'It's a photo orgy': is Yosemite's rare firefall too beautiful for its own good?
Katharine Gammon in Los Angeles
Aaron Meyer vividly remembers his first firefall. The spectacle of Yosemite’s famous Horsetail Fall lit up by the setting sun, which lasts for just a few minutes per night for a few weeks in late February, is sought out obsessively by photographers like him.
© Provided by The Guardian Photograph: David Gaiz/Reuters
“The clouds opened up just before sunset and it looked like someone had taken a match to the waterfall, you watched it go light up from top to bottom,” he says of his first visit in 2011. “Everyone erupted in cheers; it was the most amazing thing I’d ever seen.”
Back then, photographing the natural phenomenon was a guessing game. The firefall requires a convergence of forces: enough moisture to fuel the falls, skies clear enough for the light to shine through, and the right angle for the sun’s light to hit the 1000ft waterfall, east of El Capitan, for a dazzling display of color.
Related: The 'firefall': sunlight on Yosemite waterfall creates rare illusion
Soon after his first visit, Meyers, a trained engineer, built a computer program that could calculate the days that would have the best angle of the sun for optimal viewing, and published his recommendations on his blog.
For a couple of years no one seemed to notice – until 2015, when someone shooting beside him pulled out a paper copy of his blogpost. “It was like, people are actually using this,” says Meyers, who spoke with the Guardian just before he left town for Yosemite.
Photographers are one of the reasons why the firefall has gotten so much buzz – from the time Ansel Adams captured the falls in 1940 up to now. But in recent years the firefall’s popularity has soared, boosted by social media and enthusiasts such as Meyers who have made capturing the phenomenon more accessible.
© Provided by The Guardian Sunlight hits the Horsetail Fall. Photograph: David Gaiz/Reuters
Paul Reiffer, a photographer from the UK, says he actually tries to avoid this time of year in Yosemite because the firefall’s popularity has made it overwhelming. Reiffer says when he visited last year there were hundreds, if not thousands of people, jammed into the small areas ideal for viewing the falls.
“It felt like an outside concert, with everyone and their picnic blanket trying to claim their spot.” Reiffer says.“It’s crowded to the point where you are locking tripods with each other.”
Reiffer also saw people leaving litter on the ground, breaking branches to get a better shot, and leaving the appointed area to walk down to the riverbank for a closer view, causing large amounts of erosion.
“People forgot they were in Yosemite, in wilderness, which is really cool on its own,” he says. “Instead, they just focused on getting the perfect shot.”
“It’s just a victim of it’s own success.”
The park service says more than 2,200 people huddled to catch a glimpse of the falls on 22 February, the best day for viewing last year. The park’s website describes visitors “trampling sensitive vegetation”, while “areas became littered with trash, and the lack of restrooms resulted in unsanitary conditions”.
In response to the crowds, the park service this year will close two of the ideal viewing areas, requiring everyone to walk 1.5 miles to the the third remaining one – a step photographers call draconian.
The popularity doesn’t deter everyone. Phil Hawkins, a Fresno-based photographer who has been visiting the falls for 37 years and teaches photo workshops in the park, says the party atmosphere is a positive. “Everyone is happy, everyone is in a good mood,” he says. “People share equipment and food – it’s a photography orgy.”
The firefall’s appearance this year could be in doubt, after a dry winter has left water levels in the park unseasonably low. Patrick Gonzalez, an environmental scientist at the University of California, Berkeley, who studies climate change and national parks, says the future of the firefall is uncertain.
“Projections under continued climate change also show a mixed picture, with two-thirds of climate models projecting increased precipitation and the rest projecting decreases,” Gonzalez says. And even if total precipitation increases, it’s not guaranteed that there will still be water; hotter temperatures due to climate change could increase evaporation and leave the park dry.
Gonzalez says that climate change has also been altering the park through droughts, bark beetle infestations and wildfires.
The photographers are seeing the changes on the ground, too. “Up until three years ago, it was fairly reliable that you’d have snow in February, spring conditions in June-July, and August would be dry,” says Reiffer. But recently, he says, the seasons have become “completely random”.
Ironically, the climatic shifts may allow a second viewing of the freefall: in late October, there’s another window of time where the sun’s angle hits the falls. Usually, there’s no water then – but it’s possible that there could be another opportunity to see the phenomenon if moisture comes later in the year.
“That’s my backup plan,” Reiffer says.
Photographers gather in Yosemite for once in a lifetime firefall
Brian Lada
Yosemite National Park in California is world-renowned for its dramatic landscape, sheer granite cliffs and cascading waterfalls, the most famous of which being aptly named Yosemite Falls. But this week, people visiting the park will be looking for a smaller, little-known waterfall that may briefly appear as if it were made of fire.
