fissures

Taft Point Fissures – Year of Yosemite (YOY) – Day 222

Jeff

Fissures along the Trail

There were areas with large crevices along the Taft Point Trail

In our research and also along the trail itself, there were warnings about “the Fissures.” If you aren’t familiar with the term, these are large crevices and the warnings are certainly warranted.

I am not sure you can see how dramatic it is in a two-dimensional photo, but in the middle, bottom of picture above is a large “crack” in the mountain which presents a dangerous, most likely deadly hazard for anyone who falls in. Signs warn parents to hold on to their children.

The close proximity of these dangers to the trail is something to note.

Here is what YosemiteHikes.com says about the Taft Point Trail:

“It’s Glacier Point without the guardrails. Dramatic vistas of Yosemite Valley, especially El Capitan. Guaranteed to help you answer the question: Am I afraid of heights or not? And an excellent mildly sadistic people-watching spot, for seeing how your fellow hikers privately answer the same unsettling question.” Read more about it HERE.

 

Do you have a question about our visit to Yosemite? Ask it in the comment section.

 

JBRish.com originally published this post
*All photographs Copyright by Jeffrey B. Ross with all rights reserved.

 
See previous Year of Yosemite (YOY) posts HERE. If you want to read the introduction to the YOY series, CLICK HERE.

***********************************

Meta Data – Day 222 YOY – Year of Yosemite

File Name: 0367.NEF
Capture time: 1:46:18 PM
Capture date: June 9, 2016
Exposure: 1/60 sec @ f/18
Focal Length: 18mm
ISO 125
Nikon D3300

 

Year of Yosemite (YOY) – Day 48 (Taft Point Fissures)

Jeff

Taft Point Fissures 

The Fissures along the Taft Point Trail

I must confess that it is difficult to portray this physical phenomenon in a two dimensional picture, put fissures are large crevices (or cracks) in rocks. They can be very dangerous as they often intersect areas close to trails and form a hazard for hikers.

Naturally hikers need to be vigilant at all times, but when hiking with children, one needs to be doubly aware. Can you see the large crevice with the two small boulders that have fallen in the crack? That could be a person wedged in there. To make matters worse, some areas near the edge of the fissures have small shrubs along the perimieter which might camouflage them a bit.

Of course there are warning signs alerting hikers of the dangerous fissures and to alert families to hold children close.

NOTE – If you haven’t discerned the fissure, look at the picture below. The arrows point to the walls of the fissure and the red-orange ovals show the boulders that are wedged in the crack.

Taft Point Fissures Annotated 

 
Do you have a question about our visit to Yosemite? Ask it in the comment section.

 

JBRish.com originally published this post
*All photographs Copyright by Jeffrey B. Ross with all rights reserved.

 
See previous Year of Yosemite (YOY) posts HERE. If you want to read the introduction to the YOY series, CLICK HERE.

***********************************

Meta Data – Day 48 YOY – Year of Yosemite

File Name: 0372.NEF
Capture time: 1:52:28 PM
Capture date: June 9, 2016
Exposure: 1/60 sec @ f/18
Focal Length: 18mm
ISO 125
Nikon D3300