Re: Horsetail Firefall

I've wanted to see the Horsetail firefall for years. It's time to see it in person after years of only seeing pictures. My 14 year old son told me while we were in Yosemite a couple of weeks ago that he wanted to see it no matter what it takes. We know what it takes to see the firefall and this forum is a great place for us to get some help. Anyone in Yosemite in the next month or so that has information about what the falls is looking like let us know. I know it doesn't get good until the end of February but assume it starts in the next week or two.

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Max
I've wanted to see the Horsetail firefall for years. It's time to see it in person after years of only seeing pictures. My 14 year old son told me while we were in Yosemite a couple of weeks ago that he wanted to see it no matter what it takes. We know what it takes to see the firefall and this forum is a great place for us to get some help. Anyone in Yosemite in the next month or so that has information about what the falls is looking like let us know. I know it doesn't get good until the end of February but assume it starts in the next week or two.

You can keep tabs on Horsetail from the Turtleback Dome webcam.
See this article by Michael Frye:
http://www.michaelfrye.com/articles/horsetail.html

i go yearly, and i've had more success going the 2nd week of Feb more than any other times of the month.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/19/2011 06:03PM by forrestranger.

Has anyone been able to catch the February Faux Fire Fall this year? Pictures?

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The cure for a fallacious argument is a better argument, not the suppression of ideas.
-- Carl Sagan

The time is probably now!



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/12/2011 07:44AM by hotrod4x5.

It's been good the past couple evenings. The water level is low, but the sun has been just right. Tonight might be the last chance before this new weather rolls in, then perhaps next weekend will still work if the storm breaks

Last night we were camped on the Very Old Big Oak Flat Road and could see the fall during sunset but from the west. There is very little water coming over the fall right now but the upcoming weather will surely increase the flow. Since the precip is scheduled to last for about the next week or so the next good viewing probably won't be until the 20th and some days after that. I think the entire window for the fall to light up is only two weeks long. There is a time lapse series out there somewhere covering this.

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Old Dude

It was better than I could've imagined since it was a bit early in the time "window." (11th & 12th) Was not quite prepared for the crowds.

I think that it will be great right after the storm...

The crowds are a problem nowadays as everyone and their grandmother knows about it wants to photograph it. Post your photos Hikerchick!

Thanks to those of you who have given information about the falls and it's amazing show. It's exciting to see something so beautiful in such a beautiful place. It seems that people seeing the falls in all it's glory, in person, is a good thing. I know the crowds can take away from the moment but... Anyway my son and I are going to be able to be there this weekend to hopefully watch in awe. I found this cool webpage about the phenomena.

http://blog.andrewkee.com/2010/02/23/photographing-yosemites-horsetail-falls/

http://www.backpacker.com/cgi-bin/forums/iconboard.cgi?act=ST;f=852107219;t=9991146628

a few pics here...

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hikerchick395
http://www.backpacker.com/cgi-bin/forums/iconboard.cgi?act=ST;f=852107219;t=9991146628

a few pics here...

page not found

yeah... didn't work for me either... but do this:

Go to backpacker.com
Clicky on Community
Clicky on "View All"
Scroll down and find "Yosemite Last Weekend" by hikerchick395

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It's almost that time of year again. Six weeks or so away!

This year could be a problem. No snow= no falls.

Yup, it's not looking good.

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ERICG
This year could be a problem. No snow= no falls.

Get together a bunch of hikers and pack jugs of water to the top of El Cap and pour it over the side at sunset

Yes, or put together a world-record-sized garden hose and place the end at the proper spot on El Cap!

Hey, I'm going to be there Feb 20-24. Could you more influential people order up some snow! This is supposed to be a snow trip, and my wife would love to see the firefall. I'm not asking for much, just enough snow to play in and to feed firefall.... Please...

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Hitech
Hey, I'm going to be there Feb 20-24. Could you more influential people order up some snow! This is supposed to be a snow trip, and my wife would love to see the firefall. I'm not asking for much, just enough snow to play in and to feed firefall.... Please...

Done.

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Old Dude

Does anyone know how to perform an Indian rain (or snow) dance?

I could go camping. 95% of the time the I have camped, it rained at some point during the trip.

I'll just get my truck washed, thats a guarantee that it will rain

I don't know about everyone else but I think it is time for Parklover to go camping and for Ryan to wash his truck.

Our Subaru was washed twice in a week...didn't work.

But...if some of those people driving around Reno with their snow studded tires would change them back...maybe??? (You know what they're thinking..."as soon as I change my tires, it will snow." Come on people, get with the program.

