Jan Spell, Author at National Parks Now & Then

Arizona’s Verde Valley National Monuments

The Verde Valley is located in central Arizona between Flagstaff and Phoenix. It is so named due to the Verde River (a tributary of the Salt River) which is one of Arizona’s last free-flowing river systems. Hundreds of years ago, peoples of the Southern Sinagua culture flourished here.

By 1150 CE (Common Era or AD), Southern Sinagua began building large pueblos, often on hilltops or in cliff alcoves. Montezuma Castle and Tuzigoot villages reached their maximum size in the 1300s and continued for another century.

Today, the National Park Service has set aside three areas designated as National Monuments to preserve remnants of this ancient culture: Montezuma Castle, Montezuma Well and Tuzigoot.

Montezuma Castle

Established by Teddy Roosevelt on December 8, 1906, Montezuma Castle is the third National Monument dedicated to preserving Native American culture. This 20-room high-rise apartment is one of the best-preserved prehistoric cliff dwellings in North America.

The name came from a mistaken belief that the cliff-dwelling was a castle Aztec refugees had built for their emperor. We currently know that Montezuma never ventured this far north from his home in Mexico but the name stuck.

Montezuma Castle National Monument quickly became a destination for America’s first car-bound tourists. In 1933, “Castle A” (on the valley floor against the wall of the cliff), a 45-50 room, pueblo ruin was excavated, uncovering a wealth of artifacts and greatly enhanced our understanding of the Sinagua people who inhabited this area along Beaver Creek for over 400 years.

Vintage photograph of the Castle circa 1930. Photo courtesy of the NPS.

Early visitors to the monument were allowed access to the cliff dwelling by climbing a series of ladders up the side of the limestone cliffs. However, due to extensive damage to this valuable archeological area, public access of the ruins was discontinued in 1951.

Vintage photograph of Archeologists excavating pottery. Photo courtesy of Library of Congress

In the second half of the 19^th century, many prospectors and settlers came to the Verde Valley. A demand for artifacts resulted in extensive vandalism at Montezuma Castle. Fortunately, archaeologists came to the area to document and protect the sites and preserve artifacts.

Montezuma Well

Montezuma Well is located about 11 miles from Montezuma Castle and was formed by the collapse of a limestone cavern. It was added to the national monument in 1943. The Southern Sinagua irrigated crops with waters from the Well. Between 1125 and 1400 approximately 100-150 people lived here.

Although the area receives less than 13 inches of rain per year, Montezuma Well contains approximately 15 million gallons of water and is fed by one million gallons from the springs daily.

The Well is like a bowl with a crack in the side and the water overflows through a long, narrow cave and exits through an outlet and flows into Beaver Creek. Therefore, the water level remains relatively constant.

Photo shows the outlet of the well. Photo credit: Jan Spell, 2023

The water has a chemical signature; it contains arsenic and high amounts of carbon dioxide so no fish can live here since they cannot breathe. In the absence of fish, at least twelve species of flora and fauna are endemic (only found in this location) to Montezuma Well. MOWE_Endemic_090214.pdf (nau.edu) These species have adapted to the distinctive water chemistry of the Well.

Among these is the Sonoran Mud Turtle. Through the years people have released red-eared sliders, a turtle commonly sold in pet stores, into the waters of the Well. This invasive species out-competed the smaller, native mud turtles and jeopardized the health of this aquatic ecosystem that’s like no other in the world. Thankfully, the invasive red-eared sliders have successfully been removed from the Well. Microsoft Word – MOWE Turtle Site Bulletin.doc (nps.gov)

Tuzigoot

Looking at the ruins from the top of the Pueblo. Photo credit: Tommy Langdon

The people who built and lived in the rooms of the Tuzigoot pueblo were part of a vast and thriving community, with trade connections stretching from the top of the arid Colorado Plateau to the jungles of Central America and the Pacific Coast.

This village was built high on a limestone ridge, over a hundred feet above the floodplains of the Verde River. It has clear lines of sight in every direction and can easily be seen from many of the other hills – and pueblos – in the area.

