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March Mountain Madness has arrived in Yosemite National Park. This year we want to see which granite icon is the most valued, which peak piques our interest, and which craggy apex has captured our hearts.

Now we know Yosemite National Park, all 759,620 acres (1,187 sq mi; 3,074 km2) of gorgeous glacially carved granite landscapes, is abundant in majestic mountaintops. This year the quarterfinalists are all iconic Yosemite locations. Below you can meet the 2024 contenders and learn a little bit about their history, geology, and geography.

March Mountain Madness Master Bracket showing the 8 peaks battling to become the Most Valued Peak in 2024

March Mountain Madness officially begins on March 5 and will continue as a series of contests between two peaks at a time. We will work to update the master bracket in a timely fashion as we ascend toward the final contest.

Many of these peaks in the contest have different names that were historically used by the seven associated Tribes of Yosemite: the American Indian Council of Mariposa County, Inc. (aka Southern Sierra Miwuk Nation), Bishop Paiute TribeBridgeport Indian ColonyMono Lake Kootzaduka’aNorth Fork Rancheria of Mono Indians of CaliforniaPicayune Rancheria of the Chukchansi Indians, and the Tuolumne Band of Me-Wuk Indians. There are also various origin stories for how some of these mountains came to be. We would like to acknowledge that the information on this page is only presenting one side of the history and want encourage you to research these origin stories to learn more about the greater cultural history of the park.

The Most Valued Peak, to be announced on Friday, March 29, receives bragging rights for a year.

Curious about our March Mountain Madness bracket artwork? All of the icons were created by celebrated illustrator Alexander Vidal for Yosemite Conservancy.

Need March Mountain Madness swag? Check out the Conservancy’s official March Mountain Madness Merch featuring items with more Vidal illustrations as well as mountain vibes.

March Mountain Madness 2024 Finalists

Looking across the glassy surface of May Lake, past a row of conifers on the left, up at the craggy peak of Mount Hoffman.

Mount Hoffmann looking dreamy as usual.

Mount Hoffmann: Standing at 10,850 ft/ 3,307m, Mount Hoffmann is the geographic center of Yosemite. One of the best views of Mount Hoffmann is from May Lake, though it can be seen in vistas across the park. It is named for Charles F. Hoffmann who was part of the California Geologic Survey with Josiah Whitney.

Looking across Yosemite Valley at Half Dome on a cloudy day.

The one, the only, Half Dome.

Half Dome: Rising to 8,836 ft/ 2693m, Half Dome is the commanding icon at the eastern edge of Yosemite Valley. Thousands of individuals apply for the infamous Half Dome Cables Permit annually to summit the mountain via the 100 foot cabled pathway.

Looking across a sunny boardwalk through a meadow at the impressive Royal Arches and North Dome.

North Dome rising above Yosemite Valley.

North Dome: A humble 7,546 ft/ 2,300m in elevation, North Dome rises above the northern wall of Yosemite Valley, near Royal Arches and Washington Column. Most hikers approach North Dome from the Porcupine Creek Trailhead on Tioga Road.

Lembert Dome reflecting in the Tuolumne River at sunset.

The lovely Lembert Dome.

Lembert Dome: Lembert Dome rises to 9,455 ft/ 2,882m at the eastern edge of Tuolumne Meadows. Lembert comes from Jean Baptist Lembert, a homesteader who had a cabin nearby. The Lembert Dome hike begins either from the Lembert Dome or Dog Lake parking lots and leads to spectacular views of the Cathedral Range.

Looking past a cluster of conifers at El Capitan in the distance.

El Capitan’s commanding presence viewed from the Valley floor.

El Capitan: El Capitan’s shear cliffs reach 7,573 ft/ 2,308m into the sky, providing about 3,000 ft of rock face for bigwall climbers to enjoy. Climbings greats often race to set and reset records on El Cap’s different climbing routes. El Capitan is on the western side of Yosemite Valley across from Bridalveil Fall.

Perfect sunset reflection of Cathedral Peak in Cathedral Lake.

Cathedral Peak looking dreamy at sunset.

Cathedral Peak: The granite spire of Cathedral Peak reaches a height of 10,911 ft/ 3326m. Classic views of Cathedral Peak are from Cathedral Lakes which are accessible from the John Muir Trail. If you look carefully, in summer climbers can be spotted ascending to the summit.

A small figure sits in the lower left hand corner. Beyond them a snowy and icy mountain looms in the distance.

Mount Lyell looking cool with all its snow pack.

Mount Lyell: The highest peak in Yosemite National Park, Mount Lyell stands at 13,114 ft/ 3997 m tall along the eastern boundary of the park. The peak is named for Sir Charles Lyell, a Scottish geologist. Mount Lyell is also home to the disappearing Lyell Glacier, which feeds the Tuolumne River in the summer.

Looking up at the rocky summit of Mount Dana.

Dashing Mount Dana.

Mount Dana: The second tallest peak in the park, with an apex at 13,053 ft/ 3980 m, was named for James Dwight Dana, an American geologist and professor at Yale. Located on the eastern boundary of the park, from the summit of Dana you can see all the way down to Mono Lake below.

Remember voting will occur on the Conservancy’s Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok pages.

Want to get to know the mountains even more? Check out the Conservancy’s Outdoor Adventures, many of which explore the natural and cultural history of these peaks.

 

Photo credits:

Mount Hoffman by Anita Starchman Bryant

Lembert Dome by Fred Turner

Half Dome by Yiming Chen on Instagram at @armadillo

North Dome by Kristine Csicsery on Instagram at @kristinecsi

El Capitan by Lorena L Sanchez on Instagram at @lorena_lilian

Cathedral Peak by Mike Reeves on Instagram at @mikereevesphotography

Mount Lyell by Roy Williams Photography

Mount Dana by Yosemite Conservancy on Instagram at @yosemiteconservancy

Header Photo courtesy of NPS