Flyrock trajectory from the 24 June 2020 Whitney Portal Campground rockfall
Detailed Description
Images showing the flyrock trajectory from the 24 June 2020 rockfall (see previous figure). Rock impacts at the base of the talus slope split and moved boulders, launching a 0.5 cubic meter boulder 92 m into the lower parking lot at Whitney Portal. (A) The impact of combined boulders B6 and B7 with the 50 cubic meter boulder resulted in translation of the 300 cubic meter boulder above it, splitting of B6 from B7, splitting of the 50 cubic meter boulder, and the ballistic trajectory of flyrock fragment FR1. The horizontal dimension of the 300 cubic meter boulder is approximately 10 m. (B) The flyrock bounced in the parking lot twice before coming to rest. The second bounce caused additional smaller fragments (FR2) to damage a vehicle on the other side of the parking lot. Impact locations 1, 3, and 4 are referenced to the previous figure. Photograph in (B) is from the Inyo County Sheriff’s Office; inset photograph by Brian Olson, California Geological Survey. Photo date: (A) 7 July 2020, (B) 24 June 2020 (Inset 24 July 2020).
Sources/Usage
Public Domain.
from Collins et al., 2021