MAGIC LINE WORDS + KIM PFABE / IMAGES + JIM THORNBURG
THE BASE OF VERNAL FALLS IN YOSEMITE VALLEY IS A POWERFUL PLACE. IN THE SPRING, AN ICY RIVER PLUNGES FROM A NARROW CHANNEL, DROPS 200-FEET AND IMPACTS THE ROCKS BELOW WITH A FORCE THAT CREATES ITS OWN WIND. THE RESULTING GUSTS SPRAY A SOAKING MIST DOWNSTREAM FOR HUNDREDS OF YARDS. 100-FEET TO THE RIGHT OF THE BOOMING FALLS, ON A DARK, BLANK WALL, A PHANTOM CRACK SPLITS THE GRANITE LIKE A STRAY RIBBON PLACED BY THE BREEZE. FOR MOST OF ITS 100-FOOT HEIGHT, THE CRACK IS TOO THIN FOR FINGERTIPS, YET IS OFFSET WITH ONE EDGE OF THE CRACK JUTTING AN INCH BEYOND THE OTHER. AN OPTIMISTIC PERSON COULD IMAGINE THAT WITH ENOUGH STRENGTH SOMEONE COULD CLING TO THE EDGE IN A TENUOUS LIEBACK POSITION AND MAYBE, JUST MAYBE, PULL BOTH FEET OFF THE GROUND AND ONTO MICROSCOPIC FOOTHOLDS.
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