Yosemite Falls

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Yosemite Falls is the highest waterfall in North America. Located in Yosemite National Park in the Sierra Nevada mountains of California, it is a major attraction in the park, especially in late spring when the water flow is at its peak.

The total 2425-foot (739-m) distance from the top of the upper falls to the base of the lower falls qualifies Yosemite Falls as the 18th highest waterfall in the world (with the recent discovery of Gocta Cataracts it presently appears on some lists as the seventh). Although often referred to as a "two-stage drop", the falls actually consist of three sections:

The 1430-foot (425-m) plunge qualifies the Upper Falls alone as one of the twenty highest waterfalls in the world. Trails up from the valley floor and down from other regions of the park outside the valley proper lead to both the top and base of Upper Yosemite Falls. The upper fall is formed by the swift waters of Yosemite Creek, which, after meandering through Eagle Creek Meadow, hurl themselves over the edge of a hanging valley in a spectacular and deafening show of force.

Between the two obvious main plunges there are a series of cascades and smaller plunges generally referred to as "the cascades". Taken together these account for another drop of 675 feet (205 m), nearly twice the height of the Lower Falls. Because of the layout of the area, the lack of any major drops in this section and the lack of public access, they are often overlooked. Most viewpoints in the valley miss them entirely. Several vantage points for the cascades are found along the Yosemite Falls trail. Several hikers climbing down from the trail towards the cascades have required an expensive helicopter rescue due to steep and slippery terrain and features.

The final 320-foot (97-m) drop of the Lower Falls, adjacent to an accessible viewing area, provides the most-used viewing point for the waterfalls. Yosemite Creek emerges from the base of the Lower Falls and flows into the Merced River nearby. Like many areas of Yosemite the plunge pool at the base of the Lower Falls is surrounded by dangerous jumbles of talus made even more treacherous by the high humidity and resulting slippery surfaces.

In years of little snow, the falls may actually cease flowing altogether in late summer or fall. A very small number of rock climbers have taken the opportunity to climb the normally inaccessible rock face beneath the falls, although this is an extraordinarily dangerous undertaking; a single afternoon thunderstorm could restart the falls, sweeping the climbers off the face.

The Lower Falls are easily accessible near the Yosemite Lodge in Yosemite Valley. The top of the Upper Falls may be reached via a steep, strenuous, and usually crowded 3.5-mile (5.6-km) hike beginning near the Sunnyside Walk-in Campground. The Upper Falls may also be reached via several routes from the Tioga Road to the north.

The Ahwahneechee Legend

The Ahwahneechee people of Yosemite Valley called the waterfall "Cholock" and believed that the plunge pool at its base was inhabited by the spirits of several witches, called the Poloti. An Ahwaneechee folktale describes a woman going to fetch a pail of water from the pool, and drawing it out full of snakes. Later that night, after the woman had trespassed into their territory, the spirits caused the woman's house to be sucked into the pool by a powerful wind, taking the woman and her newborn baby with her. This story was most likely concocted to caution people from approaching the dangerous splash pool.

Image:Yosemite Falls11.JPG|Yosemite Falls Image:Yosemite - Middle Falls from Trail.jpg|The Middle Falls (which are really cascades) seen from Columbia Rock. The Middle Falls are not visible from the valley floor Image:Yosemite - Lower Falls from Trail.jpg|Lower Yosemite Falls seen from Columbia Rock. The bridge can be seen in the center Image:Yfalls_distance2.jpg|Yosemite Falls has a 2,425 foot drop, making them higher than the Sears Tower and the Eiffel Tower combined.

External links

[Yosemite Falls] at the [World Waterfall Database]
[Maps and aerial photos] Coordinates: [37.755018° -119.597297°]
* Street map from [Google Maps] or [Yahoo! Maps]
* Topographic map from [TopoZone]
* Aerial image or topographic map from [TerraServer-USA]
* Satellite image from [Google Maps] or [Microsoft Virtual Earth]

Waterfalls in Yosemite Valley
Yosemite \| Nevada \| Vernal \| Bridalveil \| Ribbon Illilouette \| Lehamite \| Sentinel \| Silver Strand \| Snow Creek \| Staircase \| Royal Arch Cascade

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