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<\/a><\/p>\nSunrise over highway 24, west of Capitol Reef.<\/p>\n
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On the morning I took these first two shots we were on our way to photograph Sandhill Cranes at sunrise.\u00a0 We were later for the birds\u00a0than planned as we stopped to enjoy the constantly changing light on the red cliffs.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n This photo was taken from our campsite where we spent three nights.\u00a0 That’s mist and cloud enshrouded Boulder Mountain in the background.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Some of the many flowering fruit trees in the historic orchards of Fruita, Utah – within Capitol Reef NP.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n These are ancient\u00a0Anasazi handprints near Calf Creek.\u00a0 The image was taken across the span of\u00a0a canyon from about a quarter-mile away so it’s difficult to see much detail.\u00a0\u00a0 Years ago when I was working for the Utah Museum of Natural History I hiked several times to the base of these prints and I can’t even describe the awe I felt as I looked at them up close.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n The remnants of an ancient Anasazi granary wedged in a rock alcove\u00a0along the Fremont River.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n I couldn’t resist taking a few shots like this as the moon rose over the cliffs in the east.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n To me the upper part of this rock formation looked like a critter (fish or whale?) about to swallow the moon (yes, I get carried away with my imagination at times…).<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n The Burr Trail is nothing short of an adventure – these are some of the infamous switchbacks in the Waterpocket Fold.\u00a0 The perspective of my lens at 17mm tamed the steepness of this road dramatically – believe me it takes your breath away as you climb the extremely steep and precipitous gravel road, making hairpin turns as you go.\u00a0 If you look closely you can follow the road from the bottom of the frame to the bottom of the valley near center-top.\u00a0\u00a0The Henry Mountains in the far background were the last mountains to be added to the map of the lower 48 states (in 1872).\u00a0 They’re so remote that before 1872 they were called the “Unknown Mountains”.\u00a0 To this day the Navajo people call these mountains Dzi\u0142 Bizhi\u02bc \u00c1din\u00ed <\/i>\u00a0(“mountain whose name is missing”).<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n The erosional features in many areas are simply spectacular.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n We can’t resist exploring the back country on these\u00a0trips.\u00a0 This is one of the smoother sections of this\u00a0“road” – most of it was truly bone-jarring.\u00a0 I kept my eye on my speedometer as I drove and I was usually\u00a0going about 3 mph, often much slower.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n