Re: Firefalls 2007

Could someone please keep an eye on horsetail (el capitan) fall and let us know if the Firefall is ablaze? I've never seen it in person and I wouldn't mind hopping over the hill to check it out.

Vince
Sparks NV

I was in Yosemite this weekend. Before we drove up to Badger Pass, we watched the California's Gold episode they are showing as a movie under the moniker "Firefall". If you search for "california's gold firefall" you get to this website where you can purchase the episode:

http://www.calgold.com/calgold/Default.asp?Series=700&Show=66

The show says the last two weeks in February are the best times to view Horsetail Falls lit up by the sun, appearing like a Firefall. The Yosemite DNC employee said the best time to view it is around Valentines Day. Since it has been dumping rain in Yosemite (which I pleasantly experienced on Glacier Point Road skiing to the point), the falls should be a-flowin. She said it flows right down the face of El Cap.

Of course, there would actually have to be SUN for it to be ablaze.

I hope that helps!



Post Edited (02-12-07 11:55)

I have watched Huell's show about the Firefall a minimum of 20 times and even gave out copies of his Yosemite Week as birthday and Christmas presents.

A couple years ago I was in Yosemite in mid-March and saw Horsetail Fall going crazy and wasn't happy that I couldn't have been in the park the month before. At the time I was living in San Diego, now I live much closer (Reno/Sparks) so I mean what I say about hopping over the hill.

Huell's show stated last two weeks of Feb., but I've read other reports on the web that have had the fall occur as early as, well, today.

http://www.nps.gov/archive/yose/trip/inyose.htm

The above page says mid-February, I'm crossing my fingers. See you Saturday night!

Here's another informational page:
http://www.yosemite.org/diary/phototip.html#Feb

well, that answers my question of my post called "Horsetail Falls".
thanks for the heads up :-)

here's a photo i took of it a few years ago with a cheap 1.2 pixel digital camera.

http://geocities.com/carpetstuff/elcap.html

To give a little more information, the DNC person who hosted the movie said it wasn't flowing a week or so ago, but with all the precipitation it should be flowing now. You could always call and ask.



Post Edited (02-12-07 14:43)

what ph# would you suggest we call?

thank you

Maybe try one of these numbers? I'm sure most of them don't want you to call.

I'm going over there this weekend, just wait for me to post if you don't want to annoy someone in or near the valley. I'm taking my computer with me.

http://www.yosemitefun.com/Yosemite_National_Park_phone_numbers.htm

Vince;

did you end up going over the weekend? i was there on Saturday... went to take photos of Horsetail Falls, but not much luck.. people said the night before was good, but not saturday night. met a number of people (which was fun), but was disappointed in the sunset. still had a great time, always do in Yosemite, how can you not? lol

I wouldn't hesitate to call the visitor center, after all, they are there to give you information about Yosemite. The list of phone numbers in the post above is a good place to start. I'd probably call the Valley ranger station or the Wilderness Center. I've always found the Wilderness Center helpful (as long as you call after the morning rush for permits in summer). I don't know if they answer the phone in the winter.

Weather conditions permitting (sunset NOT BLOCKED by clouds, enough snowmelt for the fall to have water), one should be able to see the "natural" firefall in all its glory the last three weeks of February. I've seen it as early as the 8th of February, and as late as March 2nd.

Forrestranger:

I kinda forgot about this, there was no real firefall when I was there, the water was just trickling off the east side of El Capitan and it was a cloudy day.

However, the sun did break through the clouds a few times, and the water trickling down made the big rock nice, wet, shiny. With a handheld Canon G6 I managed this shot. I had to fuss with the settings a little to get the colors to come out. it was very difficult shooting conditions. This is from Sat. Feb. 17, 2007, 5:36 p.m.

http://www.hikeofyourlife.com/firefalls2007.JPG

I would like to see any other photos from that weekend if you have them. I spent Sunday 18th at Hetch Hetchy.

Vince

here are two more photos from that weekend of El Capitan (the first one was from years ago)...

http://geocities.com/carpetstuff/elcap.html



Post Edited (03-11-07 13:44)

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Like I always say, "if you can't laugh at yourself, let me do it".

My Yosemite Blog: http://yosemiteforrest.blogspot.com/

forrestranger I too took photos of the camera monkeys...LOL
If you were there the 18th, you missed me by a few hrs. I spent the Sunday morning walking around the village, rained all morning, then took off around noon or so and went to Hetch Hetchy, my first visit, of course the skies cleared in the afternoon and I'm snapping my fingers saying "firefall must be good tonight." Oh well there's always next year.

Do the Firefalls occur every year?

Whether or not the natural firefall occurs depends on clear or partly cloudy weather at sunset and whether or not it's warm enough for the tiny waterfall to be flowing on the east side of El Capitan. And for full effect given the above two conditions, hope for lots of pollution in the central valley so the waning sunlight is scattered into oranges and reds. Nowadays the only given is the pollution.