Glacial Erratic Boulders in Yosemite National Park
Above the granite walls surrounding Yosemite Valley are found many examples of glacial erratic boulders. These glacial erratics are so named because they are erratic (i.e., differ materially from the naturally occuring stone nearby) and they were deposited by slow-moving glaciers, sometimes after having been moved a considerable distance (e.g., tens of miles) from their origin.
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| Glacial erratics atop Olmstead Point. Erratics are huge boulders left behind by the passing of glaciers which carved the granite surroundings into their present-day form. Yosemite National Park, California, USA. Image: 09966 Location: Yosemite National Park, California, USA |
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| Glacial erratics atop Olmstead Point, with Clouds Rest in the background. Erratics are huge boulders left behind by the passing of glaciers which carved the granite surroundings into their present-day form. Yosemite National Park, California, USA. Image: 09968 Location: Yosemite National Park, California, USA |
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| A glacial erratic hangs precariously at the precipice to Tenaya Canyon, with Clouds Rest in the background. Erratics are huge boulders left behind by the passing of glaciers which carved the granite surroundings into their present-day form. Yosemite National Park, California, USA. Image: 09969 Location: Yosemite National Park, California, USA |
The edges of Tenaya Canyon, especially granite expanses at Olmstead Point, are good places to find glacial erratics, as well as the Half Dome and Little Yosemite Valley trails.
Keywords: glacial erratics, glacial erratic boulders, glacier, granite, Yosemite National Park, photograph, picture.
