Fresno Dome

Fresno Dome
Fresno Dome's northern face as seen from the Fresno Dome trail.
Highest point
Elevation7,544 ft (2,299 m) NAVD 88[1]
Prominence260 ft (79 m)[1]
Coordinates37°27′16″N 119°32′12″W / 37.4543843°N 119.5365338°W / 37.4543843; -119.5365338[2]
Geography
Fresno Dome is located in California
Fresno Dome
Fresno Dome
Fresno Dome is located in the United States
Fresno Dome
Fresno Dome
LocationSierra National Forest,
Madera County, California, U.S.
Parent rangeSierra Nevada
Topo mapUSGS White Chief Mountains
Geology
Rock ageCretaceous
Mountain typeGranite dome
Climbing
Easiest routeTrail hike (class 1)[3]

Fresno Dome is a dominant granite dome rising in isolation above the forest of Soquel Meadow in the Sierra National Forest in Madera County, California.

The dome as known to the Mono Indians as "the greeting place" ("wah-me-yelo"). John Muir encountered Fresno Dome, calling it "Wamello", in the 1870s, and used its summit to locate Fresno Grove (now known as Nelder Grove).[4][5]

It is accessible by a trailhead which is a three-mile drive from the Sierra Vista Scenic Byway (part of the National Scenic Byway system).[3] The nearest town is Bass Lake, California, 9.1 miles (14.6 km) to the south.

At its base, sits the Fresno Dome campground, a backwoods campground accessible only by jeep trails. The campground is a favorite spot for deer hunters and is largely empty other than during deer season. The dome offers several technical free climbs rated class 5 or better,[6] with "Guides in a Snowbank" rated at 5.10a.[5]

  1. ^ a b "Fresno Dome, California". Peakbagger.com.
  2. ^ "Fresno Dome". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
  3. ^ a b Warszawski, Marek. "Hiking the Fresno Dome". The Fresno Bee. Archived from the original on 2015-08-22. Retrieved 2016-04-12.
  4. ^ Browning, Peter (1986). Place Names of the Sierra Nevada. Berkeley: Wilderness Press. p. 75. ISBN 0899971199.
  5. ^ a b "Fresno Dome (Wamello)". Mountain project, Inc. Retrieved 2014-01-16.
  6. ^ Roper, Steve (1976). The Climber's Guide to the High Sierra. San Francisco: Sierra Club Books. p. 149. ISBN 978-0871561473.