Yosemite Valley
February 13–14, 2026

Jamie and I were back in Yosemite Valley for our annual Firefall trip and Valentine’s getaway.

Friday was clear and warm for February. El Capitan stood massive as always against a blue sky as people gathered in the El Capitan picnic area to wait for sunset. In past years, I remember rows of tripods and long lenses. This year was a bit different. There were still a few cameras set up, but many people were just sitting in camp chairs with their phones, watching and waiting.

For a few minutes, the light looked promising. The granite started to warm up, and some excitement began to build in the crowd.

But there wasn’t much water in Horsetail Fall, and the glow never really showed up.

The next morning looked the same on the forecast. Clear again. Since there wasn’t enough water to make Firefall happen, we decided not to wait around for it. Instead, we headed up the Mist Trail toward Vernal Fall.

The climb is always a challenge. It’s steep, and it doesn’t let up. I’ve been focusing more on my health and diet lately, and this was honestly the easiest I’ve felt on this hike out of all the times I’ve done it. The sound of the water got louder as we climbed, and the air cooled as we moved closer to the falls.

Partway up the trail, there’s a side path that breaks off from the main stone steps. That’s where I set up the tripod. Vernal was flowing strongly, considering the dry winter we’ve been having, framed by granite and fallen logs. No sitting around in a camp chair waiting for the exact moment the angle of the sun is perfect. Just an amazing scene happening in the middle of a typical day.

On the hike back toward Curry Village, the trail quieted down. With pine needles underfoot, we noticed we had managed to ditch the crowds.

Behind the Photo

Some years, Firefall shows up for us.

Most years it doesn’t. But we keep coming back.