After parting ways with Steffen and Alexandra, I head south to a place called the Devil’s Garden. I think a better name would have been the Devil’s Playground. Within the space of a few acres there are countless rock formations which simply invite you to climb on and around them. Many of them look like carve sculptures of human forms.
Shooting at a low angle really accentuates the rock patterns, and every time we got ready to leave, one of us would spot another irresistible wave. Only the onset of threatening weather motivated us to continue on back towards the trailhead.
On the hike back from the slot canyon, Steffen and I stop to photograph the textures of this fascinating “wave” of stone.
Although the most interesting part of this slot canyon is rather short it is not without some interesting challenges due to an extremely narrow section. We arrive in time for noon sun which lights up the interior of the slot perfectly.
This morning I check the weather and the threat of rain is low so my plans to visit the Zebra slot canyon in the Grand Straircase Escalante National Monument are on. While checking in at the Escalante Ranger Station I bump into Steffen and Alexandra again (now for the fouth time) and sure enough they have the same destination in mind. I am happy to join up with Steffen for the five mile hike providing an additional measure of safety for both of us. Alexandra is not feeling well and stays with the cars at the trailhead.
The most interesting photographs happen when the sun is rising or setting. This afternoon the sun spent much of its time behind clouds and I was hoping that by sunset it would emerge to illuminate the cliffs at Paria View. My long wait was rewarded when a five minute window opened up where the sun cleared the clouds but was still high enough to light up the scene.
Hiking to the canyon floor provides a much different perspective of the amazing hoodoos.
My final destination for the day is Bryce Canyon which is simply awe inspiring. Even after clicking on this photo for a larger view it will not be big enough to appreciate the detail in this scene. I hope to create a 30 x 20 inch print which should do it justice. Unlike many of my prior destinations you can simply drive right up to any number of tremendous observation points to admire the thousands of hoodoos which can be found in Bryce.
I found the perspective from directly under the arch to be the most interesting and started to feel less disappointed about my aborted excursion to the Wahweap Hoodoos with each image.
I paused for almost an hour at the Grosvenor Arch which offers up many interesting photographic angles, this being one of the more traditional views with a good profile of the double arch.
This morning I attempt to reach the Wahweap Hoodoos. With just a few miles to go after an hour on a progressively less passable dirt road I am unable to climb out of a wash with the SUV and am forced to turn around empty handed. I used the shovel I had purchased to frequently groom the road ahead of me and to extricate myself when I got stuck. Without the shovel I would have no doubt been stranded for days. Returning to the comparatively well groomed Cottonwood Road pictured here I travel north along the Cockscomb so named for the triceratops like fins which emerge from the ground along most of the 2 hour traverse to HW 12.
After grabbing some food and fuel I decide to head over to Monument Valley. When I arrive 2.5 hours later winds are gusting to 50 mph and the air is so thick with dust that photography, let alone standing upright, is nearly impossible. Another 2.5 hours in the car back to Page where I treat myself to a cheap roadside motel and my first shower in 3 days. Although the later half of the day was a bust, the morning produced a treasure trove of images and a great hiking experience.
I spent hours in and around the buttes, often hiking through deep sand and enjoying one spectacular view after another. Fatigue and hunger eventually set in, and I knew it was time to head back when the rocks started to look like ice cream desserts.
Today, with winds gusting to 35mph, it was very easy to understand how these bizarre features were created. When sand is captured by the wind you get a powerful sandblasting machine. Not a very hospitable climate for delicate optical equipment or photographers for that matter.