Yosemite National Park – February 21, 2023 – Video surfaced on social media yesterday of an incredible scene of large boulders and debris falling from the face of El Cap in Yosemite National Park. Visitors on the video seem alert to the fact that the rock might fall before hand and were able to capture much of the action.
Yosemite National Park in response has had to close the Northside drive from Camp 4 to El Capitan Crossover is closed due to a rockfall. Southside Drive from El Capitan Crossover to Sentinel Bridge is open with two-way traffic. Visitors who have a reservation in February for the annual Firefall event will need to follow local signage for new traffic patterns.
Rock falls in Yosemite National Park are a common experience. The fact that rocks fall on one of the most famous of climbing wall sin Yosemite is something of not. There are no casualties from this rock fall reported at this time, which might suggest that the park was prepared for the potential of this particular fall.
There’s currently no word on when the road will reopen, and the cause of the rockslide has yet to be determine
Some reports from current visitors suggest the Rock fall was part of the Horsetail Falls (Fire fall) wall. this has not officially been conformed, but if it is the case this could change the Fire fall event.
Rockfalls are a natural and dynamic geologic process involving the detachment and rapid downward movement of rock. Due to its steep, glacier-carved cliffs, Yosemite Valley experiences many rockfalls each year. Historical records indicate that more than 1,500 rockfalls have occurred in the park since 1857. Massive piles of “talus,” or rock debris, at the base of Yosemite Valley’s cliffs are reminders of these dramatic events. Rockfalls help to create the beautiful and changing scenery in Yosemite National Park, but they also present potential hazards.
Rockfall hazard zones occur throughout the park near any cliff faces. If you witness a rockfall from the Valley floor, quickly move away from the cliff toward the center of the Valley. If you are near the base of a cliff or talus slope when a rockfall occurs above, immediately seek shelter behind the largest nearby object. After rocks have stopped falling, move quickly away from the cliff toward the center of the Valley. Be aware that rockfalls are inherently unpredictable and may happen at any time. Pay attention to warning signs, stay off of closed trails, and, if unsure, keep away from the cliffs.
Two people did die in a rock fall accident in December of 2022 along the El Portal Road. Georgios Theocharous, 51, and Ming Yan, 35, a married couple from San Jose were killed when a significant rockfall occurred near the Arch Rock Entrance Station in Yosemite National Park. 47 rockfalls took place in 2021, which was described as a “relatively mild year.”