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Jaybro
Social climber
Wolf City, Wyoming
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Jun 14, 2012 - 11:32am PT
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edit; "There are no absolutely safe areas"
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zBrown
Ice climber
chingadero de chula vista
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Jun 14, 2012 - 11:50am PT
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Funny how the newspapers report almost exactly the same story; however, not precisely the same. The San Diego paper didn't mention 1987 and "the equivalent of more than 22,000 dump truck loads of rock". I hope they broke them up and sold them as souvenirs like they're planning on doing in Nepal.
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viejoalpinisto
Social climber
Pahrump, NV
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Jun 14, 2012 - 11:54am PT
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Then maybe it will be less crowded
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JEleazarian
Trad climber
Fresno CA
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Jun 14, 2012 - 01:51pm PT
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The real danger is unstated in the article: the tort bar. Greg Stock posts often on ST, and I find his posts some of the most useful information here. The key point in the McClatchy articles (in the Bee and Mercury News) was that park officials were aware that the tent cabins were in a danger zone. I'm glad they didn't release this information until after the statute of limitations ran. I could only imagine the feast for the plaintiffs' bar.
The fact remains that many of us stayed alive for many decades precisely because we know the mountains are dangerous, and act accordingly. As others have stated, if it keeps a few of the folks who want the whole world covered in airbags away, that's a good thing.
John
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Capt.
climber
some eastside hovel
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Jun 14, 2012 - 01:51pm PT
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Greg Stock is a solid guy.Massive respect. He has been nothing short of a positive attribute to this site. Eeez up folks.
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HighTraverse
Trad climber
Bay Area
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Jun 14, 2012 - 01:56pm PT
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I'll be throwing my sleeping bag under the downhill side of Columbia Boulder from now on. Only truly safe place in the Valley.
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Crimpergirl
Sport climber
Boulder, Colorado!
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Jun 14, 2012 - 02:28pm PT
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Was going to say, but others just have, that Greg Stock posts here. I look forward to hearing him chime in. He does always offer really excellent information. Great asset!
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aspendougy
Trad climber
Los Angeles, CA
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Jun 14, 2012 - 04:58pm PT
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Yes, Gregory Stock is right, they are responding mainly to the law suit crazy Country we currently live in, not to any increased danger.
Actually, deer are much more dangerous statistically speaking, than rockfall, rattlesnakes, lightening strikes, and other dangers. More people are killed or seriously injured swerving off the road after hitting, or to avoid hitting, deer in their headlights, as compared to these other things.
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John M
climber
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Jun 14, 2012 - 05:01pm PT
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Will deer come with a gov warning label?
WARNING.. STAY BACK! This deer is more dangerous then it appears!
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gstock
climber
Yosemite Valley
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Jun 14, 2012 - 11:06pm PT
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As you might expect, there is more to the story than that reported by AP. Here is the press release the NPS put out this morning, which includes a link to download the rock-fall hazard and risk assessment report:
"Yosemite National Park and U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Publish Quantitative Rockfall Hazard and Risk Assessment for Yosemite Valley
Date: June 14, 2012
Guidance Will be Used to Enhance Public Safety in Yosemite Valley
Yosemite National Park and USGS scientists, in collaboration with academic geologists, recently completed a comprehensive study of rockfall hazard and risk in Yosemite Valley. This internationally peer-reviewed study utilized new data and technologies to map the cliffs and talus slopes, date ancient rockfalls, and perform computer simulations of potential future rockfalls. This information was used to identify a rockfall hazard line on the valley floor. Existing structures within this line were evaluated using a numerical "risk metric" that quantifies the risk posed to human life and safety. This study represents the first time that rockfall risk has been quantitatively assessed in Yosemite Valley.
The information in the study was adopted by Yosemite National Park this month. Several high-risk structures within the hazard zone will no longer be occupied and others will be repurposed or relocated as the policy is implemented. These structures include some concessionaire employee housing and a few hard-sided cabins and tent cabins at Curry Village, which will no longer be available for occupancy. Risks will be mitigated at other locations by modifying use patterns. Although it is not practical to eliminate all rockfall risk, these actions, combined with the closures in Curry Village implemented in 2008, will reduce the overall risk associated with structures in Yosemite Valley by 95 percent.
