Watch: Rockfall in Yosemite National Park crashes down the side of El Capitan
Located in Yosemite National Park in central California, El Capitan is a granite rock formation that stands more than 3,000 feet tall – taller than two Empire State Buildings.
Watch: A rockfall in Yosemite National Park crashes down the side of El Capitan
Video recorded from the Yosemite valley floor on Monday captures images of debris falling down the rock face and a
YOSEMITE, Ca. – Recent video recorded on Monday captures images of a rockfall crashing down the side of El Capitan.
Located in Yosemite National Park in central California, El Capitan is a granite rock formation that stands more than 3,000 feet tall – taller than two Empire State Buildings.
Park visitor Alex J. Wood recorded video of rocks crashing down the side of El Capitan, releasing a soft gray cloud of dust and debris into the air.
The rockfall at Yosemite National Park on February 20, 2023.
(Alex J Wood Artist / @AL3XJW via Storyful / FOX Weather)
"The noise was so loud," Wood told Storyful of the experience, describing the sound as "thunderous."
Yosemite Valley experiences many rockfalls every year. In the past 150 years, more than 1,000 rockfalls have happened, helping shape the park's landscape.
According to Yosemite National Park, the rockfall originated from Horsetail Fall, a seasonal waterfall that rises more than 2,000 feet high on the eastern side of El Capitan.
Horsetail Fall is currently experiencing its famous "Firefall," a February phenomenon in which the setting sun illuminates the falling water, making it look like lava pouring off the mountain.
FILE - Horsetail Falls lights up from the setting sun against El Capitan in Yosemite National Park in Yosemite, Calif., on Monday, February 18, 2019. The popular lightshow is known as Firefall and happens in the later weeks of February when the setting sun hits the waterfall caused by runoff after snowfall in the area. The phenomenon is expected to be visible through the week.
(Carlos Avila Gonzalez/The San Francisco Chronicle / Getty Images)
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While the Firefall is attracting visitors, Monday’s rockfall forced the park to close some roads and trails to visitors. They noted that no injuries were reported from the rockfall.