A snow-capped Half Dome reflected in a lake, Yosemite National Park, CA
About this photograph
- Creator
- Margery H. Freeman
- Date created
- January 1978
- Location
- Yosemite National Park, California
- License
- This photograph copyright ©1978. All Rights Reserved
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Learn more
- Search LEARN NC for 1890, California, California condor, designated wilderness, early national park, fall, Galen Clark, Half Dome, John Muir, national parks, Nevada Falls, sequoia, state quarter, Vernal Falls, waterfall, wilderness, Yosemite, and Yosemite National Park.
In the classroom
- See our collection of articles on visual literacy for ideas on using photographs meaningfully in the classroom.
The northwest face of Half Dome reflected in a rippled lake in Yosemite National Park, California. The nooks and crannies of the granite dome are crested with snow. Half Dome is one of the park’s most familiar sights, and is featured with John Muir and the California Condor on the 2005 California State quarter. Hikers can take an 8.5 mile route to the summit of the dome, which ends in a pair of braided cable handholds which curve up the rock face at the final, steepest ascent of the trail. Adventurous rock climbers can take a route straight up the vertical northwest face of the dome.
Yosemite National Park was one of the earliest national parks. Formed in 1890, it was preceded only by Yellowstone and Sequoia National Parks. Its creation was advocated by naturalists such as John Muir and Galen Clark, as well as many other influential figures. Today, it protects and preserves a broad variety of flora, fauna, geography, and Native American heritage. It is famous for its waterfalls, but visitors can also enjoy lush meadows, craggy rock ridges, and mammoth sequoias. 95 percent of the park’s 747,956 acres are designated wilderness.
