| Intrusive Suite of Merced Peak | |
|---|---|
| Stratigraphic range: mid-Cretaceous, | |
| Type | Suite |
| Lithology | |
| Primary | Granodiorite |
| Location | |
| Region | Yosemite National Park |
| Country | United States |
| Type section | |
| Named for | Merced Peak |
 The Intrusive Suite of Merced Peak, near Merced Peak, lower right | |
The Intrusive Suite of Merced Peak is one of several intrusive suites in Yosemite National Park. These also include:
The Intrusive Suite of Merced Peak dates to roughly 98 Ma. [1] The formation dates to mid-Cretaceous. It lies within the volcanogenic Minarets sequence, and comprises the granodiorite of Jackass Lakes and the leucogranites of Timber Knob and Norris Creek. Most of the suite is the former. [2]
Yosemite Valley is a glacial valley in Yosemite National Park in the western Sierra Nevada mountains of Central California, United States. The valley is about 7.5 mi (12.1 km) long and 3,000–3,500 ft (910–1,070 m) deep, surrounded by high granite summits such as Half Dome and El Capitan, and densely forested with pines. The valley is drained by the Merced River, and a multitude of streams and waterfalls flow into it, including Tenaya, Illilouette, Yosemite and Bridalveil Creeks. Yosemite Falls is the highest waterfall in North America and is a big attraction especially in the spring, when the water flow is at its peak. The valley is renowned for its natural environment and is regarded as the centerpiece of Yosemite National Park.
The Merced River, in the central part of the U.S. state of California, is a 145-mile (233 km)-long tributary of the San Joaquin River flowing from the Sierra Nevada into the San Joaquin Valley. It is most well known for its swift and steep course through the southern part of Yosemite National Park, where it is the primary watercourse flowing through Yosemite Valley. The river's character changes dramatically once it reaches the plains of the agricultural San Joaquin Valley, where it becomes a slow-moving meandering stream.
Cathedral Peak is part of the Cathedral Range, a mountain range in the south-central portion of Yosemite National Park in eastern Mariposa and Tuolumne Counties. The range is an offshoot of the Sierra Nevada. The peak which lends its name to the range derives its name from its cathedral-shaped peak, which was formed by glacial activity: the peak remained uneroded above the glaciers in the Pleistocene.
The Sierra Nevada Batholith is a large batholith which forms the core of the Sierra Nevada mountain range in California, exposed at the surface as granite.
Little Yosemite Valley is a smaller glacial valley upstream in the Merced River drainage from the Yosemite Valley in Yosemite National Park. The Merced River meanders through the 3.5 mi (5.6 km) long flat valley, draining out over Nevada Fall and Vernal Fall before emptying into the main Yosemite Valley. It can be reached by a day hike from the main valley, and is the most popular area in the Yosemite Wilderness. The Valley provides access to nearby destinations such as the back side of Half Dome, Clouds Rest and the High Sierra Camp at Merced Lake.
The Cathedral Peak Granodiorite (CPG) was named after its type locality, Cathedral Peak in Yosemite National Park, California. The granodiorite forms part of the Tuolumne Intrusive Suite, one of the four major intrusive suites within the Sierra Nevada. It has been assigned radiometric ages between 88 and 87 million years and therefore reached its cooling stage in the Coniacian.
Merced Peak, with an elevation of 11,731 feet (3,576 m), is the highest point in the Clark Range, just surpassing three other peaks; Red Peak, Gray Peak, and Mount Clark.
The High Sierra Camps are nine rustic lodging facilities located in two national parks and a national monument in California's Sierra Nevada mountain range. Open most years from June or July to September, they are staffed camps with tent cabins and food service facilities. The backcountry camps receive their supplies by pack mules.
Half Dome Granodiorite is granodiorite found in a region on and near Half Dome, in Yosemite National Park, California, United States. The granodiorite forms part of the Tuolumne Intrusive Suite, one of the four major intrusive suites within the Sierra Nevada.
El Capitan Granite is a type of granite, in a large area near El Capitan, in Yosemite National Park, California, United States. The granite forms part of the Tuolumne Intrusive Suite, one of the four major intrusive suites within the Sierra Nevada.
Kuna Crest Granodiorite, is found, in Yosemite National Park, United States. The granodiorite forms part of the Tuolumne Intrusive Suite, one of the four major intrusive suites within the Sierra Nevada. Of the Tuolumne Intrusive Suite, it is the oldest and darkest rock.
Sentinel granodiorite is a type of granodiorite found in Yosemite National Park. It is a poorly understood western "outlier" of the ~93-85-Ma Tuolumne Intrusive Suite of the Sierra Nevada batholith. It is only slightly older than the undated Yosemite Creek Granodiorite and the Kuna Crest Granodiorite.
The Tuolumne Intrusive Suite is the youngest and most extensive of the intrusive suites of Yosemite National Park, and also comprises about 1/3 of the park's area. The Suite includes Half Dome Granodiorite, Cathedral Peak Granite, and Kuna Crest Granodiorite.
The Fine Gold Intrusive Suite is one of several intrusive suites that crosses into Yosemite National Park. These also include
The Intrusive Suite of Buena Vista Crest is an intrusive suite which extends 30 kilometres (19 mi) southward, from Yosemite Valley to Yosemite National Park's southeastern boundary, into plutons of the Sierra Nevada Batholith, which are slightly older. These intrusive suites also include
The Intrusive Suite of Yosemite Valley is one of several intrusive suites in Yosemite National Park. These also include
The Intrusive Suite of Sonora Pass is one of several intrusive suites in Yosemite National Park. These also include
Mammoth Peak is a mountain in the area of Tuolumne Meadows, Yosemite National Park, California. The summit is a class 1-2 cross-country hike that features river crossings and boulder scrambling. The peak lies at the northern end of the Kuna Crest and is close to California State Route 120. From the road, its summit appears rounded and quite rocky. Though Mammoth Peak is not as popular as other nearby peaks, its relatively easily accessed summit affords tremendous views of Mount Gibbs, Mount Dana, and Mount Lewis.
Kuna Crest is a mountain range near Tuolumne Meadows, in Yosemite National Park, California.
Johnson Granite Porphyry is found in Tuolumne Meadows, Yosemite National Park.
 | This article about a specific United States geological feature is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |