Face of El Capitan

March 04, 2006

Yosemite,_yet_again!_10-14-04_031 copy

Provided and copyright by: Lynn Ckonjevic
Summary authors & editors: Lynn Ckonjevic

The giant monolith known as El Capitan is thought to be the largest single block of granite in the world -- even bigger than the Rock of Gibraltar! It's a magnet to rock climbers from all over the world. El Capitan rises 3,593 feet (1,095 m) above the valley floor, and the top of El Capitan has an elevation of 7,569 feet (2,307 m) above sea level! The "heart" of El Capitan was formed by heat and ice erosion, however, exfoliation and rock slides are changing Yosemite's face even today. At night, if you let your eyes adjust to the darkness, you'll see little fairy lights along the sheer walls of El Capitan. These lights belong to the climbers who are spending the night on this massive rock face, "camped" on narrow ledges. During the day, the sun dances across El Capitan's face in glorious shades of yellow, red, pink, and orange. Each day always brings a new show.

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