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Re: Horsetail Firefall

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Horsetail Firefall
January 18, 2011 10:38PM
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.
avatar Re: Horsetail Firefall
January 18, 2011 11:17PM
Quote
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
avatar Re: Horsetail Firefall
January 19, 2011 06:01PM
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.
avatar Re: Horsetail Firefall
February 12, 2011 06:01AM
Has anyone been able to catch the February Faux Fire Fall this year? Pictures?



The cure for a fallacious argument is a better argument, not the suppression of ideas.
-- Carl Sagan
Re: Horsetail Firefall
February 12, 2011 07:42AM
The time is probably now!



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/12/2011 07:44AM by hotrod4x5.
Re: Horsetail Firefall
February 12, 2011 09:46AM
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
avatar Re: Horsetail Firefall
February 13, 2011 06:36PM
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.



Old Dude
Re: Horsetail Firefall
February 14, 2011 08:33AM
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...
Re: Horsetail Firefall
February 14, 2011 10:06AM
The crowds are a problem nowadays as everyone and their grandmother knows about it wants to photograph it. Post your photos Hikerchick!
Re: Horsetail Firefall
February 14, 2011 11:08PM
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/
Re: Horsetail Firefall
February 22, 2011 10:05AM
Re: Horsetail Firefall
February 22, 2011 11:07AM
avatar Re: Horsetail Firefall
February 22, 2011 02:51PM
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



Chick-on is looking at you!
Re: Horsetail Firefall
January 03, 2012 12:09PM
It's almost that time of year again. Six weeks or so away!
Re: Horsetail Firefall
January 05, 2012 12:05PM
This year could be a problem. No snow= no falls.thumbs down
Re: Horsetail Firefall
January 05, 2012 03:25PM
Yup, it's not looking good.
avatar Re: Horsetail Firefall
January 05, 2012 11:17PM
Quote
ERICG
This year could be a problem. No snow= no falls.thumbs down

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
Re: Horsetail Firefall
January 06, 2012 06:12PM
Yes, or put together a world-record-sized garden hose and place the end at the proper spot on El Cap! grinning smiley
avatar Re: Horsetail Firefall
January 07, 2012 11:23AM
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... Head roll
avatar Re: Horsetail Firefall
January 07, 2012 11:29AM
Quote
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... Head roll

Done.



Old Dude
avatar Re: Horsetail Firefall
January 07, 2012 11:56AM
Does anyone know how to perform an Indian rain (or snow) dance? wink
Re: Horsetail Firefall
January 08, 2012 07:52AM
I could go camping. 95% of the time the I have camped, it rained at some point during the trip.
Re: Horsetail Firefall
January 08, 2012 10:15AM
I'll just get my truck washed, thats a guarantee that it will rain
Re: Horsetail Firefall
January 08, 2012 01:50PM
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.
Re: Horsetail Firefall
January 08, 2012 03:43PM
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."winking smiley 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.
avatar Re: Horsetail Firefall
January 09, 2012 09:53PM
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.
Re: Horsetail Firefall
January 10, 2012 12:57PM
Quote
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.
avatar Re: Horsetail Firefall
January 10, 2012 02:22PM
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. smileys with beer
Re: Horsetail Firefall
February 08, 2012 08:49PM
Quote
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?
avatar Re: Horsetail Firefall
February 09, 2012 03:29AM
Quote
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.


Re: Horsetail Firefall
January 11, 2012 08:22AM



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.
Re: Horsetail Firefall
February 02, 2012 11:34AM
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...
Re: Horsetail Firefall
February 07, 2012 09:09PM
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.
Re: Horsetail Firefall
February 08, 2012 06:00PM
No water as of last weekend. Doubt there's been enough rain for it since Sunday, either.
Re: Horsetail Firefall
September 22, 2012 06:12PM
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.
Re: Horsetail Firefall
September 23, 2012 12:35PM
Quote
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.
Re: Horsetail Firefall
September 27, 2012 12:52PM
which time in october do you think the sun would be at the right angle again?
Re: Horsetail Firefall
September 27, 2012 01:48PM
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
Re: Horsetail Firefall
September 27, 2012 01:56PM
awesome! my mom will be thrilled!
Re: Horsetail Firefall
September 27, 2012 02:01PM
another question...what do you think the light would look like if you were at the base of the falls looking up?
Re: Horsetail Firefall
September 28, 2012 11:18AM
Quote
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.
avatar Re: Horsetail Firefall
October 24, 2012 12:33AM
Quote
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?

.
Re: Horsetail Firefall
October 24, 2012 04:42PM
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.
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