Mount Lyell
Encyclopedia
Mount Lyell is the highest point in Yosemite National Park
, at 13120 feet (3,999 m) above sea level. It is located at the southeast end of the Cathedral Range
, 1.2 miles (1.9 km) northwest of Rodgers Peak. It is named after Charles Lyell
, a well-known 19th century geologist.
The peak also has the largest glacier
s in Yosemite, Lyell Glacier
.
Mount Lyell divides the Tuolumne River
watershed to the north, the Merced to the west, and the Rush Creek drainage in the Mono Lake Basin to the southeast.
on a highly traveled section of the John Muir Trail
. The round trip is approximately 25 miles (40.2 km) and involves 4500 feet (1,371.6 m) of elevation gain when starting from the Tuolumne Wilderness Office. The hike is easy from Tuolumne Meadows, following the Tuolumne River to the head of the Lyell Canyon, and becomes moderate as it approaches Donahue Pass
. Before reaching Donahue Pass, this route leaves the trail and heads south towards Mount Lyell.
Most summit ascents are done either over or around the Lyell Glacier. Seasonal and year to year variations on the glacier make it necessary to assess current conditions before choosing a route to the summit. The NW Ridge, from the saddle between Mount Lyell and nearby Mount Maclure, offers class 2-3 climbing with high snow levels on the glacier. Low snow levels increases the grade to class 3-4 on the exposed granite ledges, in which cases it may be easier to ascend the glacier more directly to the summit. The grade of the East Arete likewise increases with low snow conditions, going from class 3 to class 4 (the looseness of the rock underlying the glacier on the East Arete makes it somewhat dangerous in low snow conditions). Other routes exist on the south and west sides, but of greater difficulty and longer approaches.
Yosemite National Park
Yosemite National Park is a United States National Park spanning eastern portions of Tuolumne, Mariposa and Madera counties in east central California, United States. The park covers an area of and reaches across the western slopes of the Sierra Nevada mountain chain...
, at 13120 feet (3,999 m) above sea level. It is located at the southeast end of the Cathedral Range
Cathedral Range
The Cathedral Range is a mountain range immediately to the South of Tuolumne Meadows in Yosemite National Park, USA. It is a beautiful range, sculpted by glaciers out of granite. The tops of the peaks in the range were above the level of the highest glaciation, and are therefore uneroded and...
, 1.2 miles (1.9 km) northwest of Rodgers Peak. It is named after Charles Lyell
Charles Lyell
Sir Charles Lyell, 1st Baronet, Kt FRS was a British lawyer and the foremost geologist of his day. He is best known as the author of Principles of Geology, which popularised James Hutton's concepts of uniformitarianism – the idea that the earth was shaped by slow-moving forces still in operation...
, a well-known 19th century geologist.
The peak also has the largest glacier
Glacier
A glacier is a large persistent body of ice that forms where the accumulation of snow exceeds its ablation over many years, often centuries. At least 0.1 km² in area and 50 m thick, but often much larger, a glacier slowly deforms and flows due to stresses induced by its weight...
s in Yosemite, Lyell Glacier
Lyell Glacier
There is also a Lyell Glacier, South GeorgiaLyell Glacier is a small glacier in the Sierra Nevada of California. The glacier was discovered by John Muir in 1871 , and is the largest glacier in Yosemite National Park. The glacier lies on the northern slopes of Mount Lyell.The glacier has retreated...
.
Mount Lyell divides the Tuolumne River
Tuolumne River
The Tuolumne River is a California river that flows nearly from the central Sierra Nevada to the San Joaquin River in the Central Valley...
watershed to the north, the Merced to the west, and the Rush Creek drainage in the Mono Lake Basin to the southeast.
Climbing
The most common approach to Mount Lyell is from Tuolumne MeadowsTuolumne Meadows
Tuolumne Meadows is a gentle, dome-studded sub-alpine meadowy section of the Tuolumne River, in the eastern section of Yosemite National Park. Its approximate location is . Its approximate elevation is 8619 feet .-Natural History:...
on a highly traveled section of the John Muir Trail
John Muir Trail
The John Muir Trail is a long-distance trail in the Sierra Nevada mountain range of California, running between the northern terminus at Happy Isles in Yosemite Valley and the southern terminus located on the summit of Mount Whitney . For almost all of its length, the trail is in the High Sierra...
. The round trip is approximately 25 miles (40.2 km) and involves 4500 feet (1,371.6 m) of elevation gain when starting from the Tuolumne Wilderness Office. The hike is easy from Tuolumne Meadows, following the Tuolumne River to the head of the Lyell Canyon, and becomes moderate as it approaches Donahue Pass
Donahue Pass
Donahue Pass is a pass on the border of Yosemite National Park. Its elevation is . It is situated between Mount Lyell and Donahue Peak. The John Muir Trail and the Pacific Crest Trail both go through the pass. Following the John Muir Trail, the pass is 6.3 miles from Thousand Island Lake, and 12.5...
. Before reaching Donahue Pass, this route leaves the trail and heads south towards Mount Lyell.
Most summit ascents are done either over or around the Lyell Glacier. Seasonal and year to year variations on the glacier make it necessary to assess current conditions before choosing a route to the summit. The NW Ridge, from the saddle between Mount Lyell and nearby Mount Maclure, offers class 2-3 climbing with high snow levels on the glacier. Low snow levels increases the grade to class 3-4 on the exposed granite ledges, in which cases it may be easier to ascend the glacier more directly to the summit. The grade of the East Arete likewise increases with low snow conditions, going from class 3 to class 4 (the looseness of the rock underlying the glacier on the East Arete makes it somewhat dangerous in low snow conditions). Other routes exist on the south and west sides, but of greater difficulty and longer approaches.