It’s been a warm and dry fall and up until a few days ago only about one inch of snow has fallen. That all changed yesterday and today and we have had about 18″ of new snow in the Flagstaff area with more to come. Instead of our NATRA group trail run today some of us went cross-county skiing (but I forgot the camera!). So, here are a few shots from the neighborhood instead.
A late season storm brought snow to the high country of Flagstaff where almost a foot of snow fell over the weekend. But snow also occurred in the lower elevations including Oak Creek Canyon. Here was a final opportunity of the season to photograph new-fallen snow on the red rocks of Slide Rock State Park.
Unlike my previous snow photo shoot here back in early December temperatures were considerably warmer. (On that cold morning it was below zero in Flagstaff and only in the upper teens at Slide Rock State Park.) In fact, the temperatures remained above freezing overnight in this part of Oak Creek Canyon. This meant that the snow had been melting all night long leaving only patches on the ground. On the other hand, the relative warmth also meant that the rocks were only wet rather that covered in ice as in that previous session. So this made walking around substantially safer.
Low clouds hung over northern Arizona that morning and the light was dull and flat as a result. Consequently the photographs don’t have the *pop* they might otherwise have if there was sunrise light reflecting off the high cliffs above the creek. Still, the juxtaposition of snow on the red rock is always worth a chance.
Afterwards, a trip to the Indian Gardens Oak Creek Market was in order. Having a hot cup of coffee after a chilly morning of shooting is always welcome. And their bakery items are pretty good, too.
A major winter storm dropped anywhere from one to two feet of snow in the Flagstaff area this weekend. The mountains got even more with some areas reporting more than four feet of new snow.
Deep snow was sitting on this table and set of chairs in front of one of my favorite coffee shops — the Kickstand Kafe. The weight of the snow was pushing the snow below it through the vertical bars of the chair back resulting in thinly sliced snow.
Living near the mountains and at a high elevation in Flagstaff has its benefits. One of them is the opportunity to capture amazing images of the San Francisco Peaks as the seasons and weather change.
Recent snowfalls provided two very different views of the Peaks. First we have the peaks obscured by clouds. A laminar wave cloud floats above the peaks while other clouds cloak the summits. Skiers and hikers at the top of the mountain are hidden in the clouds and fog only to drop out of the bottom of the cloud as they descend.
Another image captures the final moments of sunset as the snow turns red across the peaks. These colors might only last for a minute or two before quickly fading away.
The price we pay for these incredible views? Long winters, cold temperatures, and roads that don’t seem to get plowed quickly enough — or at all.
A fair trade.
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.
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.
The next day was spent at the better known Antelope Canyon — a part of the Navajo Nation Parks.
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.
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.
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.