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Zion National Park: The Upper East Side

Zion National Park, Utah - Steve Bruno - gottatakemorepix

A couple days ago, The US National Park Service celebrated its 100th year.  Although many parks receive significant traffic, there are still parts of those parks where one can stretch out a little.  The east side of Zion NP is one of those spots.

Most visitors to Zion want to see the main canyon and places like Angel’s Landing and The Narrows.  As they head up the winding road and through the spectacular tunnels on the way out the east exit, many are on their way to either Bryce or Grand Canyon.  There are a couple pullouts along this stretch of road, but few spend time here.  Here’s a sample of the features on the upper east side.

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WPC: Old West Grid

Fence that once corralled the herd on an abandoned ranch in the desert of southeastern Arizona.

In response to The Daily Post’s weekly photo challenge: “Grid.”

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Wordless Wednesday: White Sands, New Mexico

White Sands National Monument, New Mexico

White Sands, New Mexico

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Historical Photographs, Part II

Pinnacle Peak-Steve Bruno

My photography teacher said repeatedly, “If you see something that sparks your interest, take the photos now.  It may not be there or look the same when you come back!”  He lived in the desert in Carefree, Arizona, and I knew he was referring to Pinnacle Peak (above) on more than one occasion.  At the time, developers were rearranging the map at an unprecedented pace on the perimeter of the metropolitan Phoenix area.  The location of this photograph is either someone’s backyard or a golf course now.

It’s not just development that alters our world.  Glacier covered lands don’t look the same as they did a decade ago.  Weather can wreak havoc in a matter of minutes.  Unforeseen disasters can happen at any moment.  In today’s digital era, my teacher’s words don’t seem as relevant as they once were.  You will never again hear someone say, “Hmmm, I don’t want to take that one.  I’ve only got 8 shots left on this roll of film, and I don’t want to waste them.”   Perhaps his message should be updated to “Keep an extra memory card in your bag at all times for those moments when you come across something special” 🙂

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Sunday Stills, the next challenge: Pointy Things

night cactus

The desert is full of pointy things, so a good flashlight is essential when exploring at night.  Some desert plants bloom at night, such as this fruit chain cholla cactus, which is also called the jumping cholla.  While they don’t actually jump, they broken pods on the ground just need the slightest touch to attach themselves to you.  These broken chameleonlike pods, now dead and dehydrated, blend in effortlessly to the rocky ground.  Loose cactus pods don’t usually venture too far from the living plant, so avoiding them isn’t too challenging.  Rattlesnakes and scorpions like to come out at night, too.  Did I mention you want a good flashlight…..better yet, two?

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