest Traverse - South to North   5.7     Trad, Alpine, 2500 feet, Grade IV   Matthes Crest
West Country   5.7     Trad, Alpine, 4 pitches, 400 feet   Stately Pleasure Dome
South Crack   5.8 R     Trad, Alpine, 6 pitches, 600 feet   Stately Pleasure Dome
Blown Away   5.9 PG13     Trad, 5 pitches   DAFF Dome
On the Lamb   5.9     Trad, 4 pitches   Lamb Dome
Regular Route   5.9     Trad, 12 pitches, 1000 feet, Grade III   Fairview Dome
West Crack   5.9     Trad, 5 pitches   DAFF Dome
Crying Time Again   5.9+     Trad, 4 pitches   Lembert Dome : Lembert Dome-Northwest Face
Crescent Arch   5.9+     Trad, 6 pitches   DAFF Dome
Phobos   5.9+     Trad, 3 pitches, 275 feet   Phobos/Diemos Cliff
Third Pillar (Regular Route)   5.10-     Trad, 5 pitches   Mt. Dana & the Dana Plateau
Bombs over Tokyo (1st pitch)   5.10c     Trad, 80 feet   DAFF Dome
Lucky Streaks   5.10c/d     Trad, 6 pitches, 650 feet   Fairview Dome
OZ   5.10d     Trad, 5 pitches   Drug Dome
The Speed of Life   5.11b     Trad, 2 pitches, 265 feet   Ellery Bowl
Blues Riff   5.11b/c     Trad, 2 pitches, 250 feet   Phobos/Diemos Cliff
Browse More Classics in Tuolumne Meadows

Featured Route For Tuolumne Meadows
On the route. September 2007.

Seconds to Darkness 5.8  CA : Yosemite National Park : ... : Main Wall
Killer jamming up nice crack system. Crux is down low and involves hand jamming through a small roof....[more]   Browse More Classics in CA


Photos of Tuolumne Meadows Slideshow Add Photo
Runout friction climbing is the name of the game!

Runout friction climbing is the name of the game!

Echo Peaks

BETA PHOTO: Echo Peaks

Rogers & Electra Peaks to the left of Mt Lyell Glacier. Some nice looking walls with sweet striations as well as high elevation to contend with. This picture was taken from 10,989 ft.

Rogers & Electra Peaks to the left of Mt Lyell Gla...

Tuolumne River.<br />Photo by Blitzo.

Tuolumne River.
Photo by Blitzo.


Watch out for pterodacyls!<br />Photo by Blitzo.

Watch out for pterodacyls!
Photo by Blitzo.


Dozier Dome area.<br />Photo by Blitzo.

Dozier Dome area.
Photo by Blitzo.


Pywiack, Medlicott and Dozier Domes.<br />Photo by Blitzo.

Pywiack, Medlicott and Dozier Domes.
Photo by Blit...


Looking west from "Hobbit Book".<br />Photo by Blitzo.

Looking west from "Hobbit Book".
Photo by Blitzo.


Tuolumne.<br />Photo by Blitzo.

Tuolumne.
Photo by Blitzo.


First snow of the season-MT Gibbs.<br />Photo by Blitzo.

First snow of the season-MT Gibbs.
Photo by Blitzo...


Pothole Dome.<br />Photo by Blitzo.

Pothole Dome.
Photo by Blitzo.


Bonjour mademoiselle, es que vous grimper?

Bonjour mademoiselle, es que vous grimper?

Bouldering at The Knobs.<br />Photo by Blitzo.

Bouldering at The Knobs.
Photo by Blitzo.


Bouldering near Mountaineers Dome.<br />Photo by Blitzo.

Bouldering near Mountaineers Dome.
Photo by Blitzo...


Rick Cashner bouldering at the Knobs.<br />Photo by Blitzo.

Rick Cashner bouldering at the Knobs.
Photo by Bli...


Another unpredictable spring day going to the Meadows ©

Another unpredictable spring day going to the Mead...

