Like many natural phenomena, everything needs to align for it to become a reality. First, the setting sun must be at the right angle which happens to be around the second week of February. Second, the snowpack needs to be deep enough to generate enough water flow over El Capitan. Third, the sky needs to be crystal clear. We’re talking not a single cloud or haze even near the horizon. And if everything aligns for that perfect moment, it lasts for only a few, fleeting minutes.

With such a short time window and many elements intersecting, it’s a tough sight to see. The popularity of this event has skyrocketed in recent years, from only a few keen observers to hundreds and possibly thousands of spectators each year. If you are traveling to attempt to see this attraction, be aware that there will most likely be weekend reservation requirements.   Requirements are usually announced about 4 months prior to the event, so make sure to check back here for more information.

Horsetail Fall lights up.  Photo by Darvin Atkeson

While the natural Firefall event of the Horsetail Fall that happens in February has been around for as long as Yosemite has existed, no one really knew about it until Galen Rowell took the first-known color photograph in 1973 for National Geographic (Interesting aside – in or around 1952 Ansel Adams did capture what was known at that time as El Capitan Fall. But since it was black and white, the unique colorful and fiery event we know of today was not conveyed). Now with the advent of digital photography and social media, this helped propel the ephemeral event into stardom.

For almost a century nightly bonfires created at  Glacier Point that were pushed over the cliffs toward spectators located in Curry Village below. The idea originated inadvertently in 1872 with James McCauley, the owner of the The Mountain House at Glacier Point.. Every night during the summer, he would build a campfire to entertain his guests. To extinguish the fire, he would kick the smoldering embers over the cliff. It didn’t take long for the visitors 3000 feet down below in Yosemite Valley who saw the embers tumbling down the cliff to request the Yosemite Valley Lodge to see the “Firefall.” And thus, the Yosemite Firefall was born.

Long exposure of Glacier Point Firefall from Ahwahnee Meadow

The “natural” Firefall, is much more natural and of course, rare, depending on a good stream of water flowing over Horsetail Fall, a clear sky and the right light hitting the cliffs at the right time to produce the desired effect.

Old poster of Camp Curry Firefall – courtesy of Yosemite Archives

While long gone, its memory is still deeply embedded in Yosemite’s history. It’s as if you can still hear the master of ceremonies, the Stentor, in Camp Curry bellowing out the following exchange with the firemaster at Glacier Point…

“Hello, Glacier Point!”

“Hello, Camp Curry!”

“Is the fire ready?”

“The fire is ready!”

“Let the Fire Fall!”

“The Fire Falls!”

With Yosemite being the showcase of waterfalls, the definition is important. The difference between a waterfall versus waterfalls is that if the river or creek flows off a cliffside in one unique movement or drop, it’s considered a “fall.” While “falls”, also called “cascades”, generally means there are several distinct drops or falls in a particular section of a stream. A great example to illustrate the differences – Yosemite Falls which is actually made up for three sections; Upper Yosemite Fall (a single drop), the middle Cascades, and Lower Yosemite Fall (another single drop).