Left: Tuzigoot Pueblo before excavation in the 1920s
Right: Early reconstruction of the Pueblo

Abandonment of the Area

No one knows why the Southern Sinagua migrated away from the area by the early 1400s. It could be one or a combination of circumstances: overpopulation, depletion of resources, disease, conflicts with other tribes, climate change or spiritual beliefs. They likely migrated to pueblo villages to the north.

How to Visit

Montezuma Castle is 50 miles south of Flagstaff, AZ off of Interstate 17.

Montezuma Well is located about 15-20 minutes to the North. From Montezuma Castle National Monument, head toward I-17 and go North 1 1/2 miles to the next exit (Exit 293). Total trip between Montezuma Castle and Montezuma Well is 11 miles.

Tuzigoot is 50 miles south of Flagstaff via US Alt. 89 (scenic road trough Oak Creek Canyon).

Both Montezuma Castle and Tuzigoot have visitor centers. All three sites have short, hard-surfaced walking trails.

For more information and for park alerts, please visit the NPS website. Arizona (U.S. National Park Service) (nps.gov)

Devils Tower: Close Encounters of the Parachuting Kind

Devils Tower was the first national monument in the United States, established on September 24, 1906 by President Theodore Roosevelt. The Tower is an astounding geologic feature that protrudes out of the prairie surrounding the Black Hills. The Tower itself rises 1,267 feet above the Belle Fourche River in Wyoming and is considered sacred by Northern Plains Indians and other indigenous people.

Many of you may remember that the Tower was featured in the 1977 Steven Spielberg blockbuster film Close Encounters of the Third Kind. Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977) Richard Dreyfuss – Bing video

George Hopkins Takes a Bet

In the Fall of 1941, Devils Tower National Monument made headlines across the nation. A professional parachutist named George Hopkins was stuck on top of the Tower with no way down. At this time, the U.S. was preoccupied with the war that was raging in Europe and this professional parachutist had struck a wager with a friend of his. Earl Brockelsby had bet him $50 to parachute down onto the top of Devil’s Tower, and then climb down a rope to the bottom, a feat that had never been done before.

Hopkins had been entertaining the idea of attempting to set the world record for the greatest number of parachute jumps in one day. The date had been set and he was in the midst of publicizing his feat so when his friend offered up a bet to parachute onto Devils Tower he took it.

He contacted a single news reporter from the Sundance Times about his plan and promised him an exclusive if he waited until after the Devils Tower stunt to publish the story and not tell anyone.

George Hopkins and flight crew before jump attempt

On October 1, 1941, Hopkins planned to jump out of a plane and land on the top of the monolith, and shortly afterwards, a rope and climbing supplies would be dropped down to him. George Hopkins was successful in landing (without the consent or knowledge of National Park Service officials), on the top of Devils Tower which is relatively flat (though it curves slightly near the edges) and is roughly the size of a football field. With the hard part complete, dropping the supplies should have been easy but they landed on the edge of the Tower and fell of the edge. George Hopkins was marooned on the top of Devils Tower. That initial plan was further flawed as even if he managed to retrieve the rope, it was almost 200 feet too short. He wouldn’t have been able to reach the bottom anyway. Hopkins knew this and thought he could scramble the rest of the way but he had no training in climbing. Obviously, this was not a well-thought-out plan.

A second attempt was made to drop equipment but the weather deteriorated and the rope became snarled and frozen due to the rain and wind and was deemed unusable.

George Hopkins just after landing on top of Devils Tower

George Hopkins on the top of Devils Tower, Photo courtesy of NPS

Marooned on Devils Tower

The National Park Service now had a problem to solve, and newspapers around the country ran with the story. Supplies were regularly dropped to him from a plane, such as a bullhorn, a blanket, warm clothes, and some food. At one point, he even requested whiskey, which he claimed was for “medicinal purposes.”

George Hopkins stranded on Devils Tower makes news around the nation Photo credit: NPS

Rescue Attempts

The National Park Service fielded offers from the Navy to airlift Hopkins out with a helicopter, and from Goodyear who offered to fly in their signature blimp for a rescue mission, but both were deemed too dangerous. It’s hard imagine how long it would have taken the Goodyear Blimp to reach Devil’s Tower after seeing how slow those things fly.

