Rockslide in Yosemite Injures 3 People

A massive granite rock slide in Yosemite National Park has injured three people and completely destroyed at least five cabins in a camping and retail area known as Curry Village. 1,005 people have been evacuated.

Considering the devastation and the time of day (the slide occurred at 7am), it’s incredible more people weren’t hurt. Park officials estimated the volume of cascading rock to be at about 180 – 200 truck loads.

“We literally bolted out of bed and started running,” camper Deanne Maschmeyer said in this San Francisco Chronicle article. “It was like the tsunami footage several years ago. We hurdled garden fences and sprinted through the meadow. It was a pure adrenaline rush. We were surrounded by kids crying and yelling.”

Rockslides at Curry Not Out of the Ordinary

Curry Village is no stranger to rockslides and some are now questioning the overall safety of the location – immediately below several towering cliff faces. A slide in 1996 killed one visitor and downed 500 trees, while another slide in 1999 killed a climber and injured three campers.

Geologists have warned that pressure from groundwater on the cracks in the cliff faces might be a trigger of such slides. Tree roots growing between these cracks could potentially split them apart as well, causing sections of loose rock to fall.

”Nature here is unbelievable, but until you see what can happen, you don’t realize the danger that can result,” camper Rena McClain said. ”I would return to Yosemite. But would I stay in Curry Village? I don’t know that I would. I’m pretty shaken up.”

Time For a Change?

Curry Village has been around a long time and is a popular camping spot – it was established in 1899 and consists of 610 tent cabins located between huge prehistoric boulders. It’s quite possible, however, that it’s time for a change of venue.

“It’s the steepest area,” Gerald Wieczorek of the U.S. Geological Survey said. “Rockslides are going to occur there, and occur regularly.”

“Mother Nature owns this park,” park worker Carol McElligott said, “and she changes it all the time.”

Indeed.