|
May, 2003: Back from Canyonlands National Park in Utah. Spent just 4 nights there; one at a site off the White Rim Road and three in The Needles district.
I pull into the Islands in the Sky district at about 4:00 in the afternoon, fresh out of Denver. I ask about the campground, but it's full. There is the option of BLM land, or paying $30 for a backcountry camping permit. I learn that this would be good for 14 days. I opt for the permit, and learn that my campsite destination is "Hardscrabble Bottom #1" on the White Rim Road. I ask about taking the road around in my Jeep Grand Cherokee, and he said that should work fine.
Through the Joint Trail
|
|
|
|
 |
|
Spent the night at Hardscrabble after going down the Mineral Bottom Road, and the next morning, I continue around. Most seasoned 4-wheelers will laugh when I say that the White Rim Road was harrowing! Most of it's not, of course, but there were sections: narrow passages between boulders and a (sheer) 200' drop, for example, with NO room for error. Nonetheless, I began taking pictures, with unfortunately the first 5 set on a white balance of "fluorescent".
About 1/2 way around the 100 mile road, I came across a Toyota Rav 4 that was pulled over on a hill. Stuck Chinese, from California. They had spent the night there, and I was the first person they'd seen since. Of course, they didn't now that I'd finally figured out that this road was 100 miles long - not 50 - and that I was hell-bent on getting out of there before my gas ran out. They calculate that they took 4 hours to get there. So, it would take me 4 hours to get out to tell someone, and 4 hours for that help to arrive. It would be more likely, though, that there were going to be good-Samaritan 4WD people that would come along Any Minute Now, happy to help with their winches and tow-straps. They undoubtedly got out well before 8 hours.
A stuck Rav-4 on the White Rim Road, Utah
|
 |
|
I am always initially disappointed with shots I've taken when I first see them. It was particularly true again this time, as I don't think I captured the weirdness of the Needles district in Canyonlands NP. I arrived at The Needles after finishing up the White Rim Road in the Islands district, leaving there at about 2 pm. I'd driven the White Rim in about 10 hours, where most people would want to take a lot more time (it always takes me the first couple days of vacation to "wind down" and take things in. I should've taken a pill).
After a quick stop (for ice) in Moab, I set my sites on The Needles, quickly checking out Newspaper Rock along the way. Again, a full campground, so I added on to the backcountry pass I'd bought in the Islands district, and set out to "CP1", a campsite in Chessler Park, only about 3 miles from the Elephant Hill Trailhead. The pack had to have been close to 50 lbs., with my 5 pound tripod, camera, and a gallon of water. But it was only about 4:30 pm, and a lovely 70°F.
A favorite Newspaper Rock design. Whacked in Photoshop. Sorry.
|
 |
|
I should mention that I'd asked a couple of rangers at the Needles whether I could take my Jeep Grand Cherokee over Elephant Hill. I got two negatives. Now, I think I could: once I got skid plates and was willing to suffer body damage. So, while I got the impression that Elephant Hill isn't to be taken lightly, I think that some of the best scenery wasn't in the Grabens (Elephant Hill's eventual destination),
but through Elephant Canyon and into Chessler park - essentially all around the Graben area.
I camped, and during that evening tried to capture the area in twilight. The next morning, I set out for the Devil's Kitchen by way of the Joint Trail - taking pictures in the bright mid-day sun - something that is photographically undesirable. I'm finding, though, that the rock sometimes comes out in amazing color at that time (and a polarizer helps). I did get a glimpse of the classic desert rock color at dawn and dusk, but I wasn't able to get a shot that captured this: In the Needles, one group of rocks blocks the low-angle dawn (or dusk) light of whatever you're trying to photograph. This was at least true in the part of Chessler Park I was in, for that time of year.
I do want to go back and try to get up either Salt Creek, Horse, Davis, or Lavender Canyons. The trail through Elephant Canyon to Druid Arch looks like fun. And, as yet I've not done the touristy thing in the Islands in the Sky district (I've not made it past the Visitor's Center!). If you are interested in Anasazi ruins, the Beef Basin Road will take you into Ruin Park, where I've heard that, "...everywhere you think that could be a good place for a ruin, you'll probably find one". My personal goal is to take some images of ruins like John Sextons. Perhaps I'll take his "Southwest Landscape: A Sense of Place" workshop if there's one next year (more on this at JohnSexton.com).
See everything I thought worth posting at Bentwave's Canyonland's gallery.
|
|
|
