Three hurt in Yosemite rock slide

One minute, they were in the midst of one of California's loveliest spots. The next, a swift and sudden rock slide had buried cabins, closed a road and left three visitors in need of medical care. Details from our own Eric Bailey:

The slide let loose about 7 a.m. roughly halfway up the 3,200-foot face of Glacier Point, which looms above the tent cabins and concession services on the valley floor below.

An 1,800-cubic-yard slab of rock cartwheeled down the cliff, shattered and sent boulders and fist-sized granite shrapnel spraying toward the edge of Curry Village and its more than 500 tent cabins, regular cabins and hotel rooms.

Park Ranger Erik Skindrud said one visitor suffered head lacerations and had to get stitches at the valley's medical clinic. Two other people received treatment after fleeing the rock fall. A young child was treated for an asthma attack, and an adult suffered cuts when she fell.

Eric's full story is here. Another photo of the slide after the jump.

--Veronique de Turenne

Photo credits: Associated Press

The dust is still settling on a rock slide that injured three people and forced a partial closure of Yosemite National Park.

Comments

[d]

I WAS JUST THERE!!! WOW!!

[Jennifer]

I grew up in Yosemite Valley. I am so sad by these recent rock slides. I remember as kids we used to climb the rocks that were all over the grounds of the cabins / campgrounds. My prayers are both with those who were injured and for the park to remain the beauty it is known for.

[Tim Molter]

Dang! Glad a wasn't there at that moment!

[gabby]

I was there about a month ago in curry village...we went on a bike ride in the same place... it was great... as we stopped you would pick up random pieces of granite..it was amazing.. i feel terrible

[Anthony Ryan]

My wife and I were evacuated from Curry village in the middle of the night about 5 years ago at Christmas do to a large rock fall that caused injuries and serious damage to several structures. We spent the next day waiting for our belongings to be retrieved while we watched new arrivals check in ignorant of the danger. I remember at the time being appalled at statements in the media by representatives of the concession that runs Curry Village that flippantly downplayed the event. My own feeling is that if our National Parks were not beholden to concessions that profit from our Parks, in the interest of public safety Curry Village would be closed. Sadly it will probably take a death to make this happen.

[Joanna]

My daughter is there now with her 8th grade class. She has called several times today just so we know she and her classmates were ok. They have been moved from Curry Village and are spending at least tonight at a different campground. I'm glad they saw the wisdom in this choice.

[Aubrey]

In response to Anthony Ryan, many have opposed the building of cabins/tents/hotel rooms in Curry village throughout the past because of it's close proximity to one of the worst rockfall areas of the the Park, and yet they've recently built MORE employee quarters even CLOSER to dangerous rockslide areas in Curry Village, and I can only assume it's in the interest of the almighty dollar. I am most sad for those who stay in Curry Village and know nothing of the dangers. The link posted is the best I can find right now about the controversy over building that employee housing. It is from Oct. 2005

[Jennifer]

In response to the comments about someone dying before things are changed. Sadly, people have died during rock slides. Like I said, I grew up in the park. It was a common part of the summer to hear medi-vacs flying in, climbers stranded, and a few occasions of people losing their lives either due to climbing accidents or rock slides. I have not been back in over 5 years. I am 33 now. It used to be so beautiful, quiet and the perfect place to be any day of the year. Too look up and see a million stars, to have wildlife trop through your campground. To yell "Elmer" (if you camped there in the 80's you know that story!) I stopped going because of the tour busses, tourists and expansion. It is sad that it is not today what it was years ago. I even saw it on the Travel Channel last week. I am all for everyone enjoying the beauty, but there does need to be some sort of park rules about not too many busses at once, there used to be. About 15 years ago there was really bad polution and the meadows were dying, as well as the falls drying out. There was an effort through different societes to save and reverse the damage. Campgrounds were closed and for a time Curry was as well due to slides. It was done in the past, it should be done again. Some places are better left small and not commercialized. Sorry this got so long, if anyone is reading this at all. LOL. This is a subject near my heart.

[Dspencer]

Nature is wonderful, but must be respected and not taken for granted. It can turn and bite you at any moment.
The reward of enjoying nature is offset by the risk you put yourself at by getting too close.
Last year I was descending the cables on Half Dome while watching brazen idiots scurry outside of the cables to get around the line of hikers. No respect for gravity, plus ignorance of chaos theory equals disaster.

All of life has certain risks, but it does no good to try to minimize your enjoyment by avoiding risk. You can hide in a closet, but that does not prevent an errant 747 from suddenly crashing on your home.

[Wendy]

I was at Yosemite, the day of the first rockslide. I kept thinking I was back home at the ocean listening to huge waves. Or maybe it's thunder I thought, but the sky was clear and blue. To read more check out my blog "Do I Hear Waves?" at http://www.areyoubreathing.com/