Rock slide

i was camping in Yosemite this last friday & saturday... stayed at Hodgdon Meadows (cuz it was the only available place lol).

anyways.... a buddy of mine took some Boy Scouts on a hike to Nevada Falls that same saturday morning and said the following after i asked him how the hike went... "Huge rock slide at 5:00 am on the John Muir trail. We had to walk over the slide for 200 yards. Big huge boulders and huge trees downed. There was another one after we went through at 2:00. Rangers were headed up to close trail at 4:00. Trail is going to be closed for a long time. Rubble was 6 feet deep!!!! Some lady at the top of Nevada Falls said they heard it in the valley and it woke them up. Lasted about 1 min..."

update: my buddy just emailed me this when i asked him if he knew exactly where the slide was, he said this: " Almost to the top of the John Mir trail before you go to that open area at the top where the water drips down off the rock."

so if you guys know what his is talking about, its that trail area where the water comes down the side of the mountain / rock that gets you wet during the spring time as you hike by.

From the NPS Site:

"•The John Muir Trail is closed indefinitely from the junction with the Mist Trail just above Vernal Fall footbridge to Clark Point due to a rockfall."

So it's not the Ice Cut. Guess if you are backpacking soon... you're a walking up the Mist Trail to top of Vernal and beyond.
(well... obviously if you're hiking to Top of Nevada or beyond... that's what you'll be doing)

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Isn't that between Nevada Falls and the Panorama Trail? - If they close that section down, hikers will not have access to the Panorama Trail from LYV - If on the other side of the JMT/Panorma trail junction, anyone who wants to Hike a loop on the Panorama Trail starting at 4-mile and then hiking down the JMT by Vernal wouldn't be able to get through - They would have to take Mist

Hope this portion will not be shut down and it can be cleared quickly



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 05/13/2013 09:51AM by SoCalCPA.

Due to a rockfall Saturday May 11, the John Muir Trail is currently closed from the junction with the Mist Trail (just above Vernal Fall footbridge) to Clark Point. The John Muir Trail remains open between Clark Point and Nevada Fall and can be accessed from the Mist Trail.

Update from Yosemite NPS on Facebook

A small (by Yosemite standards) rockfall damaged four switchbacks on the John Muir Trail below Clark Point this past Saturday. The rockfall was probably triggered by precipitation from the significant thunderstorm that occurred on Thursday, May 9. (It's not uncommon for precipitation-triggered rockfalls to happen 24 to 48 hours after rain.) This segment of trail will probably be closed for at least a few weeks. (The John Muir Trail above Clark Point and the Mist Trail are open.)

So now we've gone from indefinitely to at least a few weeks - Personally, I'm hoping it's open by the end of June when I hike down that trail with my daughter - much easier on my knees.

Pics should be available here: Rock Slide Pics

I always marvel at how these things never hit anyone.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/14/2013 06:00PM by hotrod4x5.

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hotrod4x5
I always marvel at how these things never hit anyone.

They do. 1996 Happy Isle rockfall one person was killed and several injured when winds generated by the rock fall blew down trees. The climber that was killed in 1999 by a rock fall below Glacier Point Apron. Three people injured in 2008 rockfall onto cabins at Curry Village. Since 1857, rock falls have killed 15 people and injured 85.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 05/14/2013 07:39PM by parklover.

Quote
parklover
They do. 1996 Happy Isle rockfall one person was killed and several injured when winds generated by the rock fall blew down trees. The climber that was killed in 1999 by a rock fall below Glacier Point Apron. Three people injured in 2008 rockfall onto cabins at Curry Village. Since 1857, rock falls have killed 15 people and injured 85.

And of course there was the 1980 rockfall onto the Upper Yosemite Falls Trail -- 3 killed, 19 injured.

All what anyone needs to know about rockslides and Yosemite Valley:

NPS/USGS: Quantitative rock-fall hazard and risk assessment for
Yosemite Valley, Yosemite National Park, California (2012)

.

Thanks for that Rockfall Hazard and Risk Assessment link. I've saved a copy and printed some of the maps and diagrams for my notes.

Of course the bottom line has to be that the next rockfall could happen pretty much anytime and anyplace (though the middle of the Merced River is probably pretty safe).

Quote
gophersnake
. . . snip . . .
And of course there was the 1980 rockfall onto the Upper Yosemite Falls Trail -- 3 killed, 19 injured.

It's hard not to think of that as you're going up that section of the trail, upper gully with all the switch backs that go up right against the cliff, and lookup at the HUGE cliff you're under. . .
And people worry about Ledge Trail?