Cathedral Range

This article is about the mountain range in Yosemite National Park. For the mountain range in Australia, see Cathedral Range (Victoria). For Cathedral Peaks, Antarctica, see Cathedral Peaks.

Cathedral Range
Cathedral Range from the summit of Fairview Dome. From L-R: Unicorn Peak, Cockscomb, Echo Ridge and Cathedral Peak.
Highest point
Peak	Mount Florence
Elevation	12,561 ft (3,829 m)[1]
Dimensions
Length	10 mi (16 km)
Geography
Cathedral Range Location of Cathedral Range in California Show map of California Cathedral Range Cathedral Range (the United States) Show map of the United States
Country	United States
State	California
Counties	Madera, Tuolumne, and Mariposa
Range coordinates	37°44′22″N 119°16′19″W[2]
Parent range	Sierra Nevada (U.S.)
Topo map	USGS Mount Lyell

The Cathedral Range is a mountain range immediately to the south of Tuolumne Meadows in Yosemite National Park. The range is an offshoot of the Sierra Nevada. The range is named after Cathedral Peak, which resembles a cathedral spire.

Geography

The range includes Cathedral Peak, Unicorn Peak, Eichorn Pinnacle, Echo Peaks, Echo Ridge, Matthes Crest, Rafferty Peak, Vogelsang Peak, Fletcher Peak and Cockscomb.[3] The highest point in the range is Mount Florence, one of the most prominent peaks in the Yosemite high country. The highest peak in Tuolumne Meadows is Johnson Peak.

The range runs beside the two Cathedral Lakes, just one mile southwest of Cathedral Peak. Hikers can access the lakes and Cathedral range by the John Muir trail from the trailhead in Tuolumne Meadows.

Geology

The mountains were formed by glaciers carving out the granite material; also see Cathedral Peak Granodiorite. The tops of the peaks in the range were above the level of the highest glaciation, and are therefore un-eroded and distinctly spire-like;[4] see nunatak.

The Cathedral Range from Gaylor Lakes basin

References

1. "Cathedral Range". Peakbagger.com. Retrieved 2012-11-16.
2. "Cathedral Range". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior. Retrieved 2009-05-03.
3. Burd, Bob (Sep 25, 2003). "Unicorn Peak". Summit Post. Retrieved July 22, 2014.
4. Matthes, François E. (1930). Glacial History of the Yosemite Valley. USGS. Professional Paper 160.