Yosemite is located in eastern central California in the United States. It is home to magnificent canyons, pristine lakes and breathtaking water views. On October 1, 1890, it became a national park which has an area of 747,956 acres, 95 percent of which is classified as wilderness.
Back in 1871, a hotel was built close to Glacier Point in Yosemite. At nightfall, owners of the hotel would make a campfire for visitors and as evening ends, would kick the glowing coals over the edges of the cliff. As the cascading red hot embers fall down to 3000 feet the occurrence bears a strong resemblance of a burning waterfall to fascinated onlookers. Hence, they named it “Firefall”. The repeated manmade activity attracted a sheer number of spectators. It became a summer event which developed into a tradition that went intermittently from 1872 until the last firefall in 1968. It was discontinued by the National Park Service because it posed a detrimental effect to the environment.
In 1973, a wilderness photographer named, Galen Avery Rowell accidentally witnessed a new firefall-like phenomenon in Yosemite Horsetail Firefall that looked molten in the setting sun. His pictures of the amazing natural phenomenon attracted a huge number of visitors as well as photographers, but the camera and eye of award-winning photographer Dan Zafra was particularly prominent. The reactions were overwhelming as they experienced watching this majestic view down the valley cliffs 1,570 feet below. It occurs when the waning sunlight strikes the waterfall making it appear like a hot lava that flows down instead of cool water.
These two firefalls one manmade at Glacier Point Yosemite and the existing firefall at Yosemite Horsetail Firefall which is recognized as one of the natural phenomenon in the world are both dramatic and stunning in appearance, but the former can never outshine the magnificent creation of nature. One feels like you are in a spell at the awesomeness of the natural wonder spectacle. Locals and tourists alike will surely enjoy the attraction that only Yosemite has to offer.
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Horsetail Fall At Yosemite
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