Rockfalls are natural processes that continue to shape Yosemite Valley. They also pose potential hazards to park visitors, employees, and residents. During historical time, more than 900 rockfalls have been documented. Over the 150 years of the park's history, a few people have been killed by such geologic hazards and many others injured. Trails, roads, and buildings have also been damaged or destroyed by such processes.
In October 2008, two rockfalls caused minor injuries and substantial damage to many structures in Curry Village. After a geologic assessment was completed, the park permanently closed numerous visitor accommodations at Curry Village in the rockfall hazard zone. Additionally, several concessioner employee housing units, also at Curry Village, were closed. These closures in Curry Village reduced the overall risk associated with structures in Yosemite Valley.
The full report, Quantitative Rockfall Hazard and Risk Assessment for Yosemite Valley, Yosemite National Park, California, can be found at http://www.nps.gov/yose/naturescience/rockfall.htm "
Rock-fall hazards and risks are not hypothetical in Yosemite Valley:
This situation can be mostly avoided by closing, relocating, and/or re-purposing the highest risk structures in the Valley. The NPS recognizes that it cannot eliminate all risk from rock falls, or from any other natural hazard, but when hazards and risks can be understood and reasonably reduced - especially by relocating structures or campsites - it makes sense to do so.
I encourage anyone interested in this issue to have a look at the report (if nothing else, you’ll learn how long Columbia Boulder has been sitting there), and - as always - please feel free to contact me if you have any questions.
Thanks for your support.
Greg Stock
Park Geologist
(209) 379-1420
greg_stock@nps.gov
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SteveW
Trad climber
The state of confusion
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Topic Author's Reply - Jun 14, 2012 - 11:54pm PT
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Always great hearing the word from you, Greg!
Thanks for adding to it.
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Karl Baba
Trad climber
Yosemite, Ca
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Jun 15, 2012 - 12:03am PT
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The biggest changes I've seen in Yosemite in decades have been all the closures due to flood and rockfall danger.
Campsites and cabins in the flood plane and rockfall zones. Most recently, even long standing parking places at the Ahwahnee.
It's a catch 22, they can't easily build in places where they haven't built already and the places they have built already are prone to rockfall and flood
Peace
Karl
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Tony Bird
climber
Northridge, CA
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Jun 15, 2012 - 12:22am PT
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before they start more building, they ought to start restoring the places they built wrong in the first place. give back before you take more. trying giving back more than you've taken. it could be a template for the future of development.
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Mighty Hiker
climber
Vancouver, B.C.
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Jun 15, 2012 - 12:38am PT
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I never did understand why they closed the river campgrounds. So what if every 50 years they flood in wintertime, when they're closed? Pretty much everything else in the Valley is also on a floodplain.
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bergbryce
Mountain climber
South Lake Tahoe, CA
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Jun 15, 2012 - 12:43am PT
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edited out of fear of sounding anti-science
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Spider Savage
Mountain climber
The shaggy fringe of Los Angeles
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Jun 15, 2012 - 12:51am PT
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A culmination of years of good work. Thanks Greg.
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LeeBow
Trad climber
Victoria BC
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Jun 15, 2012 - 04:03am PT
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Quick, everybody move to the Canadian Rockies...
Much safer there...
Foot of Chinaman's Pk could be pretty safe...
Snigger
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Dr.Sprock
Boulder climber
I'm James Brown, Bi-atch!
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Jun 15, 2012 - 04:50am PT
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does this mean no more trundling inside the park?
because if that's the case, they can have my senior discount back,
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Tony Bird
climber
Northridge, CA
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Jun 15, 2012 - 08:49am PT
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digging through that link, i'm not finding the columbia boulder's time of arrival. in one of the links?
i do remember my first walk to cookie cliff, sometime in the mid 80s. it was breathtaking to find the two-track jeep trail disappear under a garage-sized boulder.
i hope the managers of YNP start to get the idea that the valley should not be approached from the point of view of a hotelier.
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gstock
climber
Yosemite Valley
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Jun 15, 2012 - 09:49am PT
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From the pdf link posted above, Figure 11 on page 23, and also Table 2 on pages 42-43:
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