Home > North America > USA > California > Horsetail Falls

   Known Alternate Names:

    El Capitan Falls

Pictures:

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Physical Description Information  |  Detailed Information
Location, Directions and Maps  |  Recent Updates  |  Related Links

Visual Magnitude:

54

Absolute Magnitude:

64

BWR (Class):

0.28  (Class 1)

Scenic Rating:
(graded on a curve)

53 / 100

   Grandeur:

6 / 35

   Scenery:

30 / 35

   Volume:

2 / 10

   Height:

7 / 10

   Width:

2 / 10

English

Metric

Total Height:

1400 feet

427 meters

Tallest Single Drop:

1400 feet

427 meters

Number of Drops:

1

Waterfall Type:

Horsetail

Average Width:

20 feet

6 meters

Average Volume:

Maximum Recorded Volume:

Watercourse:

Unnamed

Seasonality:

Seasonal

Seasons of Best Flow:

Thru May

1

Continent:

North America

Country:

USA

State / Province:

California

Locality:

Yosemite National Park

Specific Location:

Yosemite Valley

Latitude / Longitude:

Related Maps:

USGS El Capitan (topozone.com)
Aerial photography (lostoutdoors.com)

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Directions:

Unavailable

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This highly seasonal waterfall only flows for a few weeks during the year, and is one of the first waterfalls in Yosemite Valley to dry out. The falls flow off of the east side of El Capitan, and drop about 1400 feet to the valley floor. Wind often dissipates the waterfall before it can reach the floor, however, so there is often never a stream at the bottom of the falls. These falls are famous for catching the light of the setting sun, and illuminating the falls like molten lava.

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http://www.srpoetry.com/ecards/firefall.jpg
http://www.waterfallswest.com/ca-horsetail-falls-yosemite.html

2004-09-06 - Updated ratings, added map links.

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