From a few years ago with Eric Christensen around Southern Utah.
NO PROBLEM FOR AN EXTERRRA
STUCK IN THE MIDDLE
MUD BATH
NEGOTIATING SLICKROCK
HEADING DOWN INTO THE EAST FORK OF THE VIRGIN RIVER
STUCK IN MUD
JUST DRIVE IN THE RIVER..
OR GET STUCK IN THE RIVER
OR CROSS IT
SPLASH!!
Half the fun of photographing a special place like the Grand Canyon is the drive and adventure to get there. Especially when it’s a remote location such as Toroweap. The drive from Southern Utah into Northern Arizona presents some classic western scenes along the highway where I could picture John Wayne mounting a Calvary charge. (He actually filmed some great movies in this area).
You can drive up to 45 MPH on this stretch of dirt road.
About 20 MPH here.
Zero MPH. I actually decided to back up here. When you’re 70 miles from the nearest town, you don’t take chances. This was at the end anyways.
My friend Eric and I went 4 wheeling a few weeks ago and both of us ended up getting stuck in the mud! A rainstorm the previous day altered the banks of the river we drive across thus producing issues. I didn’t know there is quick sand in the river basin and it is hard to get your vehicle out of it. Up on the sand hills, the dirt road had also been altered by the rain which required a bit of digging. Eric shoveled while I took the pictures.
It was starting to get a bit rocky.
Digging was necessary as was taking the picture.
No problem getting through this!
Beautiful country along the East Fork of The Virgin River, Utah
Having to drive through the river.
Eric got stuck first but a tow rope and my Ford Ranger pulled him out.
We used everything at our disposal to get me out but the mud was very thick. Then it started to rain and thunder and I’m thinking flash flood and goodbye Ranger! We drove 10 miles into town and hired 2 locals with a 9,000 pound winch on a Jeep to get the job done. It cost us a few bucks but the memories will live in infamy!
My friend Eric and I did some off-roading yesterday and part of it involved fording the East Fork of The Virgin River near Zion National Park. After I went through the water in my vehicle( I was the Guinea Pig), I photographed Eric at various stretches of the river.
