57 Cabins Shut after Yosemite Rock Slide Curry Village closures precede the busy Labor Day weekend. by Mark Grossi The Fresno Bee - August 31, 2000 A rock slide in Yosemite Valley Tuesday night forced Yosemite National Park authorities to take 57 cabins out of service at Curry Village three days before the busy Labor Day weekend. No injuries were reported, but 26 park visitors had to be moved to other accommodations. One tent cabin -- a structure with firm walls and a tent for a roof -- sustained minor damage from flying rocks. The slide, which occurred about 10:50 p.m., sounded like thunder, said Susan Arthur, spokeswoman for Yosemite Concession Services Inc., the private company that operates hotels and other retail operations in the park. "There was shattering sound," said Arthur, who lives in the valley. "There's a problem with taking 57 cabins out of service right now, but we'll have to see about Saturday. That's when we'll get pretty busy." The concession still has 566 cabins at Curry Village as well as the Yosemite Lodge, Ahwahnee Hotel, Wawona Hotel, campgrounds and other accommodations. But because the Labor Day weekend is the unofficial end of summer, visitors fill the park's rooms and campgrounds quickly. The concession's online reservation service Wednesday showed there are no rooms available Saturday or Sunday night. Authorities tell visitors rock slides are common in Yosemite Valley, a glacially cut valley with steep granite cliffs and domes. The granite features expand with temperature fluctuations and other influences, eventually chipping off pieces that plummet hundreds or thousands of feet to the valley. Injury and building damage are not common, but they have occurred in the past. Park officials say they will monitor the area for future rock falls.