Category: Canyons

Clouds, fog, and a rainbow in the Grand Canyon

Several days of cool and rainy weather across northern Arizona meant that there would be a chance of low clouds and fog in the Grand Canyon. The Grand Canyon under almost any condition is photogenic and rightfully named as one of the “Seven Wonders of the Natural World.” But it acquires a degree of surreal beauty when draped with clouds and fog infused with early morning light.

After browsing several weather sites to check on the latest radar, satellite, temperature and humidity data we decided that we would head out for the South Rim of the Canyon early the next morning. After awakening around 3 a.m., we were on the road by 4 a.m. and arrived at Desert View overlook around 5:30 a.m. Sunrise was 5:45 a.m. so this gave us some time to find a location and start taking pre-sunrise photos.

Fog in the Grand Canyon.
Fog in the Grand Canyon.

The fog was confined to a small side canyon located next to the Desert View overlook. This was remarkable as one side of the point of land was filled with fog while just a short distance away it was clear allowing a view deep into the canyon and the Colorado River below.

Sunrise light on the cliffs of the North Rim.
Sunrise light on the cliffs of the North Rim.

As the sun slowly climbed higher in the sky it began to produced dappled light on the cliffs on the North Rim. The higher elevation of the North Rim resulted in the clouds obscuring the cliff tops.

Sunrise and low clouds over the Grand Canyon.
Sunrise and low clouds over the Grand Canyon.

After an hour of shooting it was time to pack it up and move on to our next activity. We arrived at Grandview Point and started down the steep Grandview Trail to Horseshoe Mesa. This is an amazing trail and the engineering is wondrous. We returned to the top by noon to avoid the heat of the day and any potential for thunderstorms.

Rainbow in the Grand Canyon.
Rainbow in the Grand Canyon.

But now that we were back on top it was thunderstorms that I wanted so that I could photograph lightning. Although a few thunderstorms developed the lightning was unimpressive and distant and I was not able to capture any images. On the other hand, I was able to get a nice image of a rainbow below the rim. Because it was early afternoon and the sun was still high in the sky, the anti-solar point was well below the rim and so was the rainbow. It lasted only a few minutes and then it was gone.

Clouds, fog, beautiful sunrise, a great hike, and a rainbow. Not bad for one day.

Perseid meteors over the Grand Canyon

Although it is still a few days until the peak of the Perseid meteor shower, the combination of exceptionally clear skies and a waxing moon illuminating the interior of the Grand Canyon was too good to ignore. So we headed up to the South Rim arriving shortly after dark. Most folks had already left so we had the spot mostly to ourselves for the evening.

The wind was blowing a gentle breeze which kept bugs away. The evening temperature was comfortable—if not exactly warm. So we lay back on the rocks at the very edge of the canyon staring up at the stars and watched as a few meteors arced across the sky. This many days before the peak of the shower results in only a few Perseids per hour (compared to the maximum rate of up to a hundred per hour) but there were also “sporadics” (i.e., a meteor which is not associated with one of the regularly recurring meteor showers) to light up the sky.

Meteors above the Grand Canyon.
Meteors above the Grand Canyon.

This is a composite of two images taken a few minutes apart. There are two meteors visible: a Perseid in the constellation Cassiopeia and a very bright sporadic closer to the horizon.

The hourly rate should increase over the next few nights but the nearly full moon will make it difficult to see any but the brightest.

Grand Canyon by Moonlight

Star trails track across the northern sky as the first quarter moon lights up the interior of the Grand Canyon as viewed from Yavapai Point. The sunset-viewing crowds had already departed leaving the point to ourselves to enjoy in the warm—and breezy—evening.

Star trails above the moonlit interior of the Grand Canyon.
Star trails above the moonlit interior of the Grand Canyon.

The glow on the northwestern horizon is from the “Galahad” wildfire burning on the Kaibab Plateau. The spot of light farther east on the rim is from the North Rim facilities of the park. The streak of light just left of bottom center is from the headlamps of night time hikers. Given the very high temperatures encountered in the canyon at this time of the year, hiking at night can be a safe alternative to daytime travel. Finally, the spots of light towards the lower right are from Phantom Ranch where lodging and camping are available.

 

Rock Art in Red Tank Draw on a Warm Spring Day

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Not too far from the highway and only a short walk from a challenging forest service road are some amazing panels of rock art. Welcome to Red Tank Draw.

The draw is a deep wash draining from Rarick Canyon on the Mogollon Rim into Wet Beaver Creek, often carrying cold snow melt in the early spring. But today the flow of water was quiet and gentle. It’s been a warm and dry winter, after all.

From an article in the Red Rock News:

“Petroglyphs are the main attraction but multicolored lichens growing on the sheer rock walls can be found here as well, some forming designs as intriguing as the etchings.”

“As ancient as the rock art, lichens are the unlikely combination of a fungus and an algae (although sometimes a fungus and a cyanobacterium)”

On this warm spring day, we wandered up and down the draw examining numerous panels of rock art. We’ve been here before and knew where to look so we went for our favorites.

Rock art panel containing the "sabre tooth cat" along with colorful lichen.
Rock art panel containing the “sabre tooth cat” along with colorful lichen.

This panel is often referred to as the “sabre tooth cat” panel. It looks like a sabre tooth cat but is probably a more common feline predator such as a bobcat.

The premiere panel of rock art found in Red Tank Draw.
The premiere panel of rock art found in Red Tank Draw.

But the best panel is found on a large sandstone wall that has evidence of geologically recent rockfall. As the sun moves westward and shadows creep across this face the rock art becomes more impressive until, finally, a single spear of light pierces across the rock wall.

 

Some photographs from the early years: Part II

I”m still in the long process of scanning slide file from the pre-digital era. This week, I scanned some images from a trip to Utah in the spring of 1988. On our first travel day, we stopped at Fisher Towers to spend the night. While eating dinner the sun slowly sank in the western sky. And, then, for just a few minutes the colors on the towers was intense. Quick! Find the camera and fire off a few shots. It didn’t hurt that the moon was in the image to lend some balance.

Fisher Towers at sunset.
Fisher Towers at sunset.