Over the Fourth of July Weekend in 2015, a major rockfall occurred on the Regular Northwest Face, severely altering pitches 10 and 11. In September 2016, Yosemite National Park Climbing Rangers climbed the route to assess its condition. The rockfall left clean slabs that can be climbed via bolt ladders and a pendulum with a tricky knot-toss rope maneuver. The Regular Northwest Face route tends to avoid areas that are likely to pose further rockfall hazard. However, much of the rock on Half Dome is alpine in nature, and it is often quite loose. In his book, Shaded by Stone, climber and author Ari Schneider recalls a giant teetering triangle-shaped rock in the center of Half Dome looming over the approach known as the Death Slabs. There is speculation that much more rock will exfoliate off other routes on Half Dome in the near future.