Sunrise at Mesa Arch . . . Explore 07-10-2016 #2
The alarm sounded at 5am, nearly 2 hours before sunrise, today. The reason for the early alarm was that the drive to Canyonlands National Park and the ensuing walk to the arch would take nearly an hour and I wanted to pick my spot to plant my tripod before everyone else arrived. I’ll have to rethink my starting time for the next visit, for as I crested the rise with my headlamp guiding my way along the path to Mesa Arch I could hear voices ahead. I was not alone!! There were already 15 to 20 tripods with accompanying cameras and photographers set up waiting for sunrise! Fortunately, the location I had scouted out the day prior was open, so I joined the masses and added my tripod and camera to the mix.
The beauty of the sunrise here is something one truly needs to witness in person. As the sun broke the horizon the first starburst occurred, but the best was yet to come. Initially there is the lack of reflected light on the underside of Mesa Arch. But as the sun continued to rise and cross the underside of the arch a 2nd starburst occurred and the reflected light illuminated the underbelly of the arch turning the sandstone a glowing red. Some photographers had already started packing up, but the patience of ‘waiting for the light’ was rewarded with this image.
Highlighted by the rising sun is the Washer Woman (derived from its resemblance of a tall and slender woman reaching her hands into a tub) and to its right is the taller Monster Tower. Washer Woman and Monster Tower are each over 600 feet tall. Behind the Washer Woman is the Sandcastle.
Best viewed large (L)
Sunrise at Mesa Arch . . . Explore 07-10-2016 #2
The alarm sounded at 5am, nearly 2 hours before sunrise, today. The reason for the early alarm was that the drive to Canyonlands National Park and the ensuing walk to the arch would take nearly an hour and I wanted to pick my spot to plant my tripod before everyone else arrived. I’ll have to rethink my starting time for the next visit, for as I crested the rise with my headlamp guiding my way along the path to Mesa Arch I could hear voices ahead. I was not alone!! There were already 15 to 20 tripods with accompanying cameras and photographers set up waiting for sunrise! Fortunately, the location I had scouted out the day prior was open, so I joined the masses and added my tripod and camera to the mix.
The beauty of the sunrise here is something one truly needs to witness in person. As the sun broke the horizon the first starburst occurred, but the best was yet to come. Initially there is the lack of reflected light on the underside of Mesa Arch. But as the sun continued to rise and cross the underside of the arch a 2nd starburst occurred and the reflected light illuminated the underbelly of the arch turning the sandstone a glowing red. Some photographers had already started packing up, but the patience of ‘waiting for the light’ was rewarded with this image.
Highlighted by the rising sun is the Washer Woman (derived from its resemblance of a tall and slender woman reaching her hands into a tub) and to its right is the taller Monster Tower. Washer Woman and Monster Tower are each over 600 feet tall. Behind the Washer Woman is the Sandcastle.
Best viewed large (L)