Yosemite National Park has temporarily closed several popular climbing routes near Royal Arches due to safety concerns stemming from a rapidly expanding crack on the western side of the formation. Known as “Super Natural,” this fissure has grown from about one inch in 2023 to approximately four inches wide, causing significant instability in a large granite pillar adjacent to the Super Slide route.
Climbing ranger Jesse McGahey described hearing the rock crackling in unusual ways and observed granite pieces rattling within the crack without making contact, an unprecedented sight in his 15 years at Yosemite. As a precaution, the National Park Service has shut down the Super Slide trail and surrounding routes including Serenity Crack/Sons of Yesterday, Peruvian Flake West, Rhombus Wall, and all climbs in between.
While Yosemite regularly experiences rockfalls—with over 1,000 recorded in the last 150 years and 42 documented events even in the relatively quiet year of 2024—this particular fracture has heightened officials’ alertness. Visitors are advised to remain vigilant for signs of falling rock and report any hazards to park rangers, who are actively monitoring the situation as investigations continue.
