Every February, Yosemite puts on a show that rivals the Northern Lights—brief, breathtaking, and fiercely sought after.Known as Firefall, this natural phenomenon occurs for just about 10 magical evenings near Valentine’s Day, when the setting sun aligns perfectly with Horsetail Fall. If conditions are just right, the sunlight illuminates the waterfall in a blaze of fiery color—vibrant yellows, deep oranges, intense reds, and sometimes even flashes of purple—transforming water into what appears to be molten lava pouring down the cliffside.This year’s Firefall was extra special for me.In late 2024, I managed to secure one of the rare and highly coveted access permits to Yosemite Valley for that specific week—a digital scramble where seconds count and most walk away empty-handed. I was thrilled, already envisioning snow-covered granite and the icy breath of winter framing the glowing cascade.But when I arrived, reality had a different plan. The valley was almost completely bare of snow. Would this be a snowless, dry trip?Disappointment hit hard. Without snowpack, there’s no runoff. And Horsetail Fall is a seasonal waterfall—no snow means no flow. Plus, even if there is snow, temperatures must be just right to melt it during the late afternoon to trigger that magical, fire-lit stream.Yet—through patience, persistence, and a bit of luck—I was able to capture the fleeting blaze of this elusive phenomenon. And what I walked away with is not just a photograph, but a visual relic of a rare alignment of earth, sun, and water.
Yosemite,Firefall,Weekend
Every February, Yosemite puts on a show that rivals the Northern Lights—brief, breathtaking, and fiercely sought after.Known as Firefall, this natural phenomenon occurs for just about 10 magical evenings near Valentine’s Day, when the setting sun aligns perfectly with Horsetail Fall. If conditions are just right, the sunlight illuminates the waterfall in a blaze of fiery color—vibrant yellows, deep oranges, intense reds, and sometimes even flashes of purple—transforming water into what appears to be molten lava pouring down the cliffside.This year’s Firefall was extra special for me.In late 2024, I managed to secure one of the rare and highly coveted access permits to Yosemite Valley for that specific week—a digital scramble where seconds count and most walk away empty-handed. I was thrilled, already envisioning snow-covered granite and the icy breath of winter framing the glowing cascade.But when I arrived, reality had a different plan. The valley was almost completely bare of snow. Would this be a snowless, dry trip?Disappointment hit hard. Without snowpack, there’s no runoff. And Horsetail Fall is a seasonal waterfall—no snow means no flow. Plus, even if there is snow, temperatures must be just right to melt it during the late afternoon to trigger that magical, fire-lit stream.Yet—through patience, persistence, and a bit of luck—I was able to capture the fleeting blaze of this elusive phenomenon. And what I walked away with is not just a photograph, but a visual relic of a rare alignment of earth, sun, and water.
