wahweap hoodoos

[ogdendude]

To get to the hoodoos, does anyone recommend parking at the front side (south by Big Water) or parking in the back (North side). How much is the North side a shorter/easier hike?

Any other good recommends in that area?

 

[ogdendude]

Well, I found out the hard way that despite what any maps might look like, there is a road there but it is not a public road. It is an administrative road and you can get fined big time. I didn't get fined since I turned back, but the problem with that is that you don't see the administrative only side until your have invested a lot of time and energy getting 2/3rds of the way there.

So then I tried the front way, and someone stole the TH sign. So I was in the right place but didn't know I was in the right place.

So I had a nice chat with the Big Water BLM ranger. Great guy. Has a dinosaur named after him. Very helpful. Just the sort of guy you wanto working for the BLM. Know a whole lot about dinosaurs, and the geology of the area.

 

[Nick]

Crap, I saw this on my phone and meant to respond when I got to my desk. I didn't know quite that much but I'd heard you can't actually get in the back way because of the road not being accessible. So did you get in top them?

 

[ogdendude]

By the time we tried the back way and turned around, and then went to the front way and found out the sign had been stolen it was getting late in the day, so we did another hike nearby.
This one was about probably half the length of a hike. The road to the TH had just been graded but you could see that it was impassible just a short time ago due to all the flash flooding. Looks like it was quite a lot of water moving around some pretty soft dirt and sand. So it would have been impossible to get to just a few weeks ago.

 

[Nick]

Cool shot! That looks different than the ones I've seen. I love the coloration. Do we get to look forward to a full trip report?

 

[John Fowler]

Federica and I took the hike from Big Water out to the hoodoos about 2 weeks ago. We parked about a quarter of a mile after we crossed the stream and it looked like we couldn't go much farther in the truck. I also talked to the ranger and he said that Washington was making them levy $350 fines on those who used the road off of Cottonwood Canyon road. I had actually tried that road some time back, going to Sidestep Canyon, and it was very bad -- one of the few times that my Tundra has bottomed out.

Note that the hoodoos are in shadow most of the day this time of year -- the pretty ones at least. We got there around 10:30 am and it was already too late. Some of the nearby hoodoos were looking fine in the sun though.

 

[ogdendude]

The funny thing about that illegal road is that it is graded. So someone is taking care of it. I was told in the BLM office that those roads are allowed for cattle grazing permit holders only and that they are indeed allowed to maintain their own existing roads. So it looked like a pretty nice road to be considered not open to hikers.

 

[John Fowler]

The funny thing about that illegal road is that it is graded. So someone is taking care of it. I was told in the BLM office that those roads are allowed for cattle grazing permit holders only and that they are indeed allowed to maintain their own existing roads. So it looked like a pretty nice road to be considered not open to hikers.

The day I went it was not a good road at all. I almost got stuck in a deep, narrow arroyo. So I guess it varies. I don't know why they don't just maintain it all the time and use it as the principal road to the Wahweap Hoodoos and Sidestep Canyon.

 

[John Fowler]

Here's a link to the VR 360 multirama that I shot a couple of weeks ago at the Wahweap Hoodoos. When the image changes from B&W to color it's ready and you can navigate all around with the mouse. (IT might take some time to load.)

http://www.lumenetic.com/vr_files/wahweaphoodoos/Wahweap.htm

 

[Laura]

Here's a link to the VR 360 multirama that I shot a couple of weeks ago at the Wahweap Hoodoos. When the image changes from B&W to color it's ready and you can navigate all around with the mouse. (IT might take some time to load.)

http://www.lumenetic.com/vr_files/wahweaphoodoos/Wahweap.htm

That was so cool! Man those things are weird. I'm going to have to find them one of these trips.

 

[Yvonne]

I went a few years back on the now closed dirt road.
The drive in was okay, a bit rough at some places, but it shortened the hike a lot.
Unfortunately I do not have many pictures of this trip because I tore my meniscus while walking around.
Will be back in December and hike in via the Wahweap Wash.

 

[Laura]

Okay, now I have a fire lit under me to find these things. Can anyone tell me when (as in what month) they get early morning light?

 

[Yvonne]

Okay, now I have a fire lit under me to find these things. Can anyone tell me when (as in what month) they get early morning light?

I've only been in early June and we had some nice light until 10 or so.

I can report back in December how the winter light affected the composition of my shots.
In June the best light was after sunrise, but that means you have to start pretty early or hike in at night.

 

[John Fowler]

Okay, now I have a fire lit under me to find these things. Can anyone tell me when (as in what month) they get early morning light?

I think that common wisdom is April through September. But if you get there for sunrise or shortly thereafter, you might stretch it a month on either end. I have been as late as Oct. 13 and got sunlight on most of that big hoodoo but many were in shade.

BTW, the walk from the parking area just north of Big Water to the hoodoos usually takes me 2 hours. The creek is not deep but you will have to cross it several times and at the very least will get your shoes wet. If it's been raining you will have to go through some mucky, muddy, slippery spots.

Some of the other nearby hoodoos probably get the morning sun year-round.

 

[Laura]

I think that common wisdom is April through September. But if you get there for sunrise or shortly thereafter, you might stretch it a month on either end. I have been as late as Oct. 13 and got sunlight on most of that big hoodoo but many were in shade.

BTW, the walk from the parking area just north of Big Water to the hoodoos usually takes me 2 hours. The creek is not deep but you will have to cross it several times and at the very least will get your shoes wet. If it's been raining you will have to go through some mucky, muddy, slippery spots.

Some of the other nearby hoodoos probably get the morning sun year-round.

Cool, thanks! I was just looking at a hiking website and they have the hike at 4 miles, so 2 hours sounds about right. I've heard they get light a little after sunrise because they're in a wash, correct?

 

[John Fowler]

Cool, thanks! I was just looking at a hiking website and they have the hike at 4 miles, so 2 hours sounds about right. I've heard they get light a little after sunrise because they're in a wash, correct?

The "pretty" ones are in a little cove that has a wall on the southeast side that blocks direct sunlight except when either the sun is up high enough to shine over the top, or the sun is enough in the east that the wall isn't a problem. The wash is very broad in general, maybe 100 yds wide, so the problem is that wall that blocks sunlight when the sun isn't high enough in the sky.

My multirama 360 should make it easier to see the problem:

http://www.lumenetic.com/vr_files/wahweaphoodoos/Wahweap.htm

 

[Laura]

Yes, that is very cool! Okay, so there's no point hiking in the dark to be there at dawn, then. I love sites where you can sleep in

 

[John Fowler]

Yes, that is very cool! Okay, so there's no point hiking in the dark to be there at dawn, then. I love sites where you can sleep in

Well, don't wait too late. Are you familiar with a little app called "The Photographer's Ephemeris"? It will give you much information about sun and moon rise and set, angle, etc. anywhere and at any date. And it's free! On your computer or your tablet.

http://photoephemeris.com/

 

[John Fowler]

BTW, here's my GPS track -- just head up the wash and keep on going.

 

[Laura]

Well, don't wait too late. Are you familiar with a little app called "The Photographer's Ephemeris"? It will give you much information about sun and moon rise and set, angle, etc. anywhere and at any date. And it's free! On your computer or your tablet.

http://photoephemeris.com/

Oh yeah, I've got that one but it never hurts to ask someone who's actually been there.