Glacier Point Hotel

Glacier Point Hotel
The Glacier Point Hotel veranda.
General information
Location	Glacier Point, Yosemite National Park, California, United States
Coordinates	37°43′51″N 119°34′22″W / 37.73083°N 119.57278°W / 37.73083; -119.57278
Opening	1918
Closed	July 9, 1969
Management	Yosemite Park & Curry Company
Technical details
Floor count	3
Design and construction
Architect(s)	Daniel Gutlebin[1]
Developer	The Desmond Park Service Company
Other information
Number of rooms	80

The Glacier Point Hotel was a historic chalet-style hotel, located at 7,240 feet (2,207 m) above sea level, the highest elevation for a hotel in the West. Constructed in 1917 in the rustic style, it was an architectural marvel with stunning views of Half Dome and Yosemite Valley. Notable for its massive fireplace, carved from a single boulder weighing over a million kilograms, the hotel was also the venue for the iconic Yosemite Firefall spectacle where burning embers were pushed off the point to create a visually stunning 'burning waterfall'. Despite its unique location and features, the hotel grappled with numerous challenges such as a short tourist season, a remote location, and water shortages. After severe damage due to heavy snowfall in the winter of 1968–69, the hotel was destroyed by an electrical fire in July 1969. Despite proposals for rebuilding, including the idea of an aerial tramway by MCA, the site eventually became subject to restrictions against commercial development. Today, remnants of the hotel's foundations remain at the site, along with a granite amphitheater and a visitor center.