That reminds me, on January 4, there was some one at Tuolumne, about at the visitor center parked in the eastbound lane. I was yelling at him, with closed windows of course, as there was oncoming traffic. But I had a giggle when I passed. There were cables on the front and rear left tires of the car.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/08/2012 03:45PM by hikerchick395.

I was in the valley today and was unable to spot horsetail falls; probably due to the lack of water flowing (or I just couldn't spot it for some reason ) all the other falls had low amounts of water.

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marmot
I was in the valley today and was unable to spot horsetail falls; probably due to the lack of water flowing (or I just couldn't spot it for some reason ) all the other falls had low amounts of water.

Doubt it's flowing at all.

I'd like to thank all those of you washing your cars. But, just because it hasn't worked yet doesn't mean you should stop. I'm sure it will work next time.

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marmot
I was in the valley today and was unable to spot horsetail falls; probably due to the lack of water flowing (or I just couldn't spot it for some reason ) all the other falls had low amounts of water.

As long as there's enough rainfall, Horsetail should be going, right? Last year even into late June, there had to be at least some flow. But unless there's flow at this time of year, you won't be able to see the "lava flow." Are the angles still decent in March?

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Ohnivy-Drak

Are the angles still decent in March?

Not for the traditional photos of the falls will the water falling (more or less) straight down the cliff.

But I have eyewitnessed in mid-March the water from Horsetail Fall being lit up a bright electric red right before sunset when wind (very strong updrafts) cause the water from the waterfall to spray out almost vertically from the cliff before dropping down. It's when these strong updrafts occur that this waterfall actually looks like a horsetail wagging from the cliff wall. But it's EXTREMELY rare to have these updrafts to occur right when the sun is in perfect postion to light up the water electric red. But when it does, it's definitely a sight to see.

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Here's a pic from last February...went early in the month, so no new snow in the valley, but enough to melt from above to have the falls. Snow fell a couple of times the following week.

Any updates? How much affect have the recent storms had? Hopefully enough flow, assuming there is any, for the next couple of weeks?

Imagine if a certain creature found a way to make it look pink...

When we drove past early this morning when leaving the park and I did not notice any water but that was before it started to rain.

No water as of last weekend. Doubt there's been enough rain for it since Sunday, either.

Supposedly, the sun hits the wall for a few days in October also. Usually there's no water flowing during this time. It would take quite a bit of rain for this firefall to make a rare autumn appearance. Even w/o the water, the color is interesting enough.

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Ohnivy-Drak
Supposedly, the sun hits the wall for a few days in October also. Usually there's no water flowing during this time. It would take quite a bit of rain for this firefall to make a rare autumn appearance. Even w/o the water, the color is interesting enough.

That is exactly correct, twice a year the sun is at just the right angle.

which time in october do you think the sun would be at the right angle again?

A quick search yielded this info:

http://blog.andrewkee.com/2010/02/23/photographing-yosemites-horsetail-falls/

Looks to be the same time period - last two weeks of October.


And here's a link to beautiful shot someone got back in 1978,
http://www.lucenaturale.com/HorsetailCloseUp.htm

awesome! my mom will be thrilled!

another question...what do you think the light would look like if you were at the base of the falls looking up?

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Ohnivy-Drak
A quick search yielded this info:

http://blog.andrewkee.com/2010/02/23/photographing-yosemites-horsetail-falls/

Looks to be the same time period - last two weeks of October.


And here's a link to beautiful shot someone got back in 1978,
http://www.lucenaturale.com/HorsetailCloseUp.htm

Cool pic even though he got his info wrong. It happens for more than one day if the conditions are ripe.

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Ohnivy-Drak

A quick search yielded this info:

http://blog.andrewkee.com/2010/02/23/photographing-yosemites-horsetail-falls/

Looks to be the same time period - last two weeks of October.

Here's a link to a photo taken by Edie Howe of Horsetail Fall on Tuesday night (Oct. 23) before the rain and snow came:

http://littleredtent.net/LRTblog/2012/10/23/horsetail-tonight/


I would not be surprised if Horsetail Fall starts to have some water flowing over it after this week's storms. The only question is: will it be cloud free at around sunset so the sun's last rays can light up the waterfall?

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Very cool, someone captured a rare October shot. The peak was probably in the past few days, similar to the peak in Feb (usually 2nd week). Water: it's not likely to be much, based on the current conditions seen in YF webcam.

Thanks for the link.