Yosemite rock slide area off-limits for two weeks

The site of a rock slide in Yosemite National Park earlier this week will remain off-limits for two weeks while geologists determine why 1,800 cubic yards of rock tumbled into Curry Village, injuring three people and destroying several cabins.

Although slides are normal in Yosemite, the section of Glacier Point that broke loose Wednesday morning had never produced a slide before, causing concern among geologists at the park.

The area where the slide occurred, between Glacier Point and Curry Village, will remain off-limits while geologists determine if there is a danger of further slides, said park spokeswoman Kari Cobb.

About one-third of the 500 cabins in Curry Village have been closed due to damage and potential for more slides, she said. No roads or trails have been closed due to the incident.

Because October is the beginning of the off-season in Yosemite Valley and lodging demand is low, Cobb said the closures have not forced visitors out of lodging. Temperatures in the valley have been in the low 30s at night and high 50s during the day. But park officials say all lodging is booked for the weekend in Curry Village and throughout the rest of the valley. Visitors should check on reservations before making the trip to Yosemite by calling (801) 559-5000.

- Hugo Martín, Times staff writer

[Photo: Tom Trujillo / Associated Press]

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This entry was posted on Friday, October 10, 2008 at 4:01 pm by Hugo Martin and is filed under California, Yosemite National Park. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a comment, or trackback from your own site.