Climbing Devils Tower is no small feat. Jack Durrance was one of the first people to ever climb the Tower a few years earlier (1938) and was deemed the most qualified to rescue Hopkins from the top. Durrance was attending Dartmouth College in New Hampshire and due to weather conditions was forced to take the train instead of fly.

Hopkins was exposed to cold, rain and 50 mph (80 km/h) winds while stranded for six days waiting for Durrance to arrive to lead mountain rescue team of seven climbers up to rescue him. Once help arrived, however, the descent was easy and uneventful.

Aftermath

What happened to the bet? After being stuck on top, Hopkins did not forget. “I had my hand out fishin’ for the dough when I hit the ground,” George Hopkins said. “Earl paid off.”

The marooned parachutist and the rescue operations attracted many spectators during the six days he was stranded. Approximately 7,000 visitors came to the monument to witness events first-hand.

In addition to newspaper reports, many papers ran political cartoons featuring the incident. Many people felt that the media has a misplaced priority. The Chicago Tribune published a cartoon that contrasted the trivialness of the media storm of Hopkins’ stunt with the war raging in Europe.

What Happened to George Hopkins

During the war effort, Hopkins joined the US Army and taught paratroopers in China and Russia. It is believed he set his world record as he taught other young men to safely jump and land using a parachute. He also staged airshows for charity.

Twenty-six years after being stranded atop Devils Tower, Hopkins returned to visit with his family in 1967.

How to Visit

Devils Tower National Monument is located in northeastern Wyoming.

The park is very small but it gets very busy especially in the summer months. Parking is limited and is often full from 10 am to 3 pm so get there early. The Visitors Center is open spring through fall (closed in the winter). Check the National Park Service website for the latest conditions. Devils Tower National Monument (U.S. National Park Service) (nps.gov)

Devils Tower can be visited on a day trip from Rapid City, SD or as part of a longer trip including both Mt. Rushmore and Yellowstone National Park. Complete Guide to Devils Tower: How to Plan Your Visit – Earth Trekkers

Sources

That Time a Guy Parachuted Onto Devils Tower | Mental Floss

Parachutist George Hopkins – Devils Tower National Monument (U.S. National Park Service) (nps.gov)

When George Hopkins Got Stranded On Devils Tower For 6 Days After Parachuting Onto It (allthatsinteresting.com)

Devils Tower – George Hopkins – YouTube

“Racing” Stones in the Desert

A century ago, miners working in California’s Death Valley reported seeing boulders on the desert floor with long trails behind them as if the stones had been pushed across a dry, muddy surface. But despite decades of trying, no one could figure out how they moved.

Death Valley National Park, located in both California and Nevada, is the largest national park in the lower 48 states. It has the distinction of being the hottest and driest national park.

The place where these mysterious boulders move is the Racetrack Playa (dry lake) and is located in the northwest part of the park. Dotted across the playa are hundreds of rocks, some weighing hundreds of pounds, that seem to have been dragged across the ground leaving tracks in the dry mud that can stretch hundreds of yards.

When I visited here in 1978, experts still didn’t know how these rocks moved.

Boulder on the Racetrack, Photo credit: Getty Images

Scientists Solve the Mystery

In 2014, researchers from Scripps Institution of Oceanography finally solved the mystery when they actually observed the stones being moved by thin sheets of ice pushed by wind. They found that moving the rocks requires a rare combination of events. First, the playa fills with water, which must be deep enough to form floating ice sheets during cold winter nights but shallow enough to expose the rocks. The following morning would need to be sunny enough for the ice to begin to melt and break up into large floating panels, which light winds drive across the playa, pushing rocks in front of them and leaving trails in the soft mud below the surface.

My image of a sliding stone and surrounding mountains, Photo credit: Jan Spell, Spring 1978

The rocks move under light winds of about 10 miles per hour and are pushed by ice less than 0.25 inch thick (but 40 or 50 feet across). They move a few inches per second which can be really difficult to notice without having a stationary object to compare it to.

