Escalante National Monument- Golden Cathedral
Jan 23, 2019 15:53:18 #
This one place that everyone should try to see. Must get there in the Mid-morning. The Cathedral is in a canyon. Across the 100 feet of the bottom of the canyon is a reddish-yellow vertical canyon wall. The Cathedral is usually in the shade, but for about an hour in mid-morning the sunlight reflects off the canyon wall and into the Cathedral, turning it golden, thus the moniker.
I have been blessed with exquisite timing once in a while while photographing. This image is one of those times. Sherry, my wife, was waiting for me taking pictures of the cathedral, then tapping her toes impatiently while eating her early lunch. I'm about ready to pack up and eat my lunch, when all of a sudden a woman rappels down out of the hole in the top of the cathedral. Wow. Point of interest and providing a sense of scale all in one!!!
The 9 mile RT hike begins on top of a canyon and descends down to the desert. On the hike through the desert, up and down hills, one has to wade through the Escalante River twice. Mid thigh.
When we started, it was chilly on top of the canyon- mid-April. I had chosen to take an extra lens, rather than an extra water bottle, due to the cool weather when we started. I was an experienced desert rat, or so I thought.
On the way back, the temps rose to around 100F at the lower elevations in the desert. I ran out of water with about 4 miles to go. By the time I was about 3 miles from the pretty steep half mile incline (~500 feet elevation gain) to get back to the car, I was suffering. Sherry shared the little water she had left with me in sips until she was really low on water.
2 miles away, I started hallucinating mildly and stopped sweating. I had to rest about every 1/4 mile.
Then with a mile to go, I really started hallucinating and had convulsive dry heaves and began shivering.
Had to rest every 100 yards, but kept going. A few people passed us as I was sitting down with the dry heaves, but no one stopped to ask if I was okay.
I made it without help (other than Sherry), but I will never, ever forget what it took me (with my stupidity) to capture that image.
Please enjoy the download to see the rappeller. And get there before Trump allows an oil and gas rig in the middle.
I have been blessed with exquisite timing once in a while while photographing. This image is one of those times. Sherry, my wife, was waiting for me taking pictures of the cathedral, then tapping her toes impatiently while eating her early lunch. I'm about ready to pack up and eat my lunch, when all of a sudden a woman rappels down out of the hole in the top of the cathedral. Wow. Point of interest and providing a sense of scale all in one!!!
The 9 mile RT hike begins on top of a canyon and descends down to the desert. On the hike through the desert, up and down hills, one has to wade through the Escalante River twice. Mid thigh.
When we started, it was chilly on top of the canyon- mid-April. I had chosen to take an extra lens, rather than an extra water bottle, due to the cool weather when we started. I was an experienced desert rat, or so I thought.
On the way back, the temps rose to around 100F at the lower elevations in the desert. I ran out of water with about 4 miles to go. By the time I was about 3 miles from the pretty steep half mile incline (~500 feet elevation gain) to get back to the car, I was suffering. Sherry shared the little water she had left with me in sips until she was really low on water.
2 miles away, I started hallucinating mildly and stopped sweating. I had to rest about every 1/4 mile.
Then with a mile to go, I really started hallucinating and had convulsive dry heaves and began shivering.
Had to rest every 100 yards, but kept going. A few people passed us as I was sitting down with the dry heaves, but no one stopped to ask if I was okay.
I made it without help (other than Sherry), but I will never, ever forget what it took me (with my stupidity) to capture that image.
Please enjoy the download to see the rappeller. And get there before Trump allows an oil and gas rig in the middle.
Jan 23, 2019 16:49:17 #
kenievans
Loc: Dallas
That is just beautiful. I love the rappeller in the shot. It gives it great perspective on the size.
Jan 23, 2019 16:54:25 #
I am so glad you made it back. People are not as friendly or concerned with others anymore. The picture is excellent, but not sure it was worth it.
Jan 23, 2019 18:40:28 #
Jan 23, 2019 18:53:18 #
Jan 23, 2019 19:14:32 #
This just had to feel magical down there, GM! What an awesome photography experience. Not so awesome was your heat exhaustion and dehydration experience. If you would want to consider a "next time", I am a nurse and I would love to accompany you and Sherry, and I'll be the water bearer.
Jan 23, 2019 21:41:15 #
Great narrative and beautiful download, Rick and more importantly glad that you made it back without any permeate damage! Take care
Jan 24, 2019 00:46:58 #
Greymule .. what can I say .., the local .. the effort to get there .., the timing for the shadows .. the out of the blue repeller .. and one of the most natural inscape / landscape shots on the planet .. It is worthy of an award to say the least .. it all adds up to a spectacular shot that very few of us have pulled off ..,
My hat is off to you .., Sir ...
My hat is off to you .., Sir ...
Jan 24, 2019 06:25:57 #
That is a beautiful photo! I know they say when you do the hike to the bottom of the grand canyon they tell you 2 gallons of water per day per person!
Jan 24, 2019 06:42:55 #
Jan 24, 2019 06:48:25 #
Jan 24, 2019 07:09:11 #
Fantastic capture! Always take more water than you think you will need- you are lucky it wasn’t worse but it was worth it absolutely incredible 👍👍. Rich
Jan 24, 2019 07:32:01 #
Jan 24, 2019 07:52:13 #
Jan 24, 2019 08:13:33 #
Rick, that is really beautiful. Lots of the great shots of the world are just from being there with the right equipment and knowledge, and your struggle to do that was epic this time. Be safe out there!
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