The view reaches The Valley high on the West Ridge of Mt. Conness, Tuolumne Meadows.

The view reaches The Valley high on the West Ridge...

DAFF and Fairview.<br />Photo by Blitzo.

DAFF and Fairview.
Photo by Blitzo.


The wintry meadows from above, with Fairview and the line of the Regular Route prominent in the center of the photo.

The wintry meadows from above, with Fairview and t...

A SW across the Meadows toward Yosemite Valley.  Halfdome is visible in the distance beyond frozen Lake Tenaya, at the head of the obvious, glorious ditch.

A SW across the Meadows toward Yosemite Valley. H...

Bouldering in the vastness of Tuolumne.<br />Photo by Blitzo.

Bouldering in the vastness of Tuolumne.
Photo by B...


Cottage Dome approach, with Fairview in the background.  Don't worry about the guy on the ground, he is just winded.....

Cottage Dome approach, with Fairview in the backgr...

Bouldering on Dog dome

Bouldering on Dog dome

Sunset on Tenaya Lake

Sunset on Tenaya Lake

Sascha Madrid  bouldering at the Knobs

Sascha Madrid bouldering at the Knobs

Bouldering at the Knobs

Bouldering at the Knobs

Panorama from the top of Hobbit Book (Mariuolumne Dome)

Panorama from the top of Hobbit Book (Mariuolumne ...

Jammin' @ Tuolumne Meadows.<br />Photo by Blitzo.

Jammin' @ Tuolumne Meadows.
Photo by Blitzo.


Tuolumne high country, with the Valley beyond.  June 16, 2008.

Tuolumne high country, with the Valley beyond. Ju...

Tuolumne Meadows

Tuolumne Meadows

Moonrise and Sunset in the High Country

Moonrise and Sunset in the High Country

Playing around with the camera on Lembert dome

Playing around with the camera on Lembert dome

Hanging out on a ledge on the Regular route

Hanging out on a ledge on the Regular route

The Meadows

The Meadows

On top of Lembert dome

On top of Lembert dome

Tuolumne meadows

Tuolumne meadows

A cool boulder at the base of the Drug dome

A cool boulder at the base of the Drug dome

Cloud's Rest

Cloud's Rest

Beautiful Tenaya Lake, 2002 or so.

Beautiful Tenaya Lake, 2002 or so.

Tenaya Lake

Tenaya Lake

Daff Dome

Daff Dome

NW Books

NW Books

Jeremy Freeman ropeless on 'Space Tits', Tenaya Canyon.

Jeremy Freeman ropeless on 'Space Tits', Tenaya Ca...

Cathedral from Lembert Dome

Cathedral from Lembert Dome

Ice on Ellery Lake, around Memorial day, 2009

Ice on Ellery Lake, around Memorial day, 2009

Tenaya Lake reflection

Tenaya Lake reflection

knobby boulder

knobby boulder

Tenaya Lake, Stately Pleasure dome

Tenaya Lake, Stately Pleasure dome

Daff Dome, Conness

Daff Dome, Conness

Soda Springs

Soda Springs

Rainwater cascades down Cloud's Rest during a summer storm

Rainwater cascades down Cloud's Rest during a summ...

Evening light on water in meadows

Evening light on water in meadows

View from near Olmsted Point

View from near Olmsted Point

View from Olmsted Point toward cloud's Rest

View from Olmsted Point toward cloud's Rest

Tuolumne panoramic

BETA PHOTO: Tuolumne panoramic

Tenaya Lake, Sept 09.  Simply amazing.

Tenaya Lake, Sept 09. Simply amazing.

Tenaya Lake from further up the road, September 2009.  Simply amazing.

Tenaya Lake from further up the road, September 20...


Comments on Tuolumne Meadows Add Comment
Show which comments
By veedublvr
From: ?, Ca
Apr 4, 2007

Tuolumne Info is chocked full of information such as road conditions as well as some very detailed route beta (you have to become a memember first though) it is also a forum. If you are visiting from far away it would probably be good to check out the sight for any information.