fluid rock in the shadows of Antelope slot canyon
(more of my photos below)
Antelope Canyon in Arizona is among the most exquisite and rare creations on earth. It plunges over a hundred feet to the desert floor from its open rim, and water and wind have scoured it into shapes and colors beyond imagination.
The light in this slot canyon is best at midday, when the sun pours in like a waterfall and the sandstone striations become almost incandescent. But the day of my visit my alarm didn’t go off, and annoyed travelers were waiting in the van for me, worried we’d miss the light.
The driver sped us past ravines, towering Saguaro cactus and dry scrub along this land of the Navajo. We skipped shopping for turquoise trinkets and woven rugs, and I was worried. The photographers needed that good light. Would we miss it?
We arrived at the town of Page and jeeped with our Navajo guide to an unassuming rock formation in the desert. He explained that the beauty of this slot canyon lies deceptively within the rock. Over time, water from a nearby creek has cracked through the sandstone. As the water swirls in, round hollows appear and softer material washes away. A slot within the rock develops from a series of these convoluted hollows, connected by narrow passages of varying width and length. In deeper slots like Antelope, the hollows stacked on hollows climb to many stories: a magical, mystical cathedral of rock.
The canyon is dangerous when it rains; flash floods may pour in before there's time to escape, and hikers have drowned at Antelope. But this day was sunny. The only danger was missing the midday light.
We had traveled far for these precious moments within the canyon. We entered the dark canyon, single file, squeezing through an opening. I gasped, and then just aimed my point-and-shoot camera to capture the surreal world around me.
And yes! The sunlight poured from above, setting the walls aglow. From the rim, warm yellow and orange deepened to red to purple, to deep gray to black in the shadows. Waves, curls, arches, folds, curtains and whorls dazzled me as I maneuvered in a space where lines bent, up seemed down, and inside seemed out. Not an inch of it was less than magnificent.
If I had to choose the most visually stunning experience I can remember, it well might be my few minutes within Antelope Canyon on that sunny day.
Some abstract compositions:
light pouring from the rim
I turned this one around; rock swirls
striations in the glow
a fellow traveler, bathed in light pouring through the rim
a crevice with weeds (a nest?), and a waterfall of light
pool of light on the desert floor of the canyon
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David Kinne
Sean Murphy
Marcie J
Kathy Peacock
Christine Macdonald
Brian Carter
Salon.com
Comments
Monte
(Psst, put one at the top to tantalize... just sayin..)
Reminds me of a line from the Grateful Dead's "Estimated Prophet":
"Like an angel, standing in a shaft of light/
rising up to paradise/I know I'm gonna shine..."
Monte, the canyon was like a cathedral. Spiritual to the max.
Sally, you're right. I added one to the top. Thanks for watching my back.
My pleasure to share this, Steve. It is accessible to many, but few seem to know about slot canyons.
I’ve been through that area but didn’t have enough time. Arizona sure has some unique and amazing geological wonders.
David, many people drive by because from the outside slot canyons look just like big rock formations. The beauty is inside, like a geode.
There are not that many well-known ones. Antelope is probably one of the best known.
Rated
Rated
mistercomedy, I think that urban types (and I'm one) especially need to get out into nature and balance it out a bit. It's astounding to discover the beauty out there beyond the skyscrapers.
I've seen photos before of Antelope canyon, but you've got some real beauts here, Lea! I especially love the one of the fellow traveler bathed in light.
Breathtakingly beautiful. Thanks so much for this. :-D
Thumbed glowingly.
Bill, coming from you and thinking of the great photos I've enjoyed, high praise indeed.
j lynne, Penrose, Ablonde, many thanks. Glad you enjoyed the beauty with me.
Thanks so much for bringing this beauty to my day!
oh, and for those who do searches on tags, can you add "photo, photos, photography" to your tag group? thanks so much for this post.
But oh, those slot canyons can be dangerous. I once had to perform a funeral for a young person who'd been caught in one in a flood. To all who want Lea's experience for yourselves: Heed the warnings and don't go if there's even a hint of rain!
GeeBee, the pros had tripods and were battling for position. I, meanwhile was snapping away with my little camera. I will look at the link and imagine it will be mind-blowing.
Barry, would love to see your exquisite interpretations here. I'm a writer first. You are an artist. And could this be more different than the spare Prada store in the desert?
High Lonesome, yes even a bit of rain can pour in like the light and trap people with no way out. A group of Germans had been drowned there not long before I visited. Deadly beauty, like a trap.
Sao, it isn't that close to Monument valley. Closer to the Grand Canyon I think. But this is the relatively small innards of a rock formation. Different, but equally grand, in its way to the great canyons of the west. Like a great poem vs a great novel.
dynomyte, it is in the Navajo Nation, near Lake Powell. You have to go there with a private Navajo guide and it is in the middle of nowhere. Looks unimpressive from the outside. And then you enter another world. And yes, Sedona is another blessed place on earth.
and i almost didn't need the photos because of this:
"aglow. From the rim, warm yellow and orange deepened to red to purple, to deep gray to black in the shadows. Waves, curls, arches, folds, curtains and whorls dazzled me as I maneuvered in a space where lines bent, up seemed down, and inside seemed"
i copied it wrong. but your descriptions always amaze me. i have one favor to ask. could you possibly use a larger font size. yes, i can enlarge it but it gets all distorted. i'd be soooooo freaking grateful if you could make the font bigger on your pieces. i'm not the only older and crankier person on here. :) love love love and immense gratitude for taking me out of my deep dark funk today.
Rated for beauty and talent.
Buffy, that's what I felt when I entered. It was a spiritual experience and I can see why the Navajo have such an appreciation of nature.
mamoore, it's hard not to take a good photo there. I'm sure you have wonderful ones, too.
Denise, yes, these canyons are known for dangers of all kinds. They are confusing and complex besides being awesome.
If you venture this way again, please stop by and visit.
Lauren
Susan, if you're claustrophobic you may have some problems. But if it's a sunny day, you can see that there is plenty of natural light.
Bionic Man, majestic is a perfect word for this. Glad you visited.
Congratulations!! :)
In credible!