Mesa Arch at Sunrise

Today was totally amazing and I have waited until returning to Vegas as I wished to share as much of it with you as possible and have now been able to add links to other photos of the day for those of you who wish to have a look - I do recommend it!

The day started with an alarm set for 5.15am, a quick shower and even quicker breakfast as no where was open and we just grabbed a sandwich from the garage. We drove for just over an hour into Canyonlands National Park where we parked the car and continued on foot following a well trodden path in fairly deep snow. We were heading for Mesa Arch to catch the sunrise. It was minus 10' and I had on several layers of everything so felt a bit like a Michelin man as I stomped behind my son who was more nimble footed despite carrying a heavy tripod and full camera gear. Three other photographers in similar outfits were already ahead of us eagerly setting up their tripods in pole position and as we waited several others joined us. I milled around trying to keep warm and realising that a Tuna sandwich was not the best choice for breakfast!! However it was fun watching folk arriving and taking in the view as we waited for the sun's appearance. Slowly but surely the sun rose until, for a glorious 15 minutes, reflected sunlight completely lit up the under side of the arch making it glow. By this time my camera had decided that it did not like the extreme cold and the focus mechanism kept making a noise as it struggled to work and I found I had to keep apologising for distracting the professional photographers!! Eventually it worked and I managed to catch the fabulous moment for myself.

The arch is formed by surface water pooling on the sandstone behind the arch which slowly eroded the rock. This resulted in a fairly narrow arch that is suspended across the edge of the mesa (an elevated area of flat land with sides that are steep cliffs), spanning 50' on top of a 500' vertical cliff. Apart from catching the first rays of the sun so magnificently the arch also frames the view of the rugged White Rim Canyon, appearing through the layers of cold mist below, against the background of the La Sal Mountains. A different shot of this view showcases one of the famous rock structures seen through the arch's 'window' which is known as 'the washer woman' as it looks like a woman bending over a washing tub.

From here we drove to the 'Island in the Sky' district of Canyonlands for a better view of the White Rim Canyon which has been carved out by the mighty Colorado River. Although the sun was now higher in the sky it was a very weak offering and it was still mighty cold so it was difficult to achieve much light and shade, but this panorama I hope gives you the impression of the expansive rugged terrain below which reveals how the Colorado River has worked its magic over the years eroding softer ground to reveal a breath-taking assortment of more resilient pillars, stacks and buttes . Another view here possibly gives an even better idea of the perspective as it includes the snow covered sandstone in the foreground.

We then dipped into Green River Overlook to see the canyon forged by the Green River which eventually joins the Colorado River. Then, in the afternoon we went into Arches National Park, but by this time the weak sun had all but disappeared into a very cold grey cloud making for very flat light for photography which was disappointing as the rock structures were different but spectacular and would have looked even more amazing if the red sandstone had been brought alive by sunlight. Nevertheless we enjoyed the very long drive through the park looking at structures such as The Three Gossips and the Balancing Stone which were my particular favourites. At about 2.30pm we parked the car and started on one of the trails to find the famous and much photographed Delicate Arch, which is also the symbol of Utah and appears on the number plates. The plan had been to trek the mile and a half to the arch in time for sunset but as the sun had now completely disappeared we simply trekked to see the arch. Bear in mind that I am still wearing double layers everywhere, the elevation is about 7,000' and the strenuous trek is across rock, encrusted with snow and ice, climbing about 500' (I confess I thought it was more!) before the final 5 minutes or so where the trail hugs the high mountainside and wraps around it in a C shape suddenly revealing the arch in all its magnificence. I admit to having struggled. However I somehow made it after just over an hour, thankful that my camera was just a light compact, and I am so delighted I did for it was a spectacular sight - a towering and completely free standing arch which seemed somehow to be inside the bowl of the mountain with the backdrop of the La Sal mountains. Maybe years ago it had formed part of the side of the mountain now eroded. It was pretty special.

I felt I had really earned my evening meal and was more than ready for bed especially as we had another very early start, this time because the weather was closing in and we needed to be on the road by 7am to avoid getting caught in snow.... I hope I have managed to bring you even a little of the magic of the day and you have enjoyed viewing some of the linked photos.