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Bridalveil Fall is one of the most prominent
The glaciers that carved Yosemite Valley left many
Story of Bridalveil Fall, Pohono Indian legend.
{{Authority control Geology of Yosemite National Park Waterfalls of Yosemite National Park Waterfalls of Mariposa County, California Tourist attractions in Mariposa County, California Plunge waterfalls
waterfall
A waterfall is a point in a river or stream where water flows over a vertical drop or a series of steep drops. Waterfalls also occur where meltwater drops over the edge of a tabular iceberg or ice shelf.
Waterfalls can be formed in severa ...
s in the Yosemite Valley
Yosemite Valley ( ; ''Yosemite'', Miwok for "killer") is a glacial valley in Yosemite National Park in the western Sierra Nevada mountains of Central California. The valley is about long and deep, surrounded by high granite summits such as Hal ...
in California
California is a state in the Western United States, located along the Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the most populous U.S. state and the 3rd largest by area. It is also the m ...
.
The waterfall is in height and flows year round.
Geology
The glaciers that carved Yosemite Valley left many hanging valley
A valley is an elongated low area often running between hills or mountains, which will typically contain a river or stream running from one end to the other. Most valleys are formed by erosion of the land surface by rivers or streams over ...
s that spawned the waterfalls that pour into the valley. Most of the waterways that fed these falls carved the hanging valleys into steep cascades, however 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
Yosemite Falls is the highest waterfall in Yosemite National Park, dropping a total of from the top of the upper fall to the base of the lower fall. Located in the Sierra Nevada of California, it is a major attraction in the park, especially in ...
seem to also fall into this category, the original course took the Yosemite Creek down a gorge to the west of its current location. The primary source of Bridalveil Fall is Ostrander Lake, some to the south.
In a brisk wind, the falling water is often blown sideways, and when the flow is light, it may not reach the ground directly below. Because of this, the Ahwahneechee Native Americans called this waterfall "''Pohono''", which means "Spirit of the Puffing Wind".
See also
*Yosemite Firefall
The Yosemite Firefall was a summer time event that began in 1872 and continued for almost a century, in which burning hot embers were spilled from the top of Glacier Point in Yosemite National Park to the valley below. From a distance it appeare ...
* List of waterfalls
This list of notable waterfalls of the world is sorted by continent, then country, then province, state or territory. A waterfall is included if it has an existing article specifically for it on Wikipedia, and it is at least high, or the fa ...
References
External links
*Story of Bridalveil Fall, Pohono Indian legend.
{{Authority control Geology of Yosemite National Park Waterfalls of Yosemite National Park Waterfalls of Mariposa County, California Tourist attractions in Mariposa County, California Plunge waterfalls