Existing comment:
Collapsing Scenery
Zion National Park
The cliffs appear solid and motionless. But the visible scars tell a different story. In July 1983 a huge slab broke off the opposite cliff, leaving a buff-colored scar and tons of rubble at the base. The entire even was over in moments.
These canyons are not permanent scenery. Many rockfalls shaped the dynamic and evolving canyons. Dramatic facelifts like the 1983 rockfall are relatively rare, but frequent small piles of rocks on the roadway reveal this terrain's volatile personality. Look for other rockfall scars throughout the park.
Truck demolished by rockfall in Oak Creek Canyon, 1947. The rock weighted an estimated 880 tons.
Rockfall along a park road, 2004. |