The researchers also observed rock-less trails formed by grounding ice panels. Park rangers had previously suspected these were the result of naughty tourists stealing the rocks. I enjoyed reading the scientific process that was used to discover this. You may too and can read it here. Mystery Solved: “Sailing Stones” of Death Valley Seen in Action for the First Time | Scripps Institution of Oceanography (ucsd.edu)

Vandalism and Mischief Problem

Leave no trace principals say “Take only pictures Leave only footprints.” Well, PLEASE DON’T leave footprints in the wet mud at the playa. This area only gets around one to two inches of rain per year so any footprints left in the mud will likely be on the playa for years and years. There isn’t enough water to wash away the damage.

Vandalism at the Racetrack will take years to heal, Photo credit: NPS

In addition to the muddy footprints in the photo above, back in 2016 somebody used the playa as their own personal racecourse. One eyewitness said that the majority of the surface of the dry lake is cracked leaving behind about 10 miles of looping tire tracks. Illegal tire tracks mar Death Valley dry lake famous for mysterious moving rocks | Las Vegas Review-Journal (reviewjournal.com)

Illegal tire tracks at the Racetrack, Photo credit: NPS 2016

How to Visit

The Racetrack is not a spot you can just visit on a whim. Getting here takes advance planning. The only way to get here is via long, rough, rocky roads through a remote landscape. The following paragraph is a warning from the NPS website.

WARNING: The road to the Racetrack is rough, and good tires, 4×4 and high clearance are usually required. Standard vehicles and small SUVs are not recommended, and often get flat tires. Use extreme caution on this road in the summer heat. There is no cell phone coverage in the area. Do not attempt a trip to the Racetrack without a plenty of fuel and water. There is no cell phone service in the area. Be prepared for the possibility of spending the night if your vehicle becomes disabled.

Do your homework. The Earth Trekkers site gives in depth information about how to visit. How to Visit Racetrack Playa in Death Valley National Park – United States – Earth Trekkers The following page gives in-depth information about how to get there and the author’s feeling about possibly returning. He also comments about the vandalism problem. Is Visiting the Racetrack Playa in Death Valley Worth It? (digital-photography-school.com)

Teakettle Junction on the way out to the Racetrack with our 1977 Chevy Blazer, Photo credit: Jan Spell

View of the mountains from Teakettle Junction, Photo credit: Jan Spell, Spring 1978

A Nearby, More Accessible Moving Rock Playa

Apparently, this phenomenon is not unique to the Racetrack Playa and has been observed on at least eight other dry lakes in southeastern California and western Nevada. The Bonnie Claire playa east of Scotty’s Castle seems to be a smaller, more easily accessible copy of the Racetrack. The south shore of the playa runs right along the north side of Highway 72. The area is administered by the Bureau of Land Management. This website gives a bit more information on how to get there. Along the Way – Park to Park in the Dark I need to plan a trip back to Death Valley to see how this checks out.

Sources

The Racetrack – Death Valley National Park (U.S. National Park Service) (nps.gov)

Mystery Solved: “Sailing Stones” of Death Valley Seen in Action for the First Time | Scripps Institution of Oceanography (ucsd.edu)

An Icy Solution To The Mystery Of The Slithering Stones : NPR

Illegal tire tracks mar Death Valley dry lake famous for mysterious moving rocks | Las Vegas Review-Journal (reviewjournal.com)

Please Don’t Lick this Toxic Toad!

Last Fall, the National Park Service (NPS) posted on their Facebook page “Don’t Lick this Toad” and included a creepy picture of the Sonoran Desert Toad. “As we say with most things you come across in a national park, whether it be a banana slug, unfamiliar mushroom, or a large toad with glowing eyes in the dead of night, please refrain from licking,” the NPS said in their Facebook post that has now gone viral. The post was made humorously and the NPS has no records of people licking or otherwise harassing the toads in parks, however, the National Poison Control Center says that licking the toads for their alleged psychedelic effects was a fad in the 1980s.

