[GaliWalker]

Part 1: The Racetrack and extras, Death Valley Part 2: Sand dunes and Fall Canyon, Death Valley Part 3: Delicate Arch and extras, Arches NP Part 5: The Needles, Canyonlands NP Part 6: Kanarra Creek and Zion NP Day 4 of my southwest trip was another magnificent day, to be spent mainly in Arches National Park. However, I started off the day by breakfasting on a sumptuous golden sunrise at Mesa Arch, in nearby Canyonlands' Island In the Sky district. Mesa Arch, Canyonlands National Park Mesa Arch is an extremely popular photographic destination, especially at dawn. This seemed a curious choice to me, since one would be shooting directly into the rising sun, which is fine for silhouettes and such, but not necessarily leading to the best colors. Anyway, everyone said sunrise, so sunrise it was. I reached the trailhead after a 45min drive in the dark from Moab. Along the way I stopped for an instant to confirm that I was heading to the right trailhead. Four speeding cars, which had been behind me, passed me as I was stopped; I was going to regret my caution. When I reached the trailhead for the arch, about 15-20 people were already making their way to the arch. I took on the short 0.5mi trail, right behind them, mentally gearing myself to be patient. When I reached the arch, I saw with dismay that the shooting area was quite small. Photographers were already setting up, so I headed to one of only two open spots, the other was taken immediately afterwards. As I set up, it was still pitch black and I had no clue if my shooting location was any good or not. As the light brightened, so did the banter all around me. I like my mornings quiet, but the conversation was quite good-natured, so it could have been worse. I realized at this time that the group before me was part of a photography class. Thankfully, by now I'd found that I had a good spot to shoot from, though there'd be no possibility of moving around, until the crowd cleared. I have to say, that even though we were at a National Park, and everyone has a right to be there, holding a class with 20 people, at such a small and popular location is not the most considerate choice. As the light improved, the rocks began to turn pink. Monument Basin's canyons and spires began to resolve out of the dark, holding enough shadows to provide yet more drama to morning's lightshow. This was theater on the grand scale. Suddenly there was a gasp from everyone as the sun rose above the horizon. Intense light had struck the canyon wall below us and then bounced back and up to strike the bottom part of Mesa Arch. The entire bottom rim looked like someone had set fire to it...amazing! No doubt, dawn is the time to visit Mesa Arch.

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Around 20min after the sunrise the entire area emptied and I could finally move around. It was well worth waiting for this, since I was still able to extract color from the surroundings, by blocking the sun behind Mesa Arch.

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Arches National Park An ever changing landscape. Sandstone spires, fins and arches, rock gardens and monoliths, all carved and sculpted by wind and erosion...giants, looming above the tiny humans, who scuttle aimlessly beneath like unfathomable ants. As I drove through Arches National Park, I was struck by this feeling. I could make out any number of shapes in the enormous rock structures - a bear, an old man's face, a dog with spaniel ears, a lion, Nefertiti's head - each of which only intensified the feeling that there was another living, breathing world which inhabited Arches. Such is the power of a National Park. I had satisfied my photography itch at Mesa Arch, in nearby Canyonlands National Park. With bright sunny conditions, not conducive to the best photography, it was time to go hiking. The options for any kind of substantial hike in Arches are limited; the most popular such hike is the Devil's Garden hike to Double O Arch. There are quite a few side trips available on this hike and even a loop possibility. I reached the Devils Garden trailhead to a packed parking lot and headed towards Landscape Arch. This section, I'd done on an earlier trip before. I'd never gone any further though.

7- Pine Arch

8- Landscape Arch

From Landscape Arch onwards, the trail disappeared. The route was marked by cairns and immediately made its way up a rock fin, on slickrock. From below, it looked impossibly steep, but in reality was not, with the slickrock being the most 'grippy' surface I've ever been on. If Half Dome, in Yosemite, was paved with slickrock, there'd be no need for cables.

9- Up the fin

Pretty soon I reached the top of the fin, to a garden of yet more fins, mushroom shaped hoodoos and ridges. I took a left towards Partition Arch, which had been visible earlier from the viewpoint below, beyond Landscape Arch. While the trail stopped at Partition Arch, I figured that I'd get a good view of Landscape Arch, if I could make my way to the ridge above and behind Partition Arch. After a little scramble, I reached the crest of this ridge, amidst the mushroom caps of some hoodoos, and was treated to the best views on the entire hike. As expected, Landscape Arch lay below me, but more than that, Arches National Park did too.

10- Partition Arch

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14- Above Landscape Arch

15- Atop Arches National Park

Back down, after a quick side trip to Navajo Arch, I headed for Double O Arch, along the crests of more fins and interconnected ridges. This hike may be extremely popular, but it is incredibly scenic, and highly recommended.

16- Hiking the fins

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18- Double O Arch

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Stats: 6.5mi, ~1000ft gain. After the hike, I did sightseeing trips to Skyline Arch, Double Arch (in the Windows section, and not to be confused with Double O Arch), finishing off the day in Park Avenue.

21- Skyline Arch

22- Double Arch

23- Lightshow on Courthouse Towers

24- Among Giants

[Hiker Mama]

So glad I get to be an armchair traveler and see the world through your camera lens. THanks!

[FungiFan]

^^^ What she said x 2 FF

[D. Inscho]

Mesa Arch, Canyonlands National Park, Utah. (April 20, 2012)

Nicely rendered Gali

Mesa Arch. Sunrise is an amazing time at this spot: light from the rising sun hits the canyon wall and then bounces back up, setting fire to the bottom of the arch. Canyonlands National Park, Utah. (April 20, 2012)

Love those "into the sun" shots. Extra points for the challenging exposure

[Karen²]

A very enjoyable read here, good stuff!

[John Morrow]

Would have been so cool to have run into you, GW! Thanks for the great pics. I can't get enough. John

[GaliWalker]

Here's a video of my Mesa Arch morning that I found on-line, made just after the peak of the scrum had decreased and one could move around a little (I'm the guy with the blue and grey backpack)...