 Almost all of the landforms in the Yosemite area are cut from the granitic rock of the Sierra Nevada Batholith ( a batholith is a large mass of intrusive igneous rock that formed deep below the surface ) . About 5 % of the park 's landforms ( mostly in its eastern margin near Mount Dana ) are metamorphosed volcanic and sedimentary rocks . These rocks are called roof pendants because they were once the roof of the underlying granitic rock . 
