Yosemite National Park Frames El Capitan Climbers And Horsetail Firefall Magic

When thinking of classic American parks, Yosemite National Park stands out among the rest. This is quite literal as Yosemite has some truly tall natural landscapes, especially El Capitan, a vertical rock formation that has served as a major climbing challenge for decades.

But there's more to El Capitan — and, indeed, Yosemite National Park — than meets the eye. For visitors willing to come during the cold month of February, they might just see a truly marvelous sight: a firefall cascading down the eastern edge of El Capitan. Through a combination of factors, a rare waterfall on El Capitan will appear to the naked eye like a wall of fire descending down the side of the mountain. Travelers come from all over the world to catch a picture of this natural phenomenon. In fact, one might say Yosemite National Park itself frames both El Capitan climbers and Horsetail Firefall Magic like an American landscape painting.

Let's take a deep dive into El Capitan, the Horsetail Firefall and all Yosemite National Park has to offer.

History

Located in Eastern California, Yosemite National Park sits in a valley in the Sierra Nevada mountains. It's also between two other national forests: Sierra National Forest to the southeast and Stanislaus National Forest to the Northwest.

The valley that the park rests in was formed over a series of geological events millions of years ago. Ten million years ago, the Sierra Nevada Mountains began to tilt, forming canyons. Then, a few million years ago, glaciers moved down the mountains into the canyons, forming the U-shaped Yosemite Valley. Several different people groups have called Yosemite Valley home, with the first known as the Ahwahneechee (dwellers). Other Native Americans over time would come to live here including the Southern Sierra Miowoks and Yokuts.

Europeans began coming in droves to California during the massive California Gold Rush from 1848 to 1855. However, this massive migration would lead to conflict with the Native populations, culminating in the Mariposa Indian War from 1850 to 1851. This conflict ended with the native Ahwahnechee and Chowchilla being driven off their lands. It is part of a dark history in California called the California genocide, which saw mass killings of Native Americans living in the state.

Once white settlers lay claim to the area, they quickly recognized its natural beauty, and many tourist establishments began to spring up. By 1864, none other than President Abraham Lincoln signed the Yosemite Grant making the area federally protected. With the completion of the first transcontinental railroad in 1869, many visitors were able to come see the park. John Muir, a Scottish American naturalist, was instrumental in ensuring the preservation of the park as he studied the land extensively and concluded it was formed by alpine glaciers.

Today the park sees anywhere from 100,000 to 600,000 guests a month, making it an incredibly popular destination for its picturesque landmarks.

Landmarks

As mentioned in the introduction, the most imposing landmark in Yosemite National Park is El Capitan itself. This vertical rock formation stands 3,000 feet tall and was originally called Tutokanula or Rock Chief by the Miwok peoples. Due to its popularity among climbers, it's been featured in multiple films such as Dawn Wall and Free Solo. It took a while for climbers to conquer this beasty mountain, with the first being Warren Harding in 1958. He used fixed ropes and gear, and it still took him 45 days to discover a route to reach the summit.

Another incredible landmark is the Yosemite Falls. It is made up of three tiered waterfalls that cascade down the mountains at 2,425 feet. There is an upper, middle and lower section, although typically the middle section is tough to see. It flows from November through July. During months when the water isn't flowing, one might see particularly daring rock climbers trying to ascend the rocks.

Perhaps the best landmark in Yosemite National Park are its trees: the giant sequoias. These trees are the largest on earth with heights averaging between 165 feet and 280 feet and trunk diameters between 20 feet and 26 feet. They are native to California and, unfortunately, are increasingly threatened by wildfires, climate change, and drought; about 80,000 are in existence at this moment. These trees also have incredibly long lifespans, with the oldest living for nearly 3,300 years.

Visitors can see more than 500 of these magnificent trees at Mariposa Grove at the southern entrance of the park. For visitors looking for less crowded groves, they can also visit Tuolumne and Merced Groves.

Natural Phenomena

One of the most intriguing of all natural phenomena in Yosemite National Park is the firefall; it's also called the Horsetail Firefall. In February, the sun can light up the small waterfall and give it an orange glow, creating the illusion of a stream of fire descending down the mountain.

The conditions have to be just right to view this firefall. First, there has to be snow on El Capitan to provide the water for the waterfall, and it needs to get hot enough for that snow to melt and come down the waterfall. The sun will also have to be in just the right position, which is normally about 15 to 30 minutes before sunset. In addition, one will need to come during a nearly cloudless day to see the firefall.

The original firefall wasn't natural at all but came from an old tradition when Irish immigrant James McCauley kicked old coals over the cliff of Glacier Point Mountain, creating a "firefall." It was so common that the park had to put warning signs up warning people not to stand under the falling coals. The practice gathered plenty of sightseers, but it was ended in 1968 by George B. Hartzog of the National Park Service who believed it didn't fit the park's mission.

Things to do

Yosemite National Park has all manner of trails for everyone from determined hikers to casual walkers. One of the most difficult but most rewarding trails is the El Capitan Trail, which runs for about 16 miles to the top of the summit of El Capitan, no climbing required. However, you will see a nearly 5,000-foot elevation gain. Another strenuous hike is the Half Dome hike. It stretches about 15 miles along Vernal and Nevada falls and then up a cable with handrails and wooden planks to the summit.

Thankfully there are some easy trails with great views. For example, you can see the lower section of the Yosemite Falls by going on the Lower Yosemite Fall Trail, which is only one mile long. While you're at the falls, you can meander past several landmarks via the moderate Valley Loop Trail, which will take you past the Three Brothers rock formation, El Capitan and the Bridalveil Fall.

Of course, rock climbing is a popular activity in Yosemite National Park. While El Capitan is the most popular one to tackle, there are plenty of lesser-known areas for climbers, such as the Merced River Valley and the Tuolumne Meadows domes. However, it takes a lot of skill to properly rock climb, and there are more than 100 accidents every year in Yosemite. It's best to come prepared for anything when climbing.

There are other relaxing activities to do in Yosemite. For example, one can go for a car tour by driving around the various landmarks or go fishing by the beautiful rivers around the park, such as the Merced River, South Fork Merced River, and Tuolumne River. Birdwatching is another popular activity, as seasoned birdwatchers can catch a glimpse of the great gray owl, peregrine falcon, northern goshawk, and more than 165 other species.

Lastly, if you're going to spend some time in Yosemite, you may want to consider staying in the park at one of the campgrounds. It's worth noting that some of these campsites release reservations up to five months in advance, such as Upper and Lower Pines, so it’s best to plan ahead. Of all the campgrounds, only Upper Pines is open for reservations year-round; many of the others are seasonal.

It is fortunate that Yosemite National Park has such a long history of federal protection, otherwise much of its natural beauty would have been lost. Much of what exists here is very fragile after all. Even the Horsetail Firefall takes just the right conditions to occur; if one factor is off, it will not occur or be visible to onlookers. The same is true of the sequoias that tower hundreds of feet into the sky.

When visiting Yosemite National Park, it's important to follow the same rules as all parks: take only photographs, leave only footprints. After all, it's important that future generations get to experience the magic of El Capitan's Firefall, the wonder of Yosemite Falls and the many other natural landscapes here in California.