Black and white motion sensor camera capture of Sonoran Desert Toad at Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument, Arizona. NPS Photo

The Sonoran Desert Toad (Bufo alvarius), also called Colorado River toad, are found primarily in the Sonoran Desert of Arizona and Mexico, though their range extends into New Mexico and California. They “have prominent parotid glands that secrete a potent toxin,” according to the NPS. The parotid glands are located just behind the toad’s eyes. The problem is that some people have discovered that the toad’s toxic secretions contain a powerful hallucinogenic known as 5-MeO-DMT.

Species Could Become Endangered

Some individuals have decided that they can capture toads and collect their secretions to “self-medicate”, however, scientists are now warning that the demand for the toad’s secretions could lead to population collapse. Due to the rising popularity in collecting this toad, compounded with other threats such as motorists running over them, and predators such as raccoons eating them, New Mexico has listed the species as “threatened” and that collecting them is unlawful. The process of “milking” where collectors rub the toads under their chin to cause it to secrete the poison causes stress and can harm them. In a 2022 New York Times interview, Robert Villa, current president of the Tucson Herpetological Society said, “There’s a perception of abundance, but when you begin to remove large numbers of a species, their numbers are going to collapse like a house of cards at some point.”

Caution to Pet Owners

I live in the Sonoran Desert, and I’ve known friends who said that their dog got very sick from these toads. Animals that have gone after the toad generally are intoxicated through the mouth, nose, or eyes. Dog owners need to be aware as the toxins are strong enough to kill full grown dogs that pick up or mouth the toads. Symptoms of intoxication are excessive salivation, irregular heartbeat and gait, and pawing at the mouth. If a dog displays any of these symptoms, rinse its mouth with a garden hose from back to front and consult a veterinarian.

Don’t Harass Any Wildlife

Even though the NPS Facebook post was supposed to be humorous, people have “harassed” the Sonoran Desert Toad for their own “trip” or monetary gain. Any type of wildlife should not be treated as such.

Yosemite’s Jeffrey Pine atop Sentinel Dome

One of the most photographed trees in the world was made famous by photographers Ansel Adams (in 1940) and Carleton Watkins (in 1867). The iconic Jeffrey Pine once resided on top of Sentinel Dome in Yosemite National Park. Unfortunately, the tree died after a severe drought in 1976-77. The “skeleton” of the tree was standing for decades until it fell sometime in August 2003 after a series of severe storms.

Yosemite National Park is located in California’s western Sierra Nevada.

Ansel Adams famous picture of the Jeffrey Pine, 1940

Life of a Gnarled Pine

This tree became an icon of Yosemite is partially due to its improbable location; it grew out of the cracks on top of a granite dome. That location caused it to be shaped by wind and weather. Park rangers say that the tree was around 400 years old, was 12 feet tall and the seed was probably dropped by a bird, and it germinated in a crack in the granite.

Sentinel Dome is the second highest point on the rim of Yosemite Valley. It was named due to its likeness to a watchtower. The US Geological Survey marker was placed atop the Dome in 1905 and records the elevation as 8117 ft above sea level.

The Jeffrey Pine is a species of North American pine tree that is mainly found in California but also in western Nevada, southwestern Oregon and northern Baja California. It was named in honor of the botanist John Jeffrey who first documented the species. These pine trees closely resemble Ponderosa pines and have a lovely vanilla-scented bark.

Two women atop the Jeffrey Pine, California Historical Society, Date unknown

Death of an Icon

During the severe drought in 1976-77 which was the tree’s downfall, park rangers and visitors tried to save the tree by carrying buckets of water up the Dome to it but to no avail. Even after it’s death, it’s wind-battered, gnarled skeleton was still visited and photographed.

The skeleton of the Jeffrey Pine, Photo credit: Jan Spell, August 1986

After a series of severe storms in August 2003, the dead trunk of the Jeffrey Pine broke off leaving the main stump. In keeping with the National Park Service’s principles, the remaining stump will be allowed to disintegrate over time. The tree’s life, death, and fall are part of a natural process.

