Kickin' around the Strip, November 2017

Dave

Broadcaster, formerly "ashergrey"
.
Joined
May 5, 2012
Messages
1,725
Spent a week in early November on the Arizona Strip without much of an itinerary, just wandering to some popular spots in the hopes of catching a decent photo or two.

Started out in Vermillion Cliffs NM after striking out at the Coyote Buttes North lottery in Kanab.

_MG_0994.jpg

_MG_0029.jpg

_MG_1003.jpg

_MG_0072.jpg

_MG_1093.jpg

_MG_0087.jpg

_MG_1208.jpg

_MG_1241.jpg

_MG_1262.jpg

_MG_1244.jpg

_MG_1271.jpg

_MG_1300.jpg

_MG_1319.jpg

_MG_0144.jpg

_MG_0136.jpg

_MG_1416.jpg

_MG_1465.jpg

_MG_1472.jpg

Coming off the Sand Hills, I checked out the condor viewing area at the south end of the House Rock Valley Road. A number of the birds were roosting up near the enclosure at the top of the Vermillion Cliffs.

_MG_0195.jpg

_MG_0148.jpg

_MG_0200.jpg

_MG_0201.jpg

Heading into St. George to visit some friends, I made the teeth-grinding drive through Zion. A large group of Bighorn Sheep were grazing just off the side of SR-9.

I pulled off to the side of the road before anyone else had and quietly broke out the telephoto.

_MG_0225.jpg

_MG_0219.jpg

_MG_0256.jpg

It only took a couple of minutes for a large crowd to gather. Noise intensified. People left their cars idling and walked right up to the sheep.

_MG_0255.jpg

Others held their iPads up to car windows, parking in the middle of the lane and blocking traffic. The wildlife handled it pretty well, considering. I secretly hoped one of them would charge.

This jerkface barely slowed down, practically nudging the sheep out of the way with his car. He deserved a skull punch from a male Bighorn more than anyone.

_MG_0269.jpg

Disgusted, I packed up the camera and glared until the people who'd blocked me in by double-parking pulled forward enough to let me escape.

Afternoon was stretching on when I hit the canyon bottom. The idea hit me to shoot sunset from Angel's Landing. I grabbed the shuttle and disembarked at the Grotto around 4 p.m. The canyon bottom was already deep in shadow.

_MG_1508.jpg

Racing the clock, I busted up the trail as most other people were sauntering down. My heart rate was cooking at about 180 bpm just below Scout Lookout. Fading light has a way of motivating me though. Breathing heavy under the weight of two DSLRs, lenses and a full-size tripod, I pushed up the chains.

_MG_1539.jpg

_MG_0327.jpg

I ended up making it to the top in about 65 minutes, which I thought was pretty good.

_MG_1529.jpg

_MG_0302.jpg

A couple of shirtless frat bros arrived behind me and celebrated by shotgunning beers and calling their friend on speaker phone. Sigh.

_MG_1584.jpg

_MG_1590.jpg

Thankfully, the fading light spooked the two guys and they scooted off quickly.

Twilight was well on by the time I departed, the last one off for the day. I made it almost all the way back to Scout Lookout before darkness became too enveloping and I had to bust out the headlamp.

The trip down was a bit of a race in its own right, since I was afraid of missing the last shuttle back down canyon. Double-timing down Walters Wiggles was made easier by the fact I had the whole width of the trail to work with, since there was no counter traffic.

I made it with about 10 minutes to spare. Time coming down was about the same as going up, ~70 minutes.

A shower and a hot meal in St. George that night, then it was on to Toroweap.

_MG_0595.jpg

_MG_0565.jpg

_MG_1631-HDR.jpg

_MG_0328.jpg

Sunset light reflecting off the canyon walls was reaching the surface of the river 3,000 vertical feet below. It made the water look like molten metal from up on the rim. Trying to capture it pushed the limits of my camera gear and I'm not at all happy with the outcome versus what it looked like in person.

_MG_0351.jpg

_MG_0357.jpg

_MG_1701.jpg

_MG_0358.jpg

_MG_1708.jpg

_MG_1724.jpg

Only two other sites at the Toroweap CG were in use that night. It was quiet and warm for November. Unlike Vermillion Cliffs where the overnight temps were in the 20s, it was probably around 40 at night on the Esplanade.

_MG_1758.jpg

_MG_0417.jpg

_MG_1768.jpg

_MG_0420.jpg

_MG_0431.jpg

_MG_1880-HDR.jpg

_MG_1885.jpg

_MG_1921.jpg

On the way out the next day, I took the time to stop at Pipe Springs NM. I've passed it by many times but never devoted the time. I was impressed by the fair and neutral way the NPS approached telling the history here.

