202 



Adventures in Scenery 



Moraines of Little Yosemite Valley 



In the Little Yosemite Valley moraines of the Merced Gla- 

 cier are much more plentiful than in the main Yosemite Valley. 

 No less than 30 distinct lateral moraines occur one above 

 another in a generally parallel series on the north side of the 

 valley in the broad embayment southeast of Half Dome. Ter- 

 minal or frontal moraines curve across the entire valley above 



AV 



Photo by F. E. Matthes, U. S. Gcol. Survey 



FIG. 61. Lateral moraine on south side of Little Yosemite Valley. The 

 figure of the horse at the right indicates the size of the moraine. 



Liberty Cap. Many large blocks of granite occur in these 

 moraines, blocks 5 or 6 feet in diameter being common, and 

 some as much as 1 to 1 5 feet in length. These granite blocks 

 .are fresh-looking and unweathered. They ring when struck 

 by a hammer, and appear to be composed of sound hard granite. 

 When it is considered that these blocks have been exposed to 

 the weather for not less than 10,000 years the fact becomes 

 .significant. 



