Frazil Ice and Snow Cone Formations in Yosemite

Stand on the Yosemite Creek bridge below Yosemite Falls in March and April and you may see frazil ice in the creek and a snow cone under the upper falls.

Author:: Staff
Publish date:: Jan 15, 2020

Frazil Ice on Yosemite Creek

Frazil ice in Yosemite Creek

It's like a big slushy machine. Stand on the Yosemite Creek bridge below Yosemite Falls in March and April. If the timing is just right, you may see something that is not ice, not snow, but something in between, flowing down the creek. It's frazil ice, small crystals of frozen mist that form on the falls and wash down the stream making a slurry.

As the slush builds up in areas, it stops and blocks the stream, causing the stream to detour to the nearest, lowest ground. The blockages often look like common snow but don't step on it or you'll go right down into the icy water.

Yosemite Falls Snow Cone

Snow cone that forms underneath Yosemite Upper Falls

Every winter at the base of upper Yosemite Falls, a mound of snow and ice forms reaching hundreds of feet tall. It resembles an upside-down snow cone.

Yosemite Falls.

Waterfalls, Lakes and Rivers in Yosemite

In no other place in the Sierra Nevada mountains can you see so many impressive waterfalls gathered together in one spot.

Merced River with El Capitan in the Background

Waterfalls, Lakes and Rivers in Yosemite

In late spring and early summer, when melting snow from Sierra Nevada peaks thunders down into the valleys below, it's easy to imagine how millennia of erosion has shaped the landscape of the park today.

Yosemite Valley and the Half Dome in Winter

Winter Activities

Winter and early spring are the only times to see a pair of fascinating natural phenomena in the Valley. Watch of video of winter moments.

Vernal Fall Overlook by Grant Ordelheide

A hero was made when Alec Smith leapt over the protective barrier at the top of Vernal Falls to save the life of a young boy. Most rescues don't turn out successful.

Waterwheel Falls in Yosemite. Photo by Grant Ordelheide

Waterfalls, Lakes and Rivers in Yosemite

If you're looking for solitude, there are many more hidden waterfalls throughout the park, which are nearly as beautiful as their valley sisters.

Hikers crossing a river in Yosemite National Park

Waterfalls, Lakes and Rivers in Yosemite

Yosemite has many wild waterfalls, rivers and streams, causing visitors who are unprepared and don't heed the posted warning signs to get into trouble.

Mirror Lake.

Waterfalls, Lakes and Rivers in Yosemite

Among the most beautiful natural attractions in Yosemite are its pristine lakes. Favorite include Mirror Lake, Tenaya Lake, and Hetch Hetchy Reservoir.

Rockfall at Yosemite Falls Lower Falls. Photo by James Sumner [CC-BY-SA-3.0], via Wikimedia Commons

Mountains & Landscapes

To get a good look at evidence of rockfall in any season, just follow the easy walking trails that lead right up to base of the valley's famous waterfalls, including Yosemite Falls and Bridalveil Fall.