Bridalveil Fall: Difference between revisions
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{{Infobox waterfall |
{{Infobox waterfall |
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| name = Bridalveil Fall |
| name = Bridalveil Fall |
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| photo = |
| photo = Bridelveil_Falls_Yosemite.jpg |
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| photo_caption = Bridalveil Fall as seen from [[Tunnel View]] on [[California State Route 41]]. |
| photo_caption = Bridalveil Fall as seen from [[Tunnel View]] on [[California State Route 41]]. |
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| photo_width=250 |
| photo_width=250 |
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Revision as of 21:57, 5 October 2014
| Bridalveil Fall | |
|---|---|
 Bridalveil Fall as seen from Tunnel View on California State Route 41. | |
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| Location | Yosemite Valley, Yosemite National Park, California. |
| Type | Plunge |
| Total height | 188 metres (617 ft) |
| Number of drops | 1 |
| World height ranking | 431 |
Bridalveil Fall is one of the most prominent waterfalls in the Yosemite Valley in California, seen yearly by millions of visitors to Yosemite National Park.[1] The waterfall is 188 metres (617 ft) in height and flows year round.[2]
The Ahwahneechee tribe believed that Bridalveil Fall was home to a vengeful spirit named Pohono which guarded the entrance to the valley, and that those leaving the valley must not look directly into the waterfall lest they be cursed. They also believed that inhaling the mist of Bridalveil Fall would improve one's chances of marriage.
Geology
The glaciers that carved Yosemite Valley left many hanging valleys which spawned the waterfalls that pour into the valley. All of the waterways that fed these falls carved the hanging valleys into steep cascades with the exception of Bridalveil Fall. Bridalveil Creek still leaps into the valley from the edge of the precipice, although that edge has moved back into an alcove from the original edge of the valley. While Yosemite Falls seem to also fall into this category, the original course took the Yosemite Creek down a gorge to the west of its current location.[3] The primary source of Bridalveil Falls is Ostrander Lake, some 16 kilometres (9.9 mi) to the south.
When the wind blows briskly, the waterfall will appear to be falling sideways. During lesser water flow, the falls often don't reach the ground. Because of this, the Ahwahneechee Native Americans called this waterfall Pohono, which means Spirit of the Puffing Wind.[4]
See also
References
- ^ The official name is singular, see U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Bridalveil Fall.
- ^ "Things to see". Yosemite National Park. Retrieved 2005-09-20.
- ^ N. King Huber. "The Geologic Story of Yosemite Valley". USGS Western Region Geologic Information. Retrieved 2008-09-16.
- ^ Kroeber, A.L. (1993). Indians of Yosemite. Berkeley: California Indian Library Collections [distributor]. OCLC 58867540. Retrieved 2008-09-16.
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External links
- U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Bridalveil Fall
- Story of Bridalveil Fall, Pohono Indian legend.
37°43′00″N 119°38′47″W / 37.716753°N 119.646505°W
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