To the Grand Canyon
Antelope Valley
Forest and Field
Making our way out of Snow Canyon we're heading by the most direct yet scenic route to the North Rim, and that means cutting through Zion National Park ( http://www.nps.gov/zion/ ) and going through the Mt. Carmel tunnel.



As soon as you get out of the tunnel you're instantly in the world of sandstone, and like a thread through a maze, the road takes you past countless incredible massifs already frozen in time for thousands of centuries.


Later, after many photo ops, you come through the  sandstone landscape and the land gets more grassy and rolling as the miles speed by.

There are windshield tourists and there are tourists that live the life of exploration. In a very small way, as is their ability and desire, they are miniatures of the titans of past ages-who read the stars, set their sails and put their trust in the natural currents of wind and water. It may not be a modern big honking Toureg or Lincoln Navigator, but I'll bet this guy has some great stories to tell....sort of like Thor Heyerdahl in "The Ra Expeditions", "Fatu Hiva" or "The Kon Tiki Expedition". Even the license plate's been through a lot.
RV TIKI
Kaibab North Rim
So now we're getting close to the North Rim. The winds are bit cooler but the sun is just beaming. Very auspicious.

And note that the trees, now predominantly pines, are getting taller in the cooler climate.
By mid-afternoon, we're at the North Rim terminus,  right by the canyon, at the main attraction. The parking lot tells a story of travelers' and drivers' personalities, just by looking at their license plates...


Ambassador of two countries
Canyon Hiker
quick canyon overview _s.jpg
And there it is, peeking through the trees...
Just in time for a setting sun and the golden hour, out comes the camera...
Sunset view
Angel's Window at Cape Royal
Royal pathway
End of day
Golden Hour
Angel's Window vista
Silhouette sunset
And inexorably, the sun goes down...

temporary rustic home for hikers
Moonshine
...and the moon rises. That's the Full Moon, by time exposure.


Then it's off to our cabin, perched just 30 feet from a side canyon rim.

Zion From Angel's Landing
Carmel tunnel window
Bus from tunnel entrance
Can you see the tunnel window in the bus picture? ( hint: Click to enlarge it)....it's in the upper right shadows.

tunnel window
tunnel window too
Angles 1
Rock Waves
red road
red road too
Silhouette
Rock Waves
A long distance gal or guy who promotes Canada from Michigan, and one who puts his hobby on his sleeve, so to speak.
Valley from Angel's Landing
North Rim Day 2
1.0
gcday1_apr1809

previous
If you'd like to see more of my Zion photos...
http://www.diffractions.com/reports/desert2005/desert1final.html
http://www.diffractions.com/reports/sept06/sept06trip_e.html