Went to Yosemite to catch the lighting of the Horsetail Falls at sunset.
Horsetail Falls at Sunset
The phenomenon only happens for a few weeks each year when the sun aligns with the falls, there is sufficient snowmelt flowing, and little cloud cover at sunset. It was originally photographed by Galen Rowell in 1973, and each year hundreds of photographers try to replicate it. We were there at the tail end of this year’s window, but still got a good view on Saturday. After a nice hike to Mirror Lake in the morning, we arrived in the El Capitan picnic area with maybe 50 others at 3pm for a 5:30 sunset. We moved our camp chairs a bit away from the crowd, so we could enjoy some champagne and solitude. I fiddled with my tripod and settings, deciding on a tight 200mm shot, and Wendi chose a wider 50mm. Ruth sketched, and Zach climbed a tree. After the sunset, and the kids screaming “it’s happening!”, we stayed until dark to see star trails, and the lights of climbers heading up the nose.
Shadows on Half Dome
Half Dome & Mirror Lake
Leaving the Valley
Starlight over El Capitan
On Sunday we hiked into Hetch Hetchy, a valley almost as grand as Yosemite that was dammed in 1923 to make a reservoir for San Francisco. The city has great drinking water, but drowned a natural wonder.
O’Shaugnessy Dam
Kolana Rock
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