Of the millions of people that visit the park every year, a select few chose to travel to Yosemite around the third week of February to try and catch a glimpse of a rare event known as the ‘firefall.'
The firefall phenomenon only occurs a few days every year when light hits Horsetail Fall at just the right angle shortly before sunset, to make the waterfall appear like it is on fire.
"It's a once in a lifetime thing, but it's really iffy becasuse you never know [if it will happen]," Reno DiTullio, a photographer visiting Yosemite, told AccuWeather.
Paul Reiffer, a photographer from the UK, says he actually tries to avoid this time of year in Yosemite because the firefall’s popularity has made it overwhelming. Reiffer says when he visited last year there were hundreds, if not thousands of people, jammed into the small areas ideal for viewing the falls.
“It felt like an outside concert, with everyone and their picnic blanket trying to claim their spot.” Reiffer says.“It’s crowded to the point where you are locking tripods with each other.”
Reiffer also saw people leaving litter on the ground, breaking branches to get a better shot, and leaving the appointed area to walk down to the riverbank for a closer view, causing large amounts of erosion.
“People forgot they were in Yosemite, in wilderness, which is really cool on its own,” he says. “Instead, they just focused on getting the perfect shot.”
“It’s just a victim of it’s own success.”
The park service says more than 2,200 people huddled to catch a glimpse of the falls on 22 February, the best day for viewing last year. The park’s website describes visitors “trampling sensitive vegetation”, while “areas became littered with trash, and the lack of restrooms resulted in unsanitary conditions”.
In response to the crowds, the park service this year will close two of the ideal viewing areas, requiring everyone to walk 1.5 miles to the the third remaining one – a step photographers call draconian.
The popularity doesn’t deter everyone. Phil Hawkins, a Fresno-based photographer who has been visiting the falls for 37 years and teaches photo workshops in the park, says the party atmosphere is a positive. “Everyone is happy, everyone is in a good mood,” he says. “People share equipment and food – it’s a photography orgy.”
The firefall’s appearance this year could be in doubt, after a dry winter has left water levels in the park unseasonably low. Patrick Gonzalez, an environmental scientist at the University of California, Berkeley, who studies climate change and national parks, says the future of the firefall is uncertain.
“Projections under continued climate change also show a mixed picture, with two-thirds of climate models projecting increased precipitation and the rest projecting decreases,” Gonzalez says. And even if total precipitation increases, it’s not guaranteed that there will still be water; hotter temperatures due to climate change could increase evaporation and leave the park dry.
Gonzalez says that climate change has also been altering the park through droughts, bark beetle infestations and wildfires.
The photographers are seeing the changes on the ground, too. “Up until three years ago, it was fairly reliable that you’d have snow in February, spring conditions in June-July, and August would be dry,” says Reiffer. But recently, he says, the seasons have become “completely random”.
Ironically, the climatic shifts may allow a second viewing of the freefall: in late October, there’s another window of time where the sun’s angle hits the falls. Usually, there’s no water then – but it’s possible that there could be another opportunity to see the phenomenon if moisture comes later in the year.
“That’s my backup plan,” Reiffer says.
Photographers gather in Yosemite for once in a lifetime firefall
Brian Lada
Yosemite National Park in California is world-renowned for its dramatic landscape, sheer granite cliffs and cascading waterfalls, the most famous of which being aptly named Yosemite Falls. But this week, people visiting the park will be looking for a smaller, little-known waterfall that may briefly appear as if it were made of fire.
Of the millions of people that visit the park every year, a select few chose to travel to Yosemite around the third week of February to try and catch a glimpse of a rare event known as the ‘firefall.'
The firefall phenomenon only occurs a few days every year when light hits Horsetail Fall at just the right angle shortly before sunset, to make the waterfall appear like it is on fire.
"It's a once in a lifetime thing, but it's really iffy becasuse you never know [if it will happen]," Reno DiTullio, a photographer visiting Yosemite, told AccuWeather.
© Provided by AccuWeather
The firefall in Yosemite National Park in 2019. (Photo/Rodney Chai)
"This unique lighting effect happens only on evenings with a clear sky when the waterfall is flowing," the National Park Service (NPS) explained on their website. "Even some haze or minor cloudiness can greatly diminish or eliminate the effect."
In 2019, the firefall put on an incredible display for those in the park as all of the ingredients came together perfectly.
This year, the setting sun is expected to be at the best angle for the firefall between Friday, Feb. 21 and Sunday, Feb. 23. However, visitors in the right place at the right time may end up missing the show due to the lack of one key ingredient: water.
