A rainbow materializes under the moonlight at Lower Yosemite Falls.

After a long day of flying/driving to Yosemite, setting up my campsite then wandering the park until I reached the realization I was actually here, the sun had set and dark descended. It was late May 2016, moonbow season, and Yosemite is one of the rare places in the world where rising moon and waterfall mist align at the perfect geometric angle to produce a rainbow under the night sky.  As I followed the light of my headlamp down the paved path to Lower Yosemite Falls, my heart raced as I hastened my pace.  After what seemed like an enormous trek I arrived early enough to snag a prime spot along the bridge and chatted with photographers next to me while waiting for the moon to rise. For some it was the next annual mecca, but others were anxiously awaiting seeing the sights for the first time.  You could differentiate by the size of our pupils.

As the moon broke over the trees there was a hushed silence followed by the rattle of shutters.  It was difficult to make out the individual bands of color and what I saw instead was an ethereal white band stretching the width of the waterfall.  The moonbow slowly descended to the base, and with the cool wind blowing, the swift water flowing, and my soul glowing it was a sight I cannot describe in words.

Luckily, I have a photo.