Uploads from listorama, tagged desert

20120915_3543...The Penguins and tree

nobody@flickr.com (listorama) — Sat, 16 Mar 2013 14:41:18 -0700

listorama posted a photo:

20061021_6575...Spooky

nobody@flickr.com (listorama) — Thu, 14 Mar 2013 19:09:53 -0700

listorama posted a photo:

The evil shadow of Jackson Butte intrudes into Jackson Hole. Looking southwest from the top of Jackson's Ladder (a trail).

20120915_3439...Rocks

nobody@flickr.com (listorama) — Wed, 13 Mar 2013 19:22:28 -0700

listorama posted a photo:

Seen during an exploration of the plateau above Courthouse Towers in Arches National Park.

My vantage point was at the center of this WikiMapia aerial view and I was looking eastward.

A note on the image shows the scale.

20111025_6004...Trickle

nobody@flickr.com (listorama) — Tue, 12 Mar 2013 22:16:29 -0700

listorama posted a photo:

Seen during a hike to the end of the canyon of Winter Camp Wash in Arches National Park.

My vantage point was at the center of this WikiMapia aerial view.

20120917_4144...Forms

nobody@flickr.com (listorama) — Tue, 12 Mar 2013 21:56:00 -0700

listorama posted a photo:

Seen during a hike in the valley of Salt Wash in Arches National Park.

My vantage point was an elevated position on a sandstone rib, at the center of
this WikiMapia aerial view and I was looking about northwest.

20061027_0084...Up against the wall

nobody@flickr.com (listorama) — Thu, 07 Mar 2013 16:28:52 -0800

listorama posted a photo:

Delicate Arch and people, seen from the amphitheater of Winter Camp Wash.
The largest image has good detail.

I have been quiet on Flickr for several days because the hard drive of my desktop computer died. I hope to be back in business in a few days. I uploaded this image with my netbook.

20061027_9576...In the park?

nobody@flickr.com (listorama) — Wed, 27 Feb 2013 18:12:15 -0800

listorama posted a photo:

I'm posting this six and a half tears after I took it, so my memory about some details is weak. Here I was very close to the boundary of Arches National Park. I think I was inside the park, but I can't remember. This indecision about a boundary borders on meaninglessness. The view is to the southwest.

20120915_3415...Sheep Rock

nobody@flickr.com (listorama) — Mon, 25 Feb 2013 22:23:32 -0800

listorama posted a photo:

Sheep Rock is the thin formation at center. It looks like a spire but it's a ridge or wall. Most pictures of it are taken from ground level off to the right.

20061027_9738...Bleach and elbow grease work wonders

nobody@flickr.com (listorama) — Sun, 24 Feb 2013 19:33:42 -0800

listorama posted a photo:

Dirty sandstone depresses, dismays, and disgusts me. During my trips to Moab I have endured all manner of dirty sandstone: red sandstone, orange sandstone, yellow sandstone, purple sandstone, and gray sandstone. Only one word adequately describes that stuff: UGLY.

On one trip to Moab I went prepared to rectify the situation and the result is shown here. Armed with industrial-grade bleach, buckets of elbow grease, and a wire brush, I did some "cleaning." The casual viewer might ask "Why did he start half-way down this outcrop rather than at the top? The answer lies in my adherence to the teachings of my spiritual guru (the Bhagwan Hotair Windbag of Antelope). He preaches that "to advance spiritually, one must begin at the bottom of the spiritual ladder and work one's way up to a more exalted condition."

Thus I started cleaning at the bottom of this sandstone outcrop and worked my up. The casual viewer might also ask "Why did he stop where he did, leaving the job unfinished?" The answer is threefold:
1. My wire brush was worn out
2. I was exhausted physically even though I was pumped up spiritually
3. It dawned on me that leaving a bold line of demarcation would show the effectiveness of my work, thus inspiring others to join me in this worthy endeavor.

Of course, I need to return to complete the job. When I do I'll bring extra brushes. I won't need any more bleach or elbow grease because there was a lot left over and I stashed it nearby (cryptobiotic crust make great camouflage!). I just might change the focus of my trips to Moab from "hiking" to "cleaning." So much dirt, so little time…

Naturally I cannot divulge the exact location because that might lead to theft of my elbow grease ($$$), but I can reveal that this is a short distance outside of Arches National Park, east of the ridge containing Delicate Arch Viewpoint. Geotagging is merely approximate for this reason.

20120420_1912...Art Boy gets "into" art

nobody@flickr.com (listorama) — Fri, 22 Feb 2013 13:12:32 -0800

listorama posted a photo:

This structure, about ten feet (2.7 m) tall, is one of twopieces of casual art standing in the desert within walking distance of the Sun Tunnels at Lucin, Utah. The metal pieces have been welded together, making the structure rigid. It is firmly anchored to the ground. It is tall enough and wide enough to allow a person to stand inside, as Art Boy is doing in this scene.

