cataract on the west slope of the Sierra Nevada in Yosemite National Park, east-central California, U.S. The waterfall, fed mainly by melting snow, has a height of 620 feet (189 metres) and forms one of the most scenic features in the park. Its name derives from the veil-like appearance of the fall when the area's frequent winds blow the mist sideways. This phenomenon also figures in the Native American name for the fall; they called it Pohono, meaning “Spirit of the Puffing Wind.”