Tenaya Peak
Tenaya Lake, Tuolumne · near Tuolumne Meadows / Lee Vining · Sierra Nevada / Yosemite
Mountaineering
At a glance
- Grade
- technical
- Elevation
- 10301
- Best season
- July–September for dry rock
What is here
- Terrain
- alpine-rock
- Amenities
- Tenaya Lake trailhead (roadside, Tioga) · Guide services climb the NW Buttress · A great first big Tuolumne route · Yosemite wilderness rules apply
- Best for
- An accessible first big alpine granite ridge
- Features
- Rises straight from Tenaya Lake · Long, low-angle NW Buttress · A gentle intro to big alpine rock · Roadside Tioga approach
Worth knowing
- Hazards
- Long route — efficiency and route-finding matter · Some exposed low-5th moves amid the scrambling · Afternoon storms on the open granite · Descent route-finding off the back
- Beginner friendly
- No
Guides, rentals and operators
- Guided trips
- Yes
Mountaineering detail
- Skills
- roped-rock · scrambling
- Style
- rock-route
- Altitude
- 1
- Route notes
- A long, moderate granite ridge rising straight from Tenaya Lake — the Northwest Buttress is a huge, low-angle low-5th-class romp (a bit of 5.4–5.5) with easy scrambling between, a joyful introduction to big Tuolumne alpine rock
- Beta note
- ~10,301 ft; NW Buttress low 5th class (to ~5.5); long but moderate, some simul-climbing
- Intl tip
- One of Tuolumne's most approachable big alpine rock outings — the NW Buttress rises ~1,500 ft straight from Tenaya Lake at a forgiving low-5th angle, with easy scrambling broken by short 5.4–5.5 steps. Many parties simul-climb much of it. The roadside Tioga approach and moderate grade make it a superb intro to large alpine granite for competent climbers, though its length, exposure, and fast Tuolumne storms keep it honest. Guides use it as a stepping-stone to Cathedral and beyond.
- Directions note
- Park at Tenaya Lake on Tioga Rd (Hwy 120 closed in winter)
The guide
Tenaya Peak offers one of Tuolumne's most approachable big alpine rock experiences: the Northwest Buttress rises nearly 1,500 f…
In the Guidebook
Everything above is yours for free. The written guide to Tenaya Peak — what it is actually like, and what we would tell a friend before they went — comes with the Guidebook.
Getting there
- Coordinates
- 37.8069, -119.4631