Most of the upright portions of the tree are gone but visitors continue to photograph it. The views from Sentinel Dome are spectacular as you can see up and down Yosemite Valley and into the backcountry. It is certainly well worth the visit.

Jeffrey Pine stump as it appeared in 2010. Photo credit: Jan Spell

How to Visit

The tree is nothing but a stump, but it is still visited and photographed and the hike and 360-degree views from the top of Sentinel Dome are phenomenal. I highly recommend taking the hike to the top of Sentinel Dome and paying your respects to the tree stump that once was one of the most photographed trees in the world.

Sentinel Dome as seen from the trail. Photo credit: Jan Spell, 2010

The Sentinel Dome Trail is located in the Glacier Point portion of the park. It’s a 2.2 mile (round trip) out and back “moderate” hike. This link has a full description on how to get to the trailhead and the particulars of the hike. Yosemite National Park – Sentinel Dome Hike – Just Go Travel Studios

Jeffrey stump with El Capitan in background

Sentinel Dome can be seen from Tunnel View. In the picture below, the Dome is indicated with a red arrow.

View of Sentinel Dome from Tunnel View. Photo credit: Jan Spell, 2010

Sources

45 Historical Sites That No Longer Exist — Best Life (bestlifeonline.com)

Yosemite landmark falls / Sentinel Dome’s oft-photographed Jeffrey pine topples (sfgate.com)

Pinus jeffreyi – Wikipedia

The Historical Yosemite Firefall

Back in the day, in Yosemite National Park, California, visitors were treated to a spectacle where a roaring bonfire was built at the edge of Glacier Point and at 9 pm sharp the fire’s embers were pushed over the edge of the cliff creating a “Waterfall of Fire”. Yosemite’s Firefall took place from 1872 to 1968. (Photo courtesy of NPS)

I was fortunate to view this spectacle in June of 1967 during my first visit to Yosemite National Park. I was five years old but remember it well. I sat in the back seat of our 1965 Ford Country Sedan station wagon with my younger sister. Other kids were outside playing in the meadow but I wasn’t allowed to get out of the car. Only my Dad was allowed to do so. We were parked along a park road with a view of Glacier Point. I remember the traffic jam that ensued afterward when everyone attempted to return to their lodging for the night.

How it all Started

In 1872, years before Congress designated Yosemite as a national park, the original Firefall was inadvertently started by James McCauley, the owner of the Glacier Point Mountain House Hotel. On summer evenings, McCauley built a large campfire at the “point” where the granite cliff juts out over the Valley entertain his guests. At the end of the evening, he would then put out the fire by kicking the smoldering embers over the edge Glacier Point. Spectators on the floor of Yosemite Valley would see these falling embers and it appeared as a flowing waterfall. People in the valley were fascinated by the falling embers and commented to McCauley’s sons. Some visitors offered money for them to have another firefall that evening. Seeing a business opportunity, they gathered wood for a larger fire, carrying it up the mountain on burros.

Pushing embers off of Glacier Point. Photo credit: Yosemite Nat’l Park Digital Archive

In 1897, the Washburn brothers, who owned the Wawona Hotel outside of Yosemite Valley, had the Guardian of the State Grant evict James McCauley from the Mountain House Hotel and took it over. Apparently, he only had a 10 year lease on that property. That temporarily stopped the Firefall.

The Camp Curry Years

In 1899 David and Jennie Curry moved to Yosemite Valley and established Camp Curry a family campground of canvas tents at the base of Glacier Point (still exists). Soon he heard visitors reminiscing about the Firefall when McCauley ran the hotel at Glacier Point. He felt that that would make his camp more attractive to visitors so sometime in the early 1900s, Curry reestablished the Firefall during the summer season.

Camp Curry would have a campfire show from 8-9 pm culminating in the Firefall promptly at 9 pm. David Curry added a few dramatic flourishes of his own. At 9pm sharp, a master of ceremonies in Camp Curry would shout to the firemaster at Glacier Point…

“Hello, Glacier Point!”
“Hello, Camp Curry!”
“Let the Fire Fall!”
“The Fire Falls!”

