Yosemite National Park, with its sheer cliffs and stunning vistas, is a climber’s paradise, but it’s not without danger, with park officials warning visitors of a recent surge in a natural but dangerous phenomenon.
According to Travel, there is an unprecedented increase in rockfalls in Yosemite National Park.
According to the U.S. Geological Survey, a rockfall is defined as “the sudden movement of a large amount of geological material, such as rocks and boulders, dislodged from a steep slope or cliff.”
Rockfalls are nothing new to Yosemite. It has happened more than 1,000 times over the past 150 years. Officials have closed the Super Slide, a popular rock climbing route, due to the threat of rockfalls.
A giant crack called Supernatural was first discovered in 2023 and expands and contracts with the seasons. Due to additional hazards identified, closures implemented in August 2024 remain in effect.
Jesse McGahey, the park’s climbing program manager, said a scientist surveying the area was surprised by what he saw.
“The park geologist said they had never seen anything like it. He had never observed anything like this in his 15 years in Yosemite,” McGahee said.
Although rockfalls are a natural phenomenon, human activities can dramatically accelerate their occurrence. This has been observed in the Alps, where melting permafrost, driven by climate warming, has weakened the structure of the mountains.
Loose rocks pose a serious threat to high-altitude hikers. According to Earth.org, in July 2025, a series of rockfalls occurred in the Brenta Dolomites in northern Italy, forcing the evacuation of 100 tourists.
Yosemite is working with the U.S. Geological Survey to closely monitor the situation and take proactive steps to reduce risk, such as demolishing or repurposing high-risk structures.
Visitors can help their efforts by reporting any rockfall incidents to officials, no matter how minor, as all data helps develop effective local measures to deal with the risk.
It’s also a good idea to remind any friends or family members considering visiting Yosemite National Park to be aware of their surroundings.
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