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Clint Cummins
Trad climber
SF Bay area, CA
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Topic Author's Original Post - Jun 13, 2017 - 07:35pm PT
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A big rockfall from Parkline Slab closed 140 between El Portal and Arch Rock on Monday.
UPDATE: 140 reopened on 2017-06-18!
[See the recent posts at the end of this thread.]
Chris Falkenstein has posted several excellent photos of it on the Yosemite Incident Feed on facebook.
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10211675273170755&set=pcb.1998205120407712&type=3&theater
Here is the comment I posted:
Great shot of the rockfall source (the arch / overhang above the pine tree). There used to be a (second) big pine tree up there, which is gone now and was likely involved in creating the rockfall. I can dig out some "before" shots showing that tree in place. I also did a climb that we called "Fresh Crack" which went exactly along the left margin of the rockfall. It was originally a seam, but we came back later and it had changed into a 1" crack. The giant flake/block/slab on the right side had dropped 6 inches. I have photos of this as well. Greg Stock, park geologist would likely be interested. All this happened before the plane crash, which was several hundred feet right and at the top of the cliff.
http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-yosemite-national-park-rockslide-closure-20170613-story.html
https://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/conditions.htm
El Portal Road (continuation of Highway 140) is closed due to a rockfall
The El Portal Road (continuation of Highway 140 into Yosemite Valley from El Portal) is closed due to rockfall. Access to Yosemite Valley is still possible via Highways 41 and 120 from the west. Call 209/372-0200 (then dial 1 then 1) for any updates. [2017-06-13, 8:30pm]
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survival
Big Wall climber
Terrapin Station
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Jun 13, 2017 - 08:09pm PT
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Wow!
No cars pasted? Good!
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ß Î Ø T Ç H
Boulder climber
ne'er–do–well
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Jun 13, 2017 - 08:24pm PT
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Crane Creek to Foresta dirt road : )
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BruceHildenbrand
Social climber
Mountain View/Boulder
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Jun 13, 2017 - 08:53pm PT
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Did someone yell "rock" before it started coming down? I also hope if anybody was climbing in the area they were wearing their helmets:-)
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Ed Hartouni
Trad climber
Livermore, CA
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Jun 13, 2017 - 09:08pm PT
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now that's a trundle!
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Q- Ball
Mountain climber
but to scared to climb them anymore
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Jun 13, 2017 - 09:38pm PT
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A fellow Tennesseean on why he drove into a rock fall! Classic, it is actually me if you were curious. "I didn't even see that thang..." ; )
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=gBmE92n5mEI
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cragnshag
Social climber
san joser
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Jun 13, 2017 - 11:57pm PT
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Dang! I'm glad it didn't go when we were on it... (edit) Here is Clint's route overlay photo that ended up on my computer.
I was a bit spooked out when leading the Snaggletooth corner, worried that the cooler-sized blocks stuck inside might come out. Looks like the coolers should have been the least of my concerns.
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Clint Cummins
Trad climber
SF Bay area, CA
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Topic Author's Reply - Jun 14, 2017 - 04:17am PT
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Here's my version of outlining the source of the rockfall.
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Ryan K
Gym climber
the pit
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Jun 14, 2017 - 06:48am PT
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Awesome pictures, thanks for sharing.
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gstock
climber
Yosemite Valley
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Jun 14, 2017 - 07:10am PT
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Wow, Clint, thanks for those photos and insights - just what I was hoping to find here! I would love to hear more about the change in crack width that you observed, and to see your pre-rockslide photos in hi-res.
Here are some additional photos of the cliff and rockslide source area that I took from a helicopter on Monday late afternoon.
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BruceHildenbrand
Social climber
Mountain View/Boulder
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Jun 14, 2017 - 07:25am PT
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It looks like there is still some loose stuff up there especially up and right of the fracture.
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donini
Trad climber
Ouray, Colorado
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Jun 14, 2017 - 07:34am PT
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When it comes to Yosemite...climb them now, mourn them later. Don't be on Moby Dick when Boot Flake goes.
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cragnshag
Social climber
san joser
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Jun 14, 2017 - 07:54am PT
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Greg- a few feet to the right of the seam (that turned into a 1" crack) and in the lower area of white rock, was a brand new 3/4" crack that was as deep as I could see and roughly paralleled the widened seam for a ways. This new crack was more or less perpendicular to the face of the slab and had super sharp square edges. It appeared sometime after our initial attempt at climbing the seam when it was still a seam.
From your photo and Clint's overlay it appears that the location of the main separation of the lower end of the slab was at the widening seam and not the new crack a few more feet to the right.
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LAhiker
Social climber
Los Angeles
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Jun 14, 2017 - 08:11am PT
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The revenge of the rocks...
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Gunkie
Trad climber
Valles Marineris
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Jun 14, 2017 - 09:49am PT
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Wow. Thankgoodness no one was hurt. From Clint's images and commentary that whole scene is just freaky. Seam goes to 1" crack in a few seasons. I guess not so much expando as it is el slide-o. I guess my question is: were you guys not completely freaked out when you came across this newly formed 1" crack?
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splitclimber
climber
Sonoma County
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Jun 14, 2017 - 10:52am PT
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Wow. thanks for the posts and pics Clint.
looks like the approach trail is mostly intact.
Is stonequest off the right of the rockfall?
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tithaf
Trad climber
Sierra Madre, CA
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Jun 14, 2017 - 11:19am PT
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Am going to lobby Greg Stock to keep a high res webcam pointed at Boot Flake until it comes off ... don't want to miss that and see what's behind it ....
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carlaftw
Trad climber
San Jose, California
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Jun 14, 2017 - 02:16pm PT
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Were there any previous cases of rockfall from this same outcrop?
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Clint Cummins
Trad climber
SF Bay area, CA
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Topic Author's Reply - Jun 14, 2017 - 02:35pm PT
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I made this overlay on Greg's photo, which shows a few more things, such as the location of Stonequest,
and the former location of Teter Tower, which fell off in the 70s/80s (I haven't checked the rockfall database to see if there is a likely corresponding entry).
The location of Teter Tower is somewhat vague in the Roper guidebook,
but cragnshag and I saw the bolt ladder on the wall next to where it used to be.
carlaftw,
In the past, there have been several rockfalls which have impacted 140.
Most recently, in January 2017 from only 50' or so above the road at the road cut above the Parkline pullout (just 80' up the road from the current rockfall).
It was probably affected by the fire just above it in October 2014 from the plane crash.
http://www.supertopo.com/climbers-forum/2747502/Rock-Slide-on-HWY-140-in-Yos
And other rockfalls impacting 140 but not from Parkline:
 2016-11 just a big boulder
http://www.supertopo.com/climbers-forum/2897702/140-closed-another-bouldering-opportunity
2006-04 Ferguson Rockslide downstream from Cedar Lodge where the stoplights, bridges and one-way road are now
http://www.supertopo.com/climbers-forum/219054/Hwy-140-Update
1982-04 from above/right of the Cookie (well upstream from the Arch Rock entrance station).
http://www.supertopo.com/climbers-forum/1485313/Elephant-Rock-talus-field
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