We’ve all heard about waterfalls, but have you ever heard of a Firefall? No, we are not kidding! Come February and California’s Yosemite Valley welcomes visitors from all over the world to witness one of the most enthralling displays that nature has to offer.
Starting from winter to early spring, as the sun sets in the valley, its’ rays light up the water with an orange glow. This makes it seem like the waterfall is set on fire – and this is what is known as the Firefall! The water, dipped in a fiery red-hue, flowing down the snowy cliff, looks as if it is lava. And this is truly a sight to behold!
Yosemite National Park
Located in the Sierra Nevada in California, The Yosemite National Park is a fine example of a natural, unspoiled environment. Formed by glacial activity over millions of years, the park boasts of a number of highlights. They include the huge, ancient sequoias and the granite cliffs of El Capitan peak and some extremely impressive waterfalls. It is the seasonal waterfall that flows in winter and early spring, also known as the Horsetail Fall, that attracts the most attention!
Horsetail Falls aka The Firefall!
From December to April, the chilly water from melting mountain snow flows toward the eastern edge of El Capitan peak. It forms what we know as the Horsetail Falls. During the last two weeks of February, when much anticipated Firefall phenomenon occurs.
The annual occurrence invites photographers and nature lovers from around the world for an opportunity to check out the mesmerizing, red-orange glow. This phenomenon generally lasts seven to 10 days in late February and is something that should definitely be on your bucket list!
The story behind the Firefall
The naturally occurring Firefall has time and again been compared to a man-made one. It was once a regular feature at Yosemite long before it became a national park. Every night, at 9 pm, a fire caller in the village of Curry would shout up to the top of a glacier point where visitors would sit around a bonfire. He would tell them to “let the fire fall,” and they would throw the glowing embers from the campfire down the cliff’s edge. However, in 1968, after nearly a century of the ritual, the National Park Service banned the man-made Firefall due to it being a health hazard.
However, this phenomenon became popular again. But this time naturally, when a climber/photographer Galen Rowell noticed it and took a picture of the Firefall effect on Horsetail Falls in 1973.
We’re sure you’re intrigued and are already probably planning a visit. But keep in mind to get a place at the parking area near Cathedral Beach or the picnic area, east of the El Capitan peak for the best view of the Firefall phenomenon!
Featured Image Source: simplepost
