Some people will argue that California has some of the best sunsets in the world. But in Yosemite, gorgeous colors are spotted not only in the sky but also on the mountain peaks.
With the right atmospheric conditions and perfect timing, visitors witness one of the park’s most gorgeous moments when the hills blush. The phenomenon, which lasts only a few minutes, is called alpenglow.
“The word alpenglow is derived from the German language and dates back to the 1860s, the same era of the Yosemite Grant and the seed of the national park idea. The word perhaps reflects a time of shifting European and American values regarding nature in the late 19th century,” the national park wrote in a Facebook post.
The colors seen at sunrise and sunset are caused by a process called scattering, according to the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Molecules and tiny particles in the air scatter light rays, making them change direction. The colors in the sky depend on the light’s wavelength and particle size.
During the day, short-wavelength blue and violet colors are scattered more, so that’s why we usually see blue sky. But during sunrise and sunset, the sun is low, and its light passes through more air. This scatters violet and blue light away, leaving yellow, orange and red hues. The sun appears red on the horizon due to the light’s long path blocking other colors.
Some people say that alpenglow happens when direct sunlight causes the hilltops to turn red, but experts say the phenomenon can occur only during twilight — the first or last light that occurs right before sunrise or after sunset. Even though the sun is below the horizon, light reflects off atmospheric elements and turns the mountaintops red, according to the Journal.
The glowing red hills are ideal for photography. For some of the best places to catch alpenglow in Yosemite, head to Tunnel View, Glacier Point Amphitheater, Tuolumne Meadows or Stoneman Meadow an hour before sunrise or right at sunset. And make sure you don’t miss that glowy moment; it lasts only a few minutes.