# Sentinel Rock

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> Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sentinel_Rock
> Source revision: 1355979372
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{{Short description|Peak in Yosemite National Park, USA}}
{{for|the granite dome near [Glacier Point](/source/Glacier_Point), [Yosemite National Park](/source/Yosemite_National_Park)|Sentinel Dome}}
{{Use American English|date=February 2026}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2025}}
{{Infobox mountain
| name              = Sentinel Rock
| image             = Yosemite National Park 1989 21.jpg
| image_caption     = A photo of Sentinel Rock in Yosemite Valley
| image_size        = 200px
| elevation_ft      = 7038
| elevation_ref     = <ref>{{cite web
| url         = https://home.nps.gov/yose/learn/nature/natural-resource-statistics.htm
| title       = Natural Resource Statistics
| work        = Yosemite National Park
| publisher   = [National Park Service](/source/National_Park_Service)
| access-date = 2009-01-28}}</ref>
| location          = [Yosemite National Park](/source/Yosemite_National_Park)<br/>[Mariposa County, California](/source/Mariposa_County%2C_California), U.S.
| map               = California#USA
| map_caption       = Location in California
| map_size          = 240
| label_position    = below
| range             = [Sierra Nevada](/source/Sierra_Nevada_(U.S.))
| coordinates       = {{coord|37.7288151|N|119.594331|W|type:mountain_region:US-CA_scale:100000_source:GNIS|format=dms|display=inline,title}}
| range_coordinates = 
| coordinates_ref   = <ref name="gnis">{{cite gnis |id=253840 |name=Sentinel Rock |accessdate=2009-01-28}}</ref>
| topo              = [USGS](/source/United_States_Geological_Survey) Half Dome
| rock              = [Granite](/source/Granite)
| age               = [Cretaceous](/source/Cretaceous)
| first_ascent      = June 30 - July 4, 1950<br/>by [Allen Steck](/source/Allen_Steck) and [John Salathé](/source/John_Salath%C3%A9)<ref name="rockclimbing"/>
| easiest_route     = Circular Staircase ({{YDS|5.8}})<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.supertopo.com/rock-climbing/Yosemite-Valley-Sentinel-Rock-Circular-Staircase |title=Circular Staircase, Sentinel Rock 5.8 |publisher=SuperTopo.com |accessdate=2016-03-27}}</ref>
}}

'''Sentinel Rock''' is a [granitic](/source/granite) peak in [Yosemite National Park](/source/Yosemite_National_Park), [California](/source/California), [United States](/source/United_States). It towers over [Yosemite Valley](/source/Yosemite_Valley), opposite [Yosemite Falls](/source/Yosemite_Falls).<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/formations.htm|title=Rock Formations in Yosemite|work=Yosemite National Park|publisher=National Park Service|access-date=2007-08-14}}</ref> Sentinel Rock lies {{Convert|0.7|mi|1}} northwest of [Sentinel Dome](/source/Sentinel_Dome).

==Geology==
Sentinel Rock formed when masses of rock split off [Yosemite Valley](/source/Yosemite_Valley)'s south-side [cliff](/source/cliff), along steep joints trending nearly east–west. This formed the near-vertical north face of Sentinel Rock.<ref name="wr.usgs.gov">{{cite web|title=Bedrock Geology of the Yosemite Valley Area Yosemite National Park, California|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170321165731/https://geomaps.wr.usgs.gov/parks/yos/I_1639.html|url=https://geomaps.wr.usgs.gov/parks/yos/I_1639.html|archive-date=March 21, 2017|publisher=USGS|work=Geology and National Parks|access-date=March 20, 2017|url-status=live}}</ref>

==Climbing==
The most famous climbing route is the ''[Steck-Salathé route](/source/Steck-Salath%C3%A9_Route_(Sentinel_Rock))'', which is rated a {{YDS|5.10b G}} [A0](/source/Grade_(climbing)).<ref name="rockclimbing">{{cite web |title=Steck-Salathe |url=http://www.rockclimbing.com/routes/North_America/United_States/California/Yosemite_N..._Park/Yosemite_Valley/Sentinel_Rock/North_wall/Steck-Salathe_1594.html |publisher=rockclimbing.com |accessdate=2014-01-20}}</ref>

Climber [Derek Hersey](/source/Derek_Hersey) died while attempting to [free solo](/source/free_solo) climb Sentinel Rock in 1993.<ref name="Psychology Today">{{cite journal |author=Roberts, Paul |title=Risk |date=1994-11-01 |journal=[Psychology Today](/source/Psychology_Today) |url=http://www.psychologytoday.com/articles/200910/risk |accessdate=2011-07-27}}</ref>

==Gallery==
<div style="max-width: 500px;">
<gallery mode=slideshow>
File:Yosemite National Park, Sentinel Rock.jpg|Northwest aspect
File:Yosemite National Park - Sentinel Rock.jpg
File:Sentinel Rock, Yosemite National Park.jpg|Sentinel Rock (right) in Yosemite Valley. (camera pointed east)
</gallery>
</div>

==See also==

* [Sentinel granodiorite](/source/Sentinel_granodiorite)

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*{{commons category-inline |Sentinel Rock}}

Category:Mountains of Mariposa County, California
Category:Mountains of Yosemite National Park
Category:Mountains of Northern California
Category:Climbing areas of California

{{MariposaCountyCA-geo-stub}}

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Sentinel Rock](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sentinel_Rock) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sentinel_Rock?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.