The Merced River is most well known for its swift and steep course through the southern part of Yosemite National Park, where it is the primary watercourse flowing through Yosemite Valley. The river's character changes dramatically once it reaches the plains of the agricultural San Joaquin Valley, where it becomes a slow-moving meandering stream.
El Capitan (Spanish for The Captain, The Chief) is a vertical rock formation in Yosemite National Park, located on the north side of Yosemite Valley, near its western end. The granite monolith extends about 3,000 feet (900 m) from base to summit along its tallest face, and is a popular location for rock climbers and BASE jumpers.
The natural phenomenon that makes it appear that lava is flowing over a cliff at Yosemite National Park is back, but only for a few days. "Firefall" is the name for the natural magic trick that creates the illusion at the park in California. It comes to life when the setting sun causes light to hit the waterfall at just the right angle. You can only see "Firefall" for a short time in February, and it draws hundreds of visitors each night. How it looks varies from year to year, and relies on how much water is flowing in Horsetail Fall.
