Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument in Winter

January 4, 2012

With the winter holidays presenting a few days off from work we decided to do a bit of close-to-home travel. Our destination was Page, Arizona, and from there we could visit some photographically-interesting sites as well as do some canyon hiking.

We arrived mid afternoon and headed for the Toadstools (also known as the Paria Rimrocks or the Rimrock Hoodoos), an otherworldly site that is part of the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument.

Located between Page, Arizona, and Kanab, Utah, it is easy to miss as there is only a small roadside sign and dirt parking lot as you travel on US Route 89. The trail is a short and easy hike of less than a mile.

Rimrock Hoodoos ("Toadstools") in the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument. — Rimrock Hoodoos (“Toadstools”) in the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument.

From the interpretive sign at the start of the trail: “What is a Toadstool? A toadstool is a spire-like feature with a boulder perched atop a pedestal rock, like a mushroom, or ‘toadstool’. It forms when softer rock erodes away, leaving a column sheltered from the wind and water.”

Such a mundane description for what are amazing pieces of natural rock art.

With afternoon light beginning to fade the colors were amazing. The downside was that it’s late December and even in the desert southwest it can get pretty chilly in the late afternoon. Finally, the sun set and the sky darkened ending an enjoyable afternoon of exploration and photography.

Late afternoon lighting across the Toadstools region.

The next day was spent at the better known Antelope Canyon — a part of the Navajo Nation Parks.

Lower Antelope Canyon, Navajo Nation Parks, near Page, Arizona. (HDR image).

We’ve been here a few times over the years but never get tired of viewing the fantastic sculpturing of the soft sandstone within the confines of this slot canyon.

Lower Antelope Canyon, Navajo Nation Parks, near Page, Arizona.

There are two distinct areas to visit: Upper Antelope Canyon and Lower Antelope Canyon. The upper canyon is much easier to walk as it has a smooth and generally flat sandy floor and is wide enough for people to move around. It is the recommended choice for those with limited hiking abilities or those that are uncomfortable in confined spaces. Lower Antelope Canyon requires moving through exceptionally narrow confines and climbing up and down steep ladders.

Snow melt pattern around a boulder in Catstair Canyon, Utah.

Lastly, we traveled back west towards Houserock Valley and did a short hike in Catstair Canyon. If you look carefully you will find some ancient petroglyphs on the sandstone walls of this short canyon. Far more interesting to us, however, was the snow melt pattern around this volleyball-sized boulder.

A Winter Visit to West Fork Oak Creek Canyon

December 26, 2011

Winter has settled in across northern Arizona with snow covering the ground and ice in the canyons. This is a beautiful time of the year for photography if you do not mind being cold while finding that special location.

Bare trees...rock walls...and ice covered streams in West Fork Oak Creek. — Bare trees…rock walls…and ice covered streams in West Fork Oak Creek.

We hiked up the West Fork of Oak Creek Canyon on a well-traveled but snow-packed and icy trail. Some sort of boot traction (e.g., YakTrax, Kahtoola) would have been useful but with care and an easy pace we were able to move about without any difficulties. The water level in the creek was about normal making for fairly easy stream crossings. And there are quite a few.

Reflections of canyon walls in West Fork Oak Creek.

The afternoon sun bouncing off the high canyon walls and then reflected in the water created the right setup for photographs and all that was needed was some interesting ice to complement the scene. We found plenty.

Canyon wall reflections and delicate ice in West Fork Oak Creek.

This is a moderately high-walled canyon and very little direct sun shines down on the canyon floor so that it remains quite chilly even in the afternoon. As long as we kept moving we stayed warm. Stop to take a picture — and get cold.

Deep shadows in the narrows of West Fork Oak Creek.

But it was worth it.

Snowfall at Slide Rock State Park in Oak Creek Canyon

December 7, 2011 / 1 Comment

Slide Rock State Park is a great place to visit. The water from Oak Creek becomes channeled as it flows through multiple layers of sandstone resulting in some deep and narrow pools of water. On a hot summer day the area is filled with people swimming and having a grand time.

If you arrive here early in the morning you can catch some beautiful light reflecting off the high sandstone cliffs onto the water below.

Water cascades through the sandstone, snow, and ice in Slide Rock State Park.

