High Spur

[MonikaC]

On my way to the Grand Canyon, I went back to a slot canyon I'd been to a few times before: 1st time with my dog and the forecast changed from 50% chance of showers to 70% heavy rain. That became a recon trip. I turned around at the 1st rappel as I didn't think I could haul my 50# dog back up a 15' pour-off. The 2nd time I went solo, brought rope, ascenders and etriers as it's a natural anchor slot canyon and the anchor for the pour-off I'd turned around at, while the webbing ladder looked marginally OK, the webbing anchoring it to a jammed log looked totally scary. I went farther down canyon, to where it really opened up, & deciding it looked like it would stay that way, I turned back. When I took my pack in to be patched, I learned that I was about 25 minutes short of the business. Something like 2 years later, I went back. This time with a mirrorless camera instead of my 1Dx, ropes but no ascenders or etriers or dog. As it turned out, I wasn't 25 minutes from the business when I had last turned back, but less than 10 minutes. I was able to go into the part called the "corkscrew", but not all the way through as there were potholes that were probably 7-8" deep and had a rounded ledge that was maybe a foot wide between them. Not a sharp edge in sight. I ended putting my pack down, upright, standing on top of it & jumping for the far side of the ledge. That way I got enough body contact that I could kind of ooze up onto the ledge. On the other side was another, deeper pothole and I don't know how many after that. No way to traverse around them and too big to step across. I hauled my pack up to me to shoot as I wasn't confident that I would be able to successfully repeat the move in the subsequent potholes. Tripod placement was kind of a joke as I could get 2 legs steady, but the 3rd, no matter how creative I got, just wasn't going to happen where I could a composition I liked.
The walk out was gradually uphill and the sand and gravel seemed deeper and looser than on the way in. The 50 miles of dirt road (high clearance in places), cold beverage in hand, back to pavement felt like a vacation.

This is a 3 exposure blend

 

[JimFox]

I really enjoyed your write up about the trip, very interesting reading and you pulled me in to where I could feel like I was there also. Good job on the writing.

Now your photo is super cool! What amazing structure and good job with the blending of this. And while I do like this one a lot, I think I might try a crop where you lose that bottom sky opening. The opening is cool in giving the viewer a look at what you were seeing, but in terms of a photograph, I think it's pulling my eye away from the main scene too much.

Of course now.... the more I sit here and just enjoy the view of this, the more I am enjoying it just as it is...

 

[JimFox]

Congrats on the Daily Featured Post Monika!

 

[Jameel Hyder]

Lovely image Monika. Nice work on the blend and interesting narrative to go with it.

 

[Mike Mancil]

Wow, what a great shot. Next time I encounter a difficult shot I’ll just “ooze” up to it . Really good stuff, the image and commentary.

 

[AlanLichty]

I love the textures in the rocks and the light. Sweet shot that's probably even better for you knowing how many tries it took to get there.

 

[Bart Carrig]

Great story and image, Monica. You give photography a real "3D" feel. The adventure is as good as the image -- both are excellent. To me, that's when it means the most.

Congratulations on a great effort.

Bart

 

[Ben Egbert]

What an experience, or set of experiences. Your hiking skills are way out of my league. Congratulations on feathred post, well deserved for this wall hanger.

 

[MonikaC]

I really enjoyed your write up about the trip, very interesting reading and you pulled me in to where I could feel like I was there also. Good job on the writing.

Now your photo is super cool! What amazing structure and good job with the blending of this. And while I do like this one a lot, I think I might try a crop where you lose that bottom sky opening. The opening is cool in giving the viewer a look at what you were seeing, but in terms of a photograph, I think it's pulling my eye away from the main scene too much.

Of course now.... the more I sit here and just enjoy the view of this, the more I am enjoying it just as it is...

I played with a crop, but figured I'd wait for some feedback, look at a print of it on the wall for a while, etc. Your vote is tallied!

 

[MonikaC]

Congrats on the Daily Featured Post Monika!

Thanks, Jim!

 

[Zeph]

Great shot/story, if this was my shot, I would coax out the shadows a bit...

 

[MonikaC]

Great shot/story, if this was my shot, I would coax out the shadows a bit...

I will check that out. It was pretty dark lying at the bottom of the pothole. The bottom left of the main swirl was completely in shadow.

 

[Jim Dockery]

Great write up and shot. I’d go the opposite direction of Zeph and add more contrast to the rock, darkening the shadows. On my iPad the darker parts of the sky look strangely gray.

 

[Douglas Sherman]

On my way to the Grand Canyon, I went back to a slot canyon I'd been to a few times before: 1st time with my dog and the forecast changed from 50% chance of showers to 70% heavy rain. That became a recon trip. I turned around at the 1st rappel as I didn't think I could haul my 50# dog back up a 15' pour-off. The 2nd time I went solo, brought rope, ascenders and etriers as it's a natural anchor slot canyon and the anchor for the pour-off I'd turned around at, while the webbing ladder looked marginally OK, the webbing anchoring it to a jammed log looked totally scary. I went farther down canyon, to where it really opened up, & deciding it looked like it would stay that way, I turned back. When I took my pack in to be patched, I learned that I was about 25 minutes short of the business. Something like 2 years later, I went back. This time with a mirrorless camera instead of my 1Dx, ropes but no ascenders or etriers or dog. As it turned out, I wasn't 25 minutes from the business when I had last turned back, but less than 10 minutes. I was able to go into the part called the "corkscrew", but not all the way through as there were potholes that were probably 7-8" deep and had a rounded ledge that was maybe a foot wide between them. Not a sharp edge in sight. I ended putting my pack down, upright, standing on top of it & jumping for the far side of the ledge. That way I got enough body contact that I could kind of ooze up onto the ledge. On the other side was another, deeper pothole and I don't know how many after that. No way to traverse around them and too big to step across. I hauled my pack up to me to shoot as I wasn't confident that I would be able to successfully repeat the move in the subsequent potholes. Tripod placement was kind of a joke as I could get 2 legs steady, but the 3rd, no matter how creative I got, just wasn't going to happen where I could a composition I liked.
The walk out was gradually uphill and the sand and gravel seemed deeper and looser than on the way in. The 50 miles of dirt road (high clearance in places), cold beverage in hand, back to pavement felt like a vacation.

This is a 3 exposure blend
View attachment 8139

What an incredible story, Monica. After hearing Alan’s story about Lewis Lodge. I am realizing that you can get to places I could only hope to get to even in my younger years when I hiked rim to rim in the Grand Canyon.

It was a pleasure to have met you in Bluff. Hopefully we can convince you to get to Sedona someday.

I agree with Jim that that little piece of blue sky attracts your eye. Is there more image below that could reveal more of that area that could give it a little more space?

 

[Zeph]

Great write up and shot. I’d go the opposite direction of Zeph and add more contrast to the rock, darkening the shadows. On my iPad the darker parts of the sky look strangely gray.

That's what I meant to say...

 

[MonikaC]

What an incredible story, Monica. After hearing Alan’s story about Lewis Lodge. I am realizing that you can get to places I could only hope to get to even in my younger years when I hiked rim to rim in the Grand Canyon.

It was a pleasure to have met you in Bluff. Hopefully we can convince you to get to Sedona someday.

I agree with Jim that that little piece of blue sky attracts your eye. Is there more image below that could reveal more of that area that could give it a little more space?

Douglas,
I don't have anything below that part of the frame. One thing I'm playing with is rotating it 90 degrees (though the blending there still needs some work). Try this on for size as the next iteration.
View attachment 8168