Yosemite Granite Falling

A hunk of rock the size of an apartment building has fallen off the famous granite face of el capitan in yosemite national park in california killing one person and injuring another.

Yosemite granite falling.

Half dome is a massive granite feature at the east end of yosemite valley. El capitan granite is a type of granite also see granodiorite in a large area near el capitan in yosemite national park california united states the granite forms part of the tuolumne intrusive suite also known as tuolumne batholith one of the four major intrusive suites within the sierra nevada. Yosemite hiker killed in fall from half dome. El capitan granite is mostly unjointed.

Named for its shape it rises 4 737 feet from the valley floor. The best hikes in yosemite wind through valleys climb up granite faces to waterfall views and traverse alpine meadows through some of the most spectacular scenery in the lower 48. Yosemite s granite cliffs are breathing and heat can make them fall geologists studied a slab of rock slowly peeling from yosemite s royal arches to see how temperature affects. Rock falls are a natural consequence of the continuous exfoliation processes occurring on the granite cliffs in yosemite valley.

However most of the time the exfoliation processes result in rock slides and ballistic rock free falls are rare. Many national parks were founded for their geology and yosemite is known throughout the world for its exceptional high cliffs and rounded domes. Visitors to the park from hikers to rock climbers experience a landscape dominated by granite.