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Canyon de Chelly and Monument Valley
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Apr 7, 2018 23:17:02   #
drucker Loc: Oregon
 
I'll visited Canyon de Chelly many times over the last 55+ years. My wife grew up on the Navajo Reservation and her parents lived there until retirement. In the early years, when tourism was not as heavy, we took several excursions in dad's 4-wheel drive vehicle into both canyons and up past the base of Spider Rock. Now visiting the canyon floor, which is privately owned, is restricted to guided tours except for the trail down to White House ruins. Now the best views of the White House Ruins and the ruins below are obscured by a cottonwood grove that has grown up over the years.

When our kids were young we took the all-day tour because it was no longer allowed to for us to explore and picnic alone even though dad was familiar with the canyons and could go whever he needed to go on official business. It was a fun day even though we were in a group. The driver/guide gave his name in Navajo and English and explained that he grew up in the Canyon. One lady was from New York and was totally intrigued but also totally out of her element and peppered the guide with questions. At one point the guide pointed to a Camp (group of hogans and houses) and said, "My grandmother lives there." Dad just said to him, in Navajo, "I thought that was the _____ Camp?" Giving a family name that didn't match that of the guide. The guide's answer in Navajo was, "Yes, my Grandmother's Camp is too far away to be seen, but it makes a good story for the tourists." That set off the lady, who asked, "What did he say? Dad just answered, "I just asked him about his family." That brought the response, "You mean you can understand him!" and more questions. Up until that point the lady had no clue that there were three people in our group that were fluent in Navajo.

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Apr 8, 2018 11:01:44   #
shieldsadvert
 
Good story. Right now I'm thinking it would be good to do the south drive early in the morning, then the hike to the White House Ruins, then a late afternoon 3 hour tour. What do you think?
My girlfriend is part Cherokee and I have always been intrigued by Indian culture having been brought up in former Iroquois territory so we're both really looking forward to seeing and photographing the canyon and then on to Monument Valley which we'll probably drive, then to Grand Staircase-Escalante, and then Bryce. Don't know whether Capitol Reef, Arches or Canyonlands would add much or which one(s) would be best?
Thanks for your very helpful input.

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Apr 8, 2018 23:20:55   #
drucker Loc: Oregon
 
That's a hard question! From a photography viewpoint I prefer Canyon de Chelly over the north branch Canyon del Muerto. Canyon del Muerto is richer is historical sites (and I love history) but are usually hard to photograph from the bottom of the canyon and are sometimes little more than a nondescript crevice high on the canyon wall.

Also take into consideration that the canyons are very deep and very narrow, making the time sunlight reaches the bottom of the canyon very limited from area to area. In many areas the canyon is as deep as it is wide. The drive up to an overlook through the sage brush often gives no hint that you are approaching a 1000-foot-deep gash in the surface of the earth and what you are seeing in the distance may be on the other side of the canyon.

The hike from the rim to the White House Ruin is a fun one but takes quite a bit of time. If your "on the bottom" tour is up Canyon de Chelly, then one of the early stops will be at White House. The only difference would be time of day you would be there. To me, the most memorable are the times I've photographed Spider Rock from the rim in the spring and summer and also in the winter with a blanket of snow and then being in the bottom looking up toward the top.

Of the other national parks, my favorite is Bryce. Arches comes in second but it takes a lot of time and hiking to get to the best locations for photography.

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Apr 9, 2018 10:52:21   #
shieldsadvert
 
That's good advice as I'm always chasing the right light at the right time. Laurent Martres has written various books on photographing the entire southwest which are excellent. He says there are many excellent Puebloan sites in Cedar Mesa so I am considering going there too. Have you been there?
Thanks,
Bill

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Apr 9, 2018 14:35:03   #
drucker Loc: Oregon
 
No, I haven't been to Cedar Mesa. We spent much of our time west of Chinle in the Rough Rock area at the base of Black Mesa. Dad's intimate knowledge of the area and knowing many people made it possible and much easier to ask for and get permissions to visit private lands, often accompanied by a local who could point out things we otherwise would have missed. Thus we were able to visit many sites over the years that long predate the Navajo -- like a pottery-making site up on Black Mesa and view petroglyphs in the area. Forgetting the canyons and popular sites, I've spent many enjoyable hours, with camera in hand, roaming the area that affords endless variations of rocks, sand, sage brush, cedar and Pinion trees, and light — often with a mountain or mesa in the background.

The mostly one-lane road up the side of the Black Mesa was built by the CCC in the 1930s and is not for the faint of heart! That "bush" right beside the road is quite likely the top of a tree! In his "other life," dad was a heavy equipment operator. So, the Navajo Nation would provide a Cat D8 or D9 bulldozer and he would volunteer his time evenings and weekends leveling home sites, building dams for livestock water, and repairing roads — one of them being the winding treacherous road up Black Mesa. Not long before retirement, he was asked to come to a meeting on roads at the Tribal headquarters at Window Rock and the tribe surprised him by making him an honorary member of the Navajo Nation in recognition of his many years of service to the Nation, an honor bestowed on very very few.

Just for fun, I'd suggest you view the movie Mackenna's Gold before you visit Canyon de Chelly. Much of it was filmed in the Canyon and the shadow of Spider Rock points the way to the gold. If you hike the trail down to White House, you can visualize the horses in the movie racing up the trail. It was made about 1970 about five years after I first visited the Canyon. Then when you get back home you can watch it again and see how many locations you can identify.

Your biggest challenge will be deciding how to allot your time -- it's a huge area with endless possibilities and some possible surprises. Take the signs seriously on your trip north from Chinle to Monument Valley — most is open range and I've "tested my brakes" and reaction time when I've come over a hill or around a corner to find a horse or a flock of sheep in the road! That stretch has a history of bad accidents over the years.

And finally, more than once the same rock I was eying as a perfect vantage point for a photograph was also a rattlesnake's favorite place to enjoy the sun! Be safe and enjoy your trip.

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Apr 9, 2018 14:42:07   #
shieldsadvert
 
Sounds like something I don't want to attempt with my passenger automobile! The hardest part of planning this trip is deciding what is doable with my vehicle and how much time to spend in each location as there is so much to see and photograph. Will have to buy an extra high capacity card for this trip! Thanks again for all the useful information.
bill

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Apr 9, 2018 16:26:47   #
drucker Loc: Oregon
 
Yes, there are many roads on the reservation that are still beyond the capabilities of a standard car. When we first started visiting the area, the road going cross-country and skirting the base of Black Mesa from Many Farms to Hwy. 160 east of Kayenta was a 45-mile plus dirt road. It was not unusual in wet weather of snow for us to leave the car in Many Farms and dad would come and pick us up in a 4-wheel drive vehicle. And even if the mud had dried out, you didn't dare get into one of the ruts or you might high center. Dad liked to tell of Ford deciding to send a group of the new Edsel cars over that road as a test drive in the heat of summer — none of them made it! One got stuck in a wash and the others were mostly disabled by high centering or damage to the oil pan or other parts from hitting rocks and high spots. Today it's a highway — not a main one but at least paved and a great shortcut across to the Grand Canyon.

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Apr 9, 2018 17:44:22   #
shieldsadvert
 
Last time I took my car off road in Anzo Berrego State Park I bent the motor cover, so I think I'll stay to as many paved roads this time as possible. Thanks

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