Then the burning embers from the red-fir bark bonfire (they found that red-fir gave the brightest glowing embers) were pushed over the edge.

The End of a Tradition

In 1968 George Hertzog, the director of the National Park Service, ended the Yosemite Firefall once and for all. He stated the obvious, that the Firefall was an unnatural spectacle more appropriate for Disneyland than a national park. In addition, this display attracted huge crowds that tramped through and damaged meadows on the Valley floor. It caused traffic jams on the Valley’s roads (which I remember!!). Lots of red-fir bark was unnecessarily and unnaturally removed to fuel the fire.

Long exposure taken from Ahwahnee Meadow, Public Domain Photo

A final ceremonial Firefall was held on Jan 25, 1968. According to a National Park Service press release: “The Firefall, a fancy of James McCauley’s that caught on, and was popular for almost a hundred years, died Thursday, January 25, 1968 in a blazing farewell. It was a dandy Firefall, fat and long and it ended with an exceptionally brilliant spurt, the embers lighting the cliff as they floated slowly downward … There weren’t many people around to watch. Maybe fifty. Hardly any congestion at all.”

A pale scar remains on the cliff face where the fire burned away the lichen on the rock (red arrow is pointing to Overhanging Rock where the Firefall was launched). It’s not as obvious as it used to be. Thousands of visitors enjoyed the Firefall for nearly a century. Now it only exists in the memories of us baby-boomers who were lucky enough to witness it.

Sources

A History of the Yosemite Firefall

Yosemite Firefall – Glacier Point

Old Man of the Lake – Crater Lake National Park

Crater Lake in Oregon is amazing in many ways. It has the distinction of being the deepest lake in the United States and the ninth deepest in the world. It is essentially in an ancient, collapsed volcano (called a caldera) in which all of its water is from precipitation. There are no rivers, streams or springs that feed it.

Established in 1902, Crater Lake is the fifth oldest U.S. national park and the only national park in Oregon.

I want to share the story about the interesting and mysterious “Old Man of the Lake”. It is a floating log that has been bobbing around Crater Lake for at least 120 years. What’s unique about it is that it doesn’t float horizontally; it floats vertically, and people swear it can control the local weather.

The first account of the Old Man of the Lake dates to 1896, when geologist and explorer Joseph S. Diller described a splintered and bleached white log floating vertically in Crater Lake.

Ranger standing on the Old Man of the Lake, Circa 1930.

Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons/Public Domain

Why Does it float Horizontally?

According to the laws of physics, a floating object of uniform density will always have its center of mass higher than its center of buoyancy, which is why tree logs float horizontally. The Old Man of the Lake is different. Despite being 30 feet-long, with a diameter of about 25 inches, it’s been bobbing vertically for the last 120 years (with about three to four feet above the waterline). Why this is so is still a mystery. At first it was thought that perhaps rocks were entwined with the roots weighting down one end. But because the water is so clear, you can see down into the water to see the end of the log and there are no rocks. Perhaps, initially, there were rocks and that allowed the submerged portion of the log to absorb water and change the density. No one really knows

Viewing the Old Man during a Lake tour, Photo Credit: Jan Spell, July 2018

Superstitious people believe that the Old Man of the Lake has the power to affect local weather. In 1988 when the park brought in a submersible watercraft to explore the lake bottom, researchers were concerned about running into the Old Man so they tied the log up on the eastern shore of Wizard Island (a volcanic cinder cone in the middle of the lake). According to several accounts from locals, as soon as the Old Man of the Lake was immobilized, the clear weather turned stormy, and it soon started to snow. This was in August. As soon as the Old Man was released, the weather cleared up.

How to Visit

I visited the famous Old Man during the summer of 2018. There is only one legal way to access the shore of the lake and that is by the Cleetwood Cove Trail. The 1.1-mile trail is strenuous and takes approximately 30 to 60 minutes to get down to the dock.

