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Yosemite National Park
Yosemite Nature Notes 10: Rock Fall
Rockfall from Royal Arches

Rock Fall
July 7, 2010

Since the glaciers retreated around 15,000 years ago, rock fall has been the major force of change in Yosemite Valley. Geologists work to understand this force of nature in order to protect the millions of visitors who come here each year.

 
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Nevada and Vernal Falls

Did You Know?
In Yosemite Valley, dropping over 594-foot Nevada Fall and then 317-foot Vernal Fall, the Merced River creates what is known as the “Giant Staircase.” Such exemplary stair-step river morphology is characterized by a large variability in river movement and flow, from quiet pools to the dramatic drops of the waterfalls themselves.
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Last Updated: August 19, 2010 at 21:15 MST