For those lucky enough to secure reservations during this year's Horsetail Fall "window," here is the current info regarding parking/restrictions, etc.
And here is one from February 2014. Many photographers left early because clouds to the west threatened to choke off the necessary light. Patience, grasshopper! Nature often provides. And it did!
Moral: "It ain't over 'til it's over." Stay as long as necessary. Don't give up too soon.
Since the entire middle is closed along the river, where can everyone even go now? Is the El Capitan picnic area the only viewing place now? In my one previous failed attempt it seemed like the area along the river was the best and that's not an option.
akaMcBain wrote: Gorgeous
Thank you. Glad you liked it.
kurt765 - As the photos of the trampled river bank in the link make clear, we loved the park too much. Now, to paraphrase an old quote, "We had to destroy the Park in order to save it." Trampled areas will probably be closed to foot traffic until nature can restore itself. Stay tuned...
kurt765 wrote: Since the entire middle is closed along the river, where can everyone even go now? Is the El Capitan picnic area the only viewing place now?
While the picnic area, itself, is a primary viewing area, there are several locations on both sides of Northside Drive before you get to the picnic area that present decent views. Now, of course, likely to be more crowded since river bank is off limits.
Drawback is the walk from the Yosemite Falls parking area in the dark.
Ahhh, for those halcyon days when we could roam and park at will and commune with a smallish number of like-minded photographers who discovered the Horsetail phenomenon early on!
I was lucky to have photographed the scene many times beginning in 2006.
This today from the park: Modified Traffic Patterns Extended Through February 28
Due to the popularity of Horsetail Fall, from noon to 7pm expect one lane of traffic on the one-way section of Northside Drive, with no parking on both Northside and Southside Drives in western Yosemite Valley. Cars parked in undesignated areas may be impounded/towed.
Best regards,