Tremendous monsoonal thunderstorms ravaged Zion National Park today, closing the main road thru the park due to rock slides. But as with any storm, the aftermath can be delightful.
THE BAD
Photo courtesy of The St. George News, all others captured by Dawn2Dawn Photography
THE GOOD
THE UGLY
The streets of nearby Springdale were covered with mud.
Menacing clouds approached later in the night.
Like an army of ants, autumn colors made its journey through Zion Canyon the past few weeks. Cottonwoods, maples and scrub oaks are the trees that provide the display. Its just too bad that the colors don’t stay longer.
Autumn colors at the foot of Angel’s Landing
Visiting friends, Ken and Rich from St. Louis, requested the mandatory stroll up Zion National Park’s The Narrows. A must for any visitor. The Virgin River is very refreshing to hike through on a 90 degree day. It’s still hot here in Southern Utah.
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.
A brief storm passed through Zion country yesterday and left behind clean skies and dramatic colors at sunset. These images and more can be purchased as prints at Dawn2Dawn Photography
Fog enveloped Zion Canyon the day after a Pacific storm blasted through Southern Utah last week. Fog and fall colors are a great foreground to the sheer and rugged Navajo Sandstone canyon walls at Zion National Park. These images and more are available as prints at Dawn2Dawn Photography Website.
If you liked my Zion Autumn pics, you may really like them set to music by Rone. I tried Vimeo this time instead of You Tube. Click on their HD button for really high resolution.
The Virgin River has done to Zion Canyon what no Hollywood special effects movie director could ever do. Create a remarkable canyon that is and looks natural. Throw in a pinch of fall colors and you have a masterpiece. During early November, Zion NP hosted the Plein Air Art Invitational(Facebook Page Link) where a number of renown landscape painters plied their trade(In The Footsteps Of Thomas Moran) and produced memorable paintings capturing the essence of Zion during the autumn season. One such is Steve Hill and you case see his work at Windswept Studios. The images below are fall colors I shot along the Virgin River a few weeks ago.
Was in Zion Canyon today and noticed trees were on fire. The cottonwoods, maples and oaks were aflame. I got one shot for this post today. The rest to follow in a few days. Look for post tomorrow on the surreal and otherworldly Yellow Rock. You won’t believe it.
