Geology & Glaciation

Geology & Glaciation

Yosemite’s scenery reflects intrusive granite, uplift of the Sierra Nevada, weathering, exfoliation, river incision, and repeated glaciation.

• Granite Monoliths — El Capitan, Half Dome, Cathedral Rocks, and other resistant forms
• Glacial Landforms — U-shaped valleys, polished bedrock, moraines, hanging valleys, and truncated spurs
• Exfoliation — curved sheets of granite produced as pressure is released from rock near the surface
• Present-day processes — rockfall, erosion, weathering, snow, ice, and stream action continue to reshape the park