Discovering Yosemite - North Dome
North Dome, Yosemite, California
Summary by Derek Caveney, July 4th, 2000
North Dome (7531 ft), viewed from Yosemite Valley (??? ft)
General Information
This page features the easy ~10 mile round trip hike to North Dome
from Porcupine Flats. This route has minor uphills and downhills,
with a well-defined path the entire way.
There exist routes from the valley floor up to North Dome via Mirror Lake
and another via Yosemite Falls. These are longer, more strenuous
hikes with higher ascents, but again have well-defined trails.
Trailhead Approach
Take US 120 through Yosemite. The trailhead is at Porcupine Flats
Route Description
There really is nothing more to this hike than following signs and
the slight ups and downs of the trail. The one spot for potential
difficulty is when the trail plateaus above the actual dome and you
can view it from the north below you. The plateau drops off towards
the dome and doubt of whether a path exists down the dropoff arises
(See Below).
Don't worry, descend towards the dome and a path will present itself.
If you find yourself not on a visible path for more than two minutes,
you are probably going the wrong way.
North Dome from the North Dome Trail (Looking South)
Hike Report: North Dome July 3rd, 2000
Mark, Susan, Heyning and I drove through Yosemite and the Tioga Pass
on our way back from climbing Mt. Russell on July 2nd. My ankle,
still bruised from the scree of Mt. Russell, was only looking for an
easy, quick, flat, stroll through nice trails in Yosemite and that is
what this hike offered. It was a flat hike, had spectacular views of
the valley (especially Half Dome and Cloud's Rest), and took a round
trip time of just under 4 hours. If you are looking for good views of
El Cap and the valley floor, try to do this hike in the morning, so
that the sun is favourable. I recommend doing this hike in the
mid-afternoon. Half dome looks incredible when the sun is shining off
its sheer face.
Enjoy Mark's `Kiwi Tour' of Yosemite from the North Dome Summit...a
live movie...
Kiwi Tour
|
View of Half Dome to the east from North Dome |
360 degree view from the summit of North Dome |
Mug Shot at summit of North Dome, Half Dome behind |
Kiwi Mark and Susan from North Carolina at North Dome |
Enjoying a Taco Bell Chalupa in Bishop, CA (b/w Mt. Russell and Yosemite) |