Zion-Fall 2010

My first day back in Zion turned out to be hazy, with crummy light. Often times, it's better to just exclude the drab sky and focus on other points of interest. I used my telephoto zoom to make these massive cliffs look close together.

The next day was brilliantly perfect for photography. Alas, my plans for the day were thwarted, due to weekend traffic and intense road construction near the long tunnel. Parking was at a premium and most of the turnouts were clogged with the idle road construction equipment. I kept driving until I reached the east entrance, then turned around and finally found an empty space to park. Luckily, all of this higher terrain excited my camera eye.

I spied this "slot canyon" from the highway and decided that it wouldn't be difficult to approach it from a mile away. The reflected light makes this picture so compelling, and the canyon was so narrow in one spot that I had to take my backpack off and squeeze through sideways. I also had to do some tricky rock climbing in my attempt to go as far up the canyon as I could.

These higher elevation parts of Zion offer a lot more places to hike than around the cliffs of Zion Canyon. It is also noticeably cooler, while still being exceptionally beautiful.

The texture of this particular rock is reminiscent of a lakeshore as the water level goes down. Sandstone erodes into tiny specks of sand, and over thousands and thousands of years, you end up with these wonderful, everchanging textures.

The Last of Zion

One of the great joys of digital photography is the ability to take almost as many pictures as your heart desires. In fact, I noticed that my arms and back was sore from taking so many pictures. Another great joy is exploring through the pictures and finding some overlooked gems.

My last day in Zion included this morning shot of the Patriarchs. It was well worth the 20 minute stop on the way in, riding the shuttle bus.

Towering above the upper Emerald Pool, the cliff walls offer such great opportunities for "natural abstracts" that I am so fond of.

This has to be THE most unusual grove of trees I have ever seen. Pines don't like competition for sunlight but, THIS is ridiculous!

The loop trail back down the canyon had some surprises along the way. The trail went between two gigantic boulders and this tree decided it needed to be right in the middle.

Also along the way is this nice overhang complete with two waterfalls you can walk behind. I'll bet springtime is the best time for this hike, although the fall colors and perfect weather made this trip so great.

Plan Z, for Zion!

My last day in Zion was a glorious one, although the great conditions were in doubt just the night before. I was somewhat rested up after the 8.5 mile hike in Bryce Canyon so, I felt ready to hit the trails again. The mandatory Zion shuttle system was still in place for just one more day so, I found a place to park above the Visitors Center and got on the shuttle.

The light was very good and the angle of the sun was just right for some parts of this amazing canyon. I want to be up THERE!

Here at the lower elevations, cottonwoods and maples still had their leaves, and the peak of color hadn't arrived yet. This Sunday morning hike was idyllic, with plenty of friendly people hiking the many trails.

I had decided to take the relatively easy Emerald Pools Trail all the way up to the Upper Pool. Some people do not climb the last third of a mile of more difficult hiking. This is what they miss out on, as you arrive at the Upper Pool. I literally stood there and gawked at the immense grandeur of these regal orange cliffs.

While the pool isn't exactly "Emerald", it still provides a wonderful contrast to the arid cliffs and dry landscapes. I had almost 10 minutes of peace before rowdy kids arrived. I worried for their safety climbing on the huge, slippery, sandy boulders. (I also worried for the adults climbing on them who should know better.)

As it was time to head back down the canyon, my planning had worked out great with the sun at my back. You will always have the shadows at Zion this time of year but, finding ways to artfully use them is important. My next Zion post will show the pleasantly different views I saw on the other trail back down the canyon.

More Zion, please!

The day after the 9 mile hike in Bryce, I needed a break from serious hiking and decided to take an afternoon drive up to the end of the road in Kolob Canyon. I found some excellent lighting and some nice mixed clouds.

I'm always drawn to the ever-changing colors and patterns on Zion's rock cliffs. Add in the water seeps, plants and sky and you have all the basic building blocks of great photography.

Finally utilizing my telephoto lens, I've brought these distant cliffs much closer.

Just like a postcard, eh? Nice but, not very "artsy".

I like how that tree at the bottom of the cliff shows how really huge this mere portion of a Zion cliff really is.


Such dramatic ruggedness is so very common in Zion. The cliffs of sandstone at Zion are the tallest in the entire world. So much of the wonders of Zion go unseen.

Back in Zion!

A cloudy day and a long walk in a "finger canyon" resulted in some pretty nice pics, at first looks. The cloudy day guaranteed that I would have to play around with settings and do lots of editing but, I was able to select enough shots that didn't require any adjustments.

This area led me astray of my goal up-canyon but, I did happen to find something to capture. An interesting cave beckoned but just wasn't accessible to me without gear and a partner.

This area is considerably diverse in the types of plants and trees that grow in this narrow and deep canyon. Chances are, these pines are over 300 years old, with sometimes very abrupt growing seasons.

The textures and striations in the rock are just fascinating. Apparently, this rock is relatively erodible but, only in the tiniest of chunks of sand.

The fall colors were clearly past their primes but, a few trees were still clinging to their yellowing leaves. The oaks in the canyon had already dropped theirs. The boxelders and a few cottonwoods supplied some nice yellow to go along with all the rest of the great color in Zion.

With the difficult conditions, I tried to avoid excessive contrast from the sky and concentrated on some fine-artsy stuff dealing with colors and textures. I did a lot of them today, so some will be hits and some will be misses.