Yosemite - Part II

I remember when I was a child and my whole family would go to Yosemite for vacation. We would not spend the whole vacation there; we would split our time between Yosemite and Sequoia or King's Canyon; California is a treasure trove of National Parks. I remember long hikes and beautiful waterfalls, but most of all, I remember the Firefall at night. For 88 years during the summer they would build a bonfire on the edge of Glacier Point and after the sun set, it would be slowly pushed off the cliff, creating what looked like a waterfall made of pure fire. As a child I was captivated by the magical sight.

The Firefall was discontinued in 1968 as part of deemphasizing artificial attractions at the park, but I will never forget the voice of the Park Ranger echoing across the valley floor, "Let the Fire Fall!" A hush would descend over the gathered throng and then the magic would occur. I realize it might be hard for you to imagine what that looked like. Maybe this will help...