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<br /> <br />Rockfall <br /> <br />R0CKFALL 15 the fa III ng of a new I y detached mass of rock from <br />a cliff or down a very steep slope. Rocks In a rockfal I can <br />be of any dimension, from the size of basebal Is to houses. <br /> <br />Characteristics <br /> <br />, <br /> <br />Rockfa II s are the fastest type of I andsll de and occur most <br />frequently In mountains or other steap areas during early <br />spring when there is abundant moisture and repeated freezing <br />and thawing. The rocks may freefall or carom down in an <br />erratic sequence of tumbling, roiling and sliding. When a <br />large number of rocks plummet downward at high velocIty, It <br />is called a rock avalanche. <br /> <br /> <br />~ <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />l <br /> <br />d -"-'-',::-' -~".J. -.:u" <br />~ - _-_\' - 4\ ~-, <br />~"' ~ ,-f ~~~-.,. <br />-- - "l\ --. "-. 4-~_ <br />- - ~- - ~\ . <br />, "~~~ .--~:-':~-~" <br />.-:-.---:::=-- - ,'-Q.'~=- ----;~ . -""",---':--" <br />... - '(t ~---r'\ ~ J": '~:. <br />--- - ~---,~ ~~ .~';., 0 IJ <br />.'~"_ ~r:":~"~_."~ ~"~'~6:'~~~l ~c.._';' ~:p <br /> <br />-~,-,----- <br />~ <br /> <br />-~ - <br /> <br />. <br /> <br /> <br />! <br /> <br />....-... <br /> <br />Scenic wastern settings often are subject to rockfalls and landsl ides. Here, a <br />waak, erodible rock such as shale forms the slope below the sandstone or <br />volcanic caprock. As the shale erodes from beneath, the caprock is a continuing <br />sourca of rock f a I I as detached blocks topp I e and ro I I down the slope. <br /> <br />30 <br />