I made it, yeah!!
OK, perhaps I should back up. Two posts ago I had climbed to the top of Vampire Arch, risking life and limb. I managed to get some great photos, but it was getting close to sunset. My goal was to be at Ojo Oro Arch for sunset, but I had almost 1/2 mile to cover and very little time. Talk about a cliffhanger (more accurately, an archhanger!?) [sorry].
One from earlier in the day of me sitting under Ojo Oro, taking a selfie.
Fasten your seatbelts, because the desert sky is about to explode. For about 30 minutes, things became magical. It didn't matter where I pointed my camera, the sky was beautiful in all directions!
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| Yet another arch! |
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| Strange sky glow, looking NE (away from where the sun had set). |
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| Anteater? |
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| Rock face. |
Somewhere on the hike back to my car, I came across two large pottery sherds. This is significant because the Native American presence is thought to have been minimal in this part of the Park. It's one of only a few times I've found sherds out here.
Wow! I am beyond words at your photos and experience ~ just breathtaking and such a gift ~ thanks for sharing these ~ Xo
ReplyDeleteWishing you good health, laughter and love in your days ~
A ShutterBug Explores,
aka (A Creative Harbor)
in the earliest moments of the day the sky radically changes every few second - amazing
ReplyDeleteThese are awesome! You are my hero!
ReplyDeleteThose skies are incredible.
ReplyDeleteWell, Peter, I thought I'd drop by to see what's happening out west. Wow! Am I ever glad I made the trip!
ReplyDeleteYour photographs are simply outstanding! Thank you for the visual treat.
...these images are works of art!
ReplyDeleteWow. Gorgeous.
ReplyDeleteDearest Peter,
ReplyDeleteThat was magical and also very exciting to do that hike back after sun set!
Your photos are proof that it was well worth the effort!
Thanks for always sharing this with your readers.
Hugs,
Mariette
Amazing sky.
ReplyDeleteTruly enchantment and a great adventure! Thanks for sharing
ReplyDeleteWhat stunning photos, truly magical - although, I do think you are rather brave trekking through the desert in the dark :)
ReplyDeleteWow. Amazing place and beautiful photos as always. That glow in the sky is so gorgeous.
ReplyDeleteHello,
ReplyDeleteWow, beautiful sky captures. I love the arch! Have a happy and safe Memorial Day weekend.
You really got lucky with that sky. Gods of Photography were on your side. Fantastic set of pics as always.
ReplyDeleteThe family enjoyed this hike. Blog reading is a family thing since JJr is with us. He spent a lot of time in the Sonoran desert last year.... Thanks for the invite to accompany ...
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping by, Jack. Wonderful that blog ready is a family thing!
DeleteI haven't seen you in a while. Nice photos of those rock formations. Interesting place to capture with a camera.
ReplyDeleteGreat photos! Love the wispy clouds in the sky.
ReplyDeleteThe "strange glow" picture was strange, indeed, although I've seen colors in the east at sunset, I've never seen anything like that. Liked seeing those orange glasses -don't laugh but I thought about seeing the world through rose colored glasses and what would it be like in orange, instead? And the anteater - yes, but I can also a dinosaur, eating. I salute for another post full of wonderful pictures.
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely wonderful pictures
ReplyDeleteWell, sorry after seeing this post, I am going to take no more skywatch photos. You have done what I could never hope to do. Maybe I'll start taking pictures of strawberries or something.
ReplyDeleteTruly your photos in the rock garden where wonderful and then you follow up with the wild sky photos. My hat's off to you.
And I lie, I will keep on trying to take sky photos.
Thanks, Alan. You had me worried for a second! I love your photography, and especially your drone sky shots. By the way, on my hike today, I saw a guy riding a motor scooter with large off-road tires, both hands on the handle bars, and a drone flying about 15' over his head, following him everywhere he went. There must be a "follow me" setting on the drone controller. Very odd to see!
DeleteSo true, the skies are exploding, and such a perfect background for your main arch! Have to admit, it is hard to choose between your first capture and the arch. The first one has such a mysterious shape, it's easy to see "something" in it! Phew, I am glad you got home. You have more gutspah than I:)
ReplyDeleteAmazing captures all!
ReplyDeleteSpectacular exploding sky shots at sunset. Beautiful arches and rock formations. Glad you made it back to the car in the dark safely.
ReplyDeleteWonderful sunset, I like the pinks in the sky.
ReplyDeleteAwesome pics. Thanks for the post.
ReplyDeleteGreat colors again in your pics and also in the header. I love them.
ReplyDeleteThank you for noticing that rock formation resembled anteater . . .Your photos are SO beautiful! - Thank you for knowing how to take care of yourself - (even in the desert - even in the dark - wow!) and- for evidence of ancestors . . . is that cool, or what? 💙
ReplyDeleteawesome shots as always, thanks for sharing and have a nice sunday.
ReplyDeleteThe Ojo Oro Arch looked beautiful in daylight and spectacular at sunset! The pink glow in the sky opposite of the sunset is called "The Belt of Venus". I have seen that phenomena here at times. The one rock formation did look like an anteater. The one with the hole at top reminded me of a extinct volcano. How exciting to find ancient pottery shards!
ReplyDeleteThanks so much, Pat. I was trying to remember the term ("The Belt of Venus") and it escaped me. Appreciate the reminder!
DeleteWhat an adventure! The rock formations are fascinating and the sky shots are marvelous. I like that strange glow. Excellent photography as always!
ReplyDeleteMagical skies. (And it's almost as magical how you manage to sneak these posts on without my noticing them).
ReplyDeleteYou have a great sense of adventure in your travels … the rock formations are the stuff of fairy tales and magnificent monsters, the sky sweeps us away into magical worlds.
ReplyDeleteThe skies are outrageously beautiful -- really incredible and I'm glad you were brave enough and knowledgeable enough to do this beautiful hike at sunset! The anteater rock formation made me laugh (I actually named it before I read your cut line, so yeah, definitely that's what it should be called if even I could see it!)..... Your thought processes (naming the formations, and at the beginning, getting distracted etc) always make me smile, but in addition to your photos, those words are the ones that bring your posts alive -- that make us feel like we've been along for the hike. Thanks for all.
ReplyDeleteYou asked about finding old maps online. You might try:
ReplyDeletehttps://www.oldmapsonline.org/
It's a bit of a clunky website (slow to load maps and some work better than others) but if you put the area you want in the search box, you might find something. I just put in "Joshua Tree" and found maps from the 1950s.
Must have missed this post and one I clearly should have seen. The photos are stunning some like scenes you would see in a SiFi movie. If lived over there you would have a side kick coming along with you.
ReplyDelete