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ZION NATIONAL PARK — It started with blue skies and visions of grandeur ... before everything was covered with a massive dust cloud.
Hikers at Zion National Park captured the aftermath of a rockslide near Weeping Rock on video. People can be heard shouting as a massive plume of dust and debris enveloped the trail. Despite the slightly apocalyptic scene of blowing dust, which eventually blocked out even the sun, park rangers said no one was injured in the Nov. 14 slide.
"Rockfall can happen at any time in this highly erosive landscape," said Jeff Bradybaugh, Zion National Park superintendent.
Hikers can be heard talking to each other, trying to figure out what they just witnessed. One said he thought the sound of the rockfall was a military jet flying overhead. The haze caused by the rockfall was also reminiscent of wildfire smoke, completely altering the natural lighting for a time.
KSL.com featured the event from a different — and much safer — perspective on Nov. 15.
According to information from the U.S. Geological Survey, rockslides happen in places already on the verge of movement by rainfall, snowmelt, earthquakes, volcanic activity or even disturbance from human activity. To learn more about the geology of Zion National Park, click here.
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