"The problem is you can't have a firefall without a spark or in this case the water, and it just hasn't rained or snowed enough so far this year here in Yosemite," AccuWeather News Reporter Jonathan Petramala said.
The firefall in Yosemite National Park in 2019. (Photo/Rodney Chai)
"This unique lighting effect happens only on evenings with a clear sky when the waterfall is flowing," the National Park Service (NPS) explained on their website. "Even some haze or minor cloudiness can greatly diminish or eliminate the effect."
In 2019, the firefall put on an incredible display for those in the park as all of the ingredients came together perfectly.
This year, the setting sun is expected to be at the best angle for the firefall between Friday, Feb. 21 and Sunday, Feb. 23. However, visitors in the right place at the right time may end up missing the show due to the lack of one key ingredient: water.
"The problem is you can't have a firefall without a spark or in this case the water, and it just hasn't rained or snowed enough so far this year here in Yosemite," AccuWeather News Reporter Jonathan Petramala said.
© Provided by AccuWeather
Horsetail Fall in Yosemite National Park in February 2019
Horsetail Fall in Yosemite National Park in February 2019
compared to February 2020. (Photo/NPS)
As of Friday, Feb. 14, Horsetail Fall was dry following a stretch of dry weather across the region, according to the NPS.
With no rain or snow in the forecast between through Feb. 23, people in the park may end up missing the show due to a lack of water.
Although Horsetail Fall may not be flowing, there is still a silver lining to the dry conditions.
Instead of the sun illuminating the waterfall to make it look like lava flowing off a mountain, it will instead transform the eastern edge of El Capitan to a colorful cliffside right around sunset.
As of Friday, Feb. 14, Horsetail Fall was dry following a stretch of dry weather across the region, according to the NPS.
With no rain or snow in the forecast between through Feb. 23, people in the park may end up missing the show due to a lack of water.
Although Horsetail Fall may not be flowing, there is still a silver lining to the dry conditions.
Instead of the sun illuminating the waterfall to make it look like lava flowing off a mountain, it will instead transform the eastern edge of El Capitan to a colorful cliffside right around sunset.
© Provided by AccuWeather
The dry rock face in Yosemite National Park where Horsetail
The dry rock face in Yosemite National Park where Horsetail
Fall should be flowing on Feb. 13, 2019.
(AccuWeather Photo/Jonathan Petramala)
The firefall that has become a sensation to photographers in recent years is the second such event to take on this name in Yosemite's history.
"Although entirely natural, the phenonemon is reminiscent of the human-caused Firefall that historically occurred from Glacier Point," the NPS said.
Every afternoon, a fire would be lit atop Glacier Point that would eventually burn down to a large pile of coals. Around 9 p.m., after the sun had set, these glowing red ashes would be pushed off the cliffside, cascading thousands of feet into the valley below, resulting in an incredibly beautiful firefall for visitors in the park.
The firefall that has become a sensation to photographers in recent years is the second such event to take on this name in Yosemite's history.
"Although entirely natural, the phenonemon is reminiscent of the human-caused Firefall that historically occurred from Glacier Point," the NPS said.
Every afternoon, a fire would be lit atop Glacier Point that would eventually burn down to a large pile of coals. Around 9 p.m., after the sun had set, these glowing red ashes would be pushed off the cliffside, cascading thousands of feet into the valley below, resulting in an incredibly beautiful firefall for visitors in the park.
© Provided by AccuWeather
Footage of the man-made firefall in Glacier Falls in the 1960s.
Footage of the man-made firefall in Glacier Falls in the 1960s.
(Video/Yosmite National Park ARCHIVES)
This man-made firefall took place on-and-off between 1872 and 1968, but was discontinued in 1968 as it was deemed to be an unnatural spectacle by the director of the National Park Service. Additionally, the large crowds that would gather on a nightly basis would cause traffic jams in the park before trampling through and damaging meadows to watch the light show from a unique perspective.
With the first firefall a thing of the past, photographers and visitors in Yosemite can only look on to the road ahead.
"Pictures from the past are all anyone will have of the famous firefall until at least next year," Petramala said.
This man-made firefall took place on-and-off between 1872 and 1968, but was discontinued in 1968 as it was deemed to be an unnatural spectacle by the director of the National Park Service. Additionally, the large crowds that would gather on a nightly basis would cause traffic jams in the park before trampling through and damaging meadows to watch the light show from a unique perspective.
With the first firefall a thing of the past, photographers and visitors in Yosemite can only look on to the road ahead.
"Pictures from the past are all anyone will have of the famous firefall until at least next year," Petramala said.
© Provided by AccuWeather
The firefall in Yosemite National Park in 2019. (Photo/Miguel Vega)
The firefall in Yosemite National Park in 2019. (Photo/Miguel Vega)
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