George writes:
Has anyone brought up to you a tradition that used to be practiced in the campgrounds of Yosemite, usually after dark. People would call out the name, “Elmer.” (Drawing the name out into a long single call.) If you’ve heard of this can you tell me how this got started.
I actually DO know why people called out the name Elmer at dusk. I first heard about it on California’s Gold, a PBS program put on by Huell Howser (Huell Howser. 1996. “California’s Gold: Yosemite’s Firefall,” Huell Howser Productions, KCET / Los Angeles. 30 min.).
It harkens back to the days when Curry Village used to put on the firefal and was part of the calls issued between Curry Village and Glacier Point to start the firefalll.
There’s lots of information about it online (google: firefall elmer yosemite) or on yosemitefirefall.org, a great site with rememberances about the original firefall.
Thanks for the question!