Red arrows point out the trail leading down to the dock, Photo credit: Jan Spell, July 2018

Boat Dock at Cleetwood Cove, Photo credit: Jan Spell, July 2018

In summer, Crater Lake Hospitality, a concessioner for the park, offers daily boat tours on Crater Lake. A park ranger is aboard most tours, which circumnavigate the lake. Since the Old Man can be virtually anywhere on the lake, the boat captains communicate its position to each other as a general matter of safety and as of January 2012, tour boats regularly pass the Old Man on their journeys to view the sights around Crater Lake. Tickets for the boat tours can be reserved and purchased here Boat Tours | Crater Lake National Park | TravelCraterLake.com. If you have reservations for the lake tour, you must take into account the amount of time it takes to drive to the trailhead and the time it takes to hike down to the dock.

Even if you don’t take a boat trip, hiking down to Cleetwood Cove is worth it just to get a view of magnificent Crater Lake from the water level.

Sources

This Famous Tree Log Has Been Floating Vertically for 120 Years And No One Knows Why (odditycentral.com)

The Old Man – Crater Lake National Park (U.S. National Park Service) (nps.gov)

“Old Man of the Lake”: the tree log that has been floating vertically for 120 years and no one knows why. – RANDOM Times • (random-times.com)

Old Man of the Lake – Wikipedia

Horsetail Fall – the New Firefall

Horsetail Fall is a small, ephemeral waterfall that flows over the eastern edge of El Capitan in Yosemite Valley. For approximately two weeks in February each year, the setting sun hits the waterfall at just the right angle to create a deep orange glow that almost looks like lava. It’s an amazing natural phenomenon that happens when three things occur simultaneously.

Enough water in the Fall
Direct sunlight at sunset
The sun’s angle is just right

This phenomenon reminds people of the former man-made Firefall where burning embers from a bonfire were pushed off Glacier Point (1873-1968).

The photo on the left is of the former Firefall over Glacier Point (courtesy of the Yosemite Archives) and the photo on the right is of Horsetail Falls (Photo credit: Christine Fey).

There isn’t much water in this Fall to begin with so if it’s a dry year, the phenomenon may not occur at all. Yosemite needs to have an a decent amount of snowfall as Horsetail Fall is fed by snowmelt. In addition, during sunset, the temperature needs to be above freezing so there will in fact be liquid water in the Fall.

The phenomenon occurs during the last 10-15 minutes before sunset. That’s a very short window to not have a cloud block the area. It only lasts about three minutes. See my story about that below.

The sun’s angle is what causes it to glow orange. That only happens in February and October. The Fall is dry in October, so February is your only chance to see it.

Here’s a really great video with wonderful pictures of the glowing waterfall and a lot of information about how to view it. Yosemite’s Natural Firefall – YouTube

How to Visit

The dates vary slightly each year but are generally around the same time. The predicted dates for 2023 are February 10 through 27. Photographers make their lodging reservations a year or so in advance so it would be practically impossible to get a reservation within the Valley for the upcoming event. If you did find something, it may be only for one night. The National Park Services concessioner, Aramark, that runs the lodging in the Valley does charge almost twice as much during this time. But if this is what you want to see, it’s worth being in the Valley and not driving in and out of the Park. Yosemite National Park | Lodging & Year Round Activities | TravelYosemite.com

Every year, the National Park Service has different rules in place to control the crowds for safety and to protect the environment. The rules seem to get stricter every year since more people are attempting to view Horsetail. For the 2023 Horsetail Fall season, reservations will be required to enter Yosemite on the weekends in February. This includes those not visiting the Fall. Please check the NPS website for the current rules and how to get reservations. Horsetail Fall – Yosemite National Park (U.S. National Park Service) (nps.gov)

My Personal Experience

A travel buddy and I attempted to see and photograph a glowing Horsetail Fall in February 2017. We had three nights at the cabins at Curry Village so we had three opportunities to see the phenomena. Two of the nights it was pouring rain. The one night that the conditions seemed perfect, we got our spot and marked it with a tripod and lawn chairs three hours beforehand. Everything looked great but just as it was the perfect time, a huge cloud blocked it. We didn’t get to see it but that’s one of the reasons why this is so special. It’s hit or miss.