Canyons
Canyons
Buckskin Gulch, located in the Paria Canyon-Vermilion Cliffs Wilderness area, is the longest and deepest slot canyon in United States and possibly the world.
Marked by their sinuous carved rock, typically sandstone, slot canyons are often formed through water erosion over long periods of time. Flash floods are what make these strikingly beautiful canyons also some of the most dangerous to hike, with the runoff from a storm ten miles away potentially leading to the canyon on a day with clear skies.
These walls form their own abstract art where light reveals and conceals form, changing each minute with the path of the sun. On my third venture into this slot canyon, the light caught this particular patch of sandstone highlighting its sinuous nature allowing for an eerie contemplation of the form itself.
Buckskin Gulch, located in the Paria Canyon-Vermilion Cliffs Wilderness area, is the longest and deepest slot canyon in United States and possibly the world.
Marked by their sinuous carved rock, typically sandstone, slot canyons are often formed through water erosion over long periods of time. Flash floods are what make these strikingly beautiful canyons also some of the most dangerous to hike, with the runoff from a storm ten miles away potentially leading to the canyon on a day with clear skies.
These walls form their own abstract art where light reveals and conceals form, changing each minute with the path of the sun. This patch in particular caught my eye, not only for its abstract nature, but the small patch of life growing along its walls.
Buckskin Gulch, located in the Paria Canyon-Vermilion Cliffs Wilderness area, is the longest and deepest slot canyon in United States and possibly the world.
Marked by their sinuous carved rock, typically sandstone, slot canyons are often formed through water erosion over long periods of time, often coming from flash floods. This is what make hiking these beautiful canyons so dangerous. A storm from ten miles away can funnel into the canyon on a day with clear blue skies.
The plant growth on the side of this canyon is a unique sight. Small amounts of water and sunlight find their way to these plants allowing them to survive in this surreal environment.
Buckskin Gulch, located in the Paria Canyon-Vermilion Cliffs Wilderness area, is the longest, deepest slot canyon in United States and possibly the world.
Marked by their sinuous carved rock, typically sandstone, slot canyons are often formed through water erosion, particularly flash floods. This is also what make these beautiful canyons so dangerous, as water can be carried from a rainstorm several miles away bringing a sudden flash flood during clear skies with no escape route available.
I was amazed by the plants lining these walls, positioning themselves to receive the most light, showing again life’s ability to survival and thrive in the most unlikely places.
Buckskin Gulch, located in the Paria Canyon-Vermilion Cliffs Wilderness area, is the longest and deepest slot canyon in United States and possibly the world.
Marked by their sinuous carved rock, typically sandstone, slot canyons are often formed through water erosion, particularly flash floods. These are what make these beautiful canyons so dangerous, as water can be carried from a rainstorm many miles away leading to deadly flash flood during clear skies with no escape route.
Fairly deep into the canyon at this point, I had made sure to observed several weather apps before embarking. Two years earlier with only one day to hike it, I called off the hike due to a 1% chance of rain. I later found out that chance was responsible for flooded the canyon, trail, and road all the way to US Route 89, a distance of three miles.
Buckskin Gulch, located in the Paria Canyon-Vermilion Cliffs Wilderness area, is the longest and deepest slot canyon in United States and possibly the world.
Marked by their sinuous carved rock, typically sandstone, slot canyons are often formed through water erosion over long periods of time. Flash floods are what make these strikingly beautiful canyons also some of the most dangerous to hike, with the runoff from a storm ten miles away potentially leading to the canyon on a day with clear skies.
These walls form their own abstract art where light reveals and conceals form, changing each minute with the path of the sun. This patch in particular caught my eye, evoking nature’s version of yin and yang.
Buckskin Gulch, located in the Paria Canyon-Vermilion Cliffs Wilderness area, is the longest and deepest slot canyon in United States and possibly the world.
Marked by their sinuous carved rock, typically sandstone, slot canyons are often formed through water erosion over long periods of time and are particularly prone to flash floods. With these floods comes large debris, and often it does not always escape the canyon.
The base of this large tree is one such beautifully eerie example, requiring some maneuvering to proceed further into the canyon. On the way back I made sure to highlight this unique occurrence with one quick shot.
Canyon de Chelly National Monument is a joint venture between Navajo Nation and The National Park Service to preserve this unique area of land. The ruins throughout the monument are remnants of the Anasazi who inhabited the region between 750 and 1300 CE.
These people built their domiciles into the sides of the canyon, which offered protection from the elements as well as neighboring enemies. The land is now owned by Navajo Nation and is a sacred site. It is unique for an NPS area in that the Dinë people live on and farm the land.
The sheer size of the canyon is a sight to behold, and this area has been the fascination of photographers since the 1800s, with photographer Edward S. Curtis being one of the first to show its massive scale on celluloid.
Artist’s Point is one of the most spectacular places to view the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone. Located on the south rim, it offers one of the most iconic views in the entire park — a dramatic panorama of the Lower Yellowstone Falls framed by the colorful, rugged canyon walls.
It was thought, although it may be another location nearby, to be the location where artist Thomas Moran sketched his famous images during the 1871 Hayden Expedition, which helped lead to Yellowstone’s designation as the first National Park.
This photograph required an early wakeup call while the roads were still covered in a thick grey fog. When we arrived it was finally beginning to burn off, and the yellows of the morning sun coated this beautiful jagged canyon in light.
Artist’s Point is one of the most spectacular places to view the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone. Located on the south rim, it offers one of the most iconic views in the entire park — a dramatic panorama of the Lower Yellowstone Falls framed by the colorful, rugged canyon walls.
It was originally thought, though it may be another nearby location, to be the location where artist Thomas Moran sketched his famous images during the 1871 Hayden Expedition, which helped lead to Yellowstone’s designation as the first National Park.
This photograph required an early wakeup call while the roads were still covered in a thick grey fog. When we arrived it was finally beginning to burn off, and the yellows of the morning sun coated this beautiful jagged canyon in light.
Starved Rock State Park in LaSalle County, Illinois transforms into a stunning winter landscape, and its waterfalls freeze into towering columns of ice. These frozen waterfalls are a major seasonal attraction, drawing hikers, photographers, and ice climbers to the park’s deep sandstone canyons.
Formed by melting snow and natural springs, the waterfalls normally flow through narrow cliff faces, but in winter, they become massive ice formations, sometimes reaching over 80 feet tall. The contrast between the icy formations and the ancient, rust-colored rock walls creates a dramatic and otherworldly scene.
This photo required some careful maneuvering to get to the right position as well as making sure my tripod stayed stable on the ice. Taken earlier in my career, I had not come to appreciate the magic of crampons when navigating slick ice.
Antelope Canyon, located in northern Arizona within the Navajo Nation right outside the town of Page, is one of the most picturesque slot canyons in the world. Running over 23 miles, it was formed over millennia through consistent erosion, primarily through the actions of flash floods that sculpt the sandstone rock into smooth, undulating forms.
Having traveled to Page numerous times, I had always opted for Buckskin Gulch, another slot canyon in the area that resides on BLM land and does not require a paid tour. My fourth time in the area I decided to partake on a tour and the views did not disappoint. Guided by a local Diné (Navajo) tour guide, I was entreated to various stories of Navajo belief as well as given a private photography tour of the canyons.
The canyons continually conceal and reveal form throughout the day, as the sun follows its path across the sky. My tour followed a relatively short section of the greater Antelope Canyon, and yet I found I could have spent days here and never arrive at the same photo twice. This abstract section reinforces the stunning tonality and color nature creates in the shade of these canyons.