Yosemite Fire Falls and a Little Lady Luck
When Mother Nature puts on a show that reminds us how small we really are.
In February 2021, I was fortunate enough to witness Yosemite's famous Firefall. For a brief window each year, the setting sun aligns perfectly with Horsetail Fall on the eastern side of El Capitan, transforming the waterfall into what appears to be a stream of glowing lava flowing down the granite cliffs.
What makes Firefall so special is that there are no guarantees. The timing may be predictable, but the conditions are not. The sun, weather, clouds, and water flow all have to cooperate at exactly the right moment. Some years it lasts only minutes. Some years it doesn't happen at all.
That evening, Lady Luck was on my side.
As the sun began to set, the waterfall slowly came to life, glowing brighter and brighter until the entire crowd erupted in cheers. What I've been told often lasts only a few minutes continued for nearly thirty. From 4:50 to 5:50 that evening, I watched one of the most spectacular displays of natural beauty I have ever witnessed.
The original Firefall dates back to the late 1800s when burning embers were pushed from Glacier Point, creating the illusion of a waterfall of fire cascading nearly 3,000 feet to the valley floor. That practice ended in 1968, but nature eventually created its own version—one even more impressive than the original.
Photographers travel from around the world hoping to capture this phenomenon. While the photographs are beautiful, they don't fully capture the experience of standing there, surrounded by hundreds of people, all collectively holding their breath as the falls ignited in brilliant shades of orange and red.
To this day, it remains one of the most unforgettable photographic experiences of my life.
Thank you, Yosemite.
And thank you, Mother Nature, for the reminder that sometimes the most extraordinary moments happen when everything comes together at exactly the right time.