Nearby is a another piece of art. Both are at the end of a faint dirt road. There are no signs announcing or describing them. I presume they have nothing to do with the Sun Tunnels and Nancy Holt.

20061027_9537...Drainage

nobody@flickr.com (listorama) — Wed, 20 Feb 2013 23:28:59 -0800

listorama posted a photo:

Seen during a hike that turned into a circumnavigation of Delicate Arch Viewpoint. Geotagging is approximate.

20100912_5328...Semaphore wannabes?

nobody@flickr.com (listorama) — Wed, 20 Feb 2013 20:50:24 -0800

listorama posted a photo:

Two lineside poles seem to be trying to act like semaphore signals. Seen at Ola, Nevada, southwest of West Webndover. In the background: the southern end of th Toano Range. This is along the Union Pacific line (former Western Pacific line) between Salt Lake City and California.

20120920_5095...Behind the Rocks---will the route "go"?

nobody@flickr.com (listorama) — Tue, 19 Feb 2013 22:19:55 -0800

listorama posted a photo:

I had just negotiated what I hoped was the toughest part of the trek to Tear Drop Arch: a short wall on the end of a fin. Near the base of the wall was a large juniper that I had to climb through---awkward. Then followed an easy uphill zigzag to reach this point on the flank of another fin.

Ahead lay what I hoped was a negotiable passage between two fins (see note on image). Based on my study of aerial views of this area I was fairly confident that the passage would get me closer to Tear Drop Arch. (If not, the only alternative was the deep, brushy canyon at left). From here I angled right to the start of the intended passage. Getting there was easy but a little exposed in one short section. I was encouraged…

20120917_4126...Overhang

nobody@flickr.com (listorama) — Tue, 19 Feb 2013 20:44:39 -0800

listorama posted a photo:

Seen in the canyon of Salt Wash in Arches National Park.

My vantage point was at the center of this WikiMapia aerial view.

20120917_3978...Erosion

nobody@flickr.com (listorama) — Tue, 19 Feb 2013 19:08:09 -0800

listorama posted a photo:

Seen in the canyon of Salt Wash in Arches National Park.
The width of the scene at bottom is about nine feet (2.7 m).

20091019_1590...The view from under Pinto Arch

nobody@flickr.com (listorama) — Sun, 17 Feb 2013 13:31:27 -0800

listorama posted a photo:

Pinto Arch is at the end of a prominent rock shelf northeast of the Gold Bar Recreation Area and west of Corona Arch. I took this photo from directly under the arch and was looking about southwest, toward the unseen Colorado River.

Pinto Arch is at the center of this WikiMapia aerial view.

20120915_3313...One good fix deserves another

nobody@flickr.com (listorama) — Sat, 16 Feb 2013 16:49:40 -0800

listorama posted a photo:

Some criminals like to return to the scene of a crime so they can bask in the glory of their earlier triumph. In similar fashion, victims of SDS (Sandstone Deprivation Syndrome) are known to return to places that provided a memorable sandstone fix. (SDS is explained in horrific detail in a set devoted to the subject.)

The person appearing here obtained an earlier sandstone fix that was worth repeating. That earlier fix is shown in the photo below. The National Park Service is aware of this awful behavior but tolerates it as long as it takes place out of view of tourists, who are easily disgusted. Disgusted tourists tend not to return to disgusting places, which reduces the money taken in by the Park Service, which leads to cuts in staff, reduction of operating hours, and the eventual decline of Western Civilization.

Should you desire to risk life and limb (and reputation) to see this place for yourself, this WikiMapia aerial view will show where it is on the plateau next to and above Park Avenue in Arches National Park.. Reaching this location is not easy, so the "I've been there" factor will be significant.

Joe Tripod, noted for steadfast camera support even in the most demanding circumstances, aided this documentary effort.

20120917_4119...Prow

nobody@flickr.com (listorama) — Fri, 15 Feb 2013 18:26:08 -0800

listorama posted a photo:

Seen in Salt Wash of Arches National Park. Looking southeast from the center of this WikiMapia aerial view.

In the Wikimapia view, note the thin white line just north of my vantage point That is an old park boundary, made moot in 1998 by an expansion of the park that added the Lost Springs Canyon area to the northeast.

20120917_4081...The ridge that I curved around, inside a narrow wash

nobody@flickr.com (listorama) — Fri, 15 Feb 2013 16:18:41 -0800

listorama posted a photo:

Notes on the image tell more. This view is to the southwest, looking at the north end of the Y ridge.

20120917_4066...More of the curving wash

nobody@flickr.com (listorama) — Fri, 15 Feb 2013 16:19:22 -0800

listorama posted a photo:

This is close to where I scrambled out of the wash to the valley floor about ten feet above.
Note the animal tracks at bottom---probably made by deer.