Earlier this year I had an opportunity to take part in a photo workshop at this location. After that summer workshop I was determined to return in the winter and capture some images with snow on the sandstone. Snow isn’t rare in this location — it’s at an elevation of around 5000 feet, after all. But snow doesn’t last long at these elevations in Arizona, either.

Slide Rock State Park with layers of ice, snow, and sandstone.

A recent series of snow storms put snow on the ground at elevations even lower than Slide Rock so this was a great opportunity. I left Flagstaff before sunrise and the temperature was a very cold 0°F at an elevation of 7000 feet. By the time I had descended down Oak Creek Canyon to 5000 feet the temperature had warmed to a balmier 19°F. To make it even more uncomfortable, there was a down-canyon wind blowing to bring on some wind chill.

Still, I was determined to try.

Slide Rock State Park, Oak Creek Canyon.

The lighting was very challenging as the upper canyon walls began to light up with the rising sun. The normally red rocks were brilliant with snow and it was all too easy to overexpose the upper portions of the canyon walls while being underexposed within the Slide Rock area.

Rather than try to capture “everything” it was more reasonable to focus on the water, rocks and snow that were all still in the deep shadows of the canyon.

A delicate cascade of water produces icicles on the leaves and branches.

As the sun rose higher and the shadows disappeared other photographers arrived. Perhaps they knew better than I that the best light was after the sun was higher in the sky. Or, perhaps just as likely, they weren’t willing to photograph in well below freezing temperatures. Either way, I had the area to myself for over an hour of shooting and I had a great time.

Vermillion Cliffs National Monument: An otherworldly place

May 12, 2011 / 1 Comment

Massive cliffs. Deep slot canyons. Unimaginably contorted rock formations. Vivid colors. Otherworldly. Amazing. Beautiful.

All these and more describe — yet fail to describe — the Vermillion Cliffs National Monument and the Paria Plateau.

The VCNM was established in November 2000 by a Presidential proclamation from existing public lands already under the management of the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). At that time, the beauty of this place was known mostly to locals, ranchers, explorers, and a few photographers. Since then, however, it has become famous world wide. Years ago I was surprised to see a poster advertising a lecture and slide show with a picture from the VCNM posted to a kiosk in Europe. At that time, some of the best information on this place could be found on European web sites. Apparently, Americans hadn’t yet discovered it.

Deep within the confines of Buckskin Gulch, Vermillion Cliffs National Monument.

A friend worked for the BLM in this area some years ago and would tell me about these amazing places but was hesitant to give directions how to get there for fear that increased crowds would damage the area. He was right, of course, but in todays Internet world and digital cameras it’s become challenging to keep a “secret spot” secret.

Lollipop Rock, White Pocket, Vermillion Cliffs National Monument.

Over the years we have visited Buckskin Gulch a couple of times traveling slowly down canyon while taking photographs but have yet to complete the entire trek to Paria Canyon. Perhaps if I travel without the camera I might make better time.

Sunset at White Pocket, Vermillion Cliffs National Monument.

We’ve also visited Coyote Buttes North and seen the Wave back in the day when permits were relatively easy to obtain. At least it was for us because a friend gave us his permits which he could not use. But we haven’t been to Coyote Buttes South yet.

Sunset and reflection at White Pocket, Vermillion Cliffs National Monument.

And, just recently, we finally made it to White Pocket. Travel to this location requires an adequate vehicle with appropriate driving skills. I have neither. So we chose to hire a guide and outfitter to take us there for the day. Sure, it cost a bit of money but it’s cheaper than getting stuck!

Deep and narrow: Buckskin Gulch, Vermillion Cliffs National Monument.

We encountered about a dozen other people there that day. I guess that’s a large crowd for this location. But the crowds are certain to increase with time and a permit system seems inevitable. Best to visit sooner — rather than later.

Winter storm visits West Fork Oak Creek

December 31, 2010

A powerful winter storm moved across Arizona in the last week of the year with substantial snow falling in the high country and even some snow flurries in the desert. In West Fork Oak Creek about 8-12 inches of snow fell in the canyon followed by very cold temperatures. The result was spectacular. Snow was draped across all the trees and even clung to the massive sandstone walls of the canyon. Water dripping down some of the rock walls fell and froze on whatever lay beneath creating some amazing ice art.