_MG_1947.jpg
 
Last edited:
Always great @Dave. Thanks for taking the time to write it up and post it for us.
 
Beyond amazed by your ability to capture a place and a scene, Daveee. A most powerful gallery of images. Thank you!
 
Awesome shots @Dave
Love your pictures :)
The Arizona strip is incredible- serene. We enjoyed those warm days in November and December 2017 too.
And wow.... you did make great time up and down past Scout Lookout.
About missing out in the Coyote Butte North lottery: You might like some amazing off trail photo opportunities in Valley of Fire SP:
'Fire wave', but in particular OFF TRAIL west and southwest of the Fire Wave is as close as it gets to the Wave in Coyote Butte.
We visited the Wave in December 2016, but we were equally blown away by amazing photo opportunities off trail from the "Fire Wave" in Nevada, February 2018. We were suppose to visit the Fire Wave quick one morning, but we ended up spending a full day shooting loads of pictures close by.
Then close to Page : The "Great Wall" close to Waterholes Canyon looks like the 'second Wave' in Coyote Butte. Unfortunately they recently made Waterholes Canyon into a tour event. Until recently you could get a Navajo permit and go in your own, but not anymore....
 
Last edited:
I'm happy this report got bumped!!! Missed it the first time through. You showed those lottery gods what4!!!!! Having made that walk away from the visitors center empty handed also, I know the first thing that comes to mind is "what to do, what to do". That is how I experienced Buckskin Wash the first time.
 
About missing out in the Coyote Butte North lottery: You might like some amazing off trail photo opportunities in Valley of Fire SP:
'Fire wave', but in particular OFF TRAIL west and southwest of the Fire Wave is as close as it gets to the Wave in Coyote Butte.

Thanks, and welcome to BCP.

I've been to both The Wave and The Fire Wave. I agree VoF has some great photo locations. I need to get back there again soon.

I get a hair to play the permit lottery every once in awhile, even though I know there are zillions of other places left to explore. It's always nice to be reminded of the endless alternatives.
 
Similar threads
Thread starter Title Forum Replies Date
OldBill (mis)Adventures in and around the Winds Backpacking 8
Kullaberg63 Loop on and around the Fold Backpacking 13
zionsky Roaming around Zion Fall 2022 Hiking & Camping 4
TrailScot "I'll take the High Road ..." - A Loop Hike around the Canyons of Needles - May 2022 Trip Reports 14
OldBill In and Around the Winds, Sept 2020 Backpacking 8
U Any recommendations for 5 days hiking in Wyoming, Idaho or MT? This is around July 15-20. Not counting on Glacier being open Trip Planning 9
P Question about going around Shoshone Lake in Yellowstone Trip Planning 0
Nick What to do around Juneau or Haines Trip Planning 8
balzaccom Showing the kids around Yosemite Backpacking 0
andyjaggy Bug bites around ankle General Discussion 5
JohnP Ideas around Silverton, CO - Hike + Camp Trip Planning 8
Kyle P Day Hikes around Denver Trip Planning 0
IntrepidXJ Easter Weekend Around the Paria Plateau Hiking & Camping 1
WasatchWill A Recon Trip Around Comb Ridge Hiking & Camping 6
Nick Around Utah Hiking & Camping 22
Craiger Camping around Moab next weekend General Discussion 6
Nick A busy day around Moab Hiking & Camping 13
Vegan.Hiker A weekend traipsing around Virginia Backpacking 13
Bob Shuttles around Yellowstone Resource Discussions 1
Matt Price One Day in or around Zion Trip Planning 0
TrektheWorld Zion Canyoneering around June 20th Trip Planning 12
M Anyone been down around Cedar Mesa lately? Trip Planning 5
IntrepidXJ A Drive Around the San Juan's Off Road 4
Jammer Around-Zion Hike Backpacking 11
Nick Dog-friendly hikes around St. George Trip Planning 28
Jammer Invite Around St. George 3/7ish + Meet Up (Members Only) 0
Nick Looking for a place around Joshua Tree? General Discussion 2
IntrepidXJ Last Weekend Around Moab Hiking & Camping 3
Nick Best easy day hikes around Salt Lake General Discussion 25
IntrepidXJ All Around Death Valley Hiking & Camping 2
JamesM Playin in and around Zion Hiking & Camping 1
IntrepidXJ Around the Grand Valley Hiking & Camping 2
Archbishop Short hike around Deam Wilderness Indiana Backpacking 6
regehr adventures with kids around Hanksville Everything Else 4
Ross Partner(s) for less-beaten routes in & around Zion NP Trip Planning 0
Sandro Suggestions: hikes and places to visit around Kanab General Discussion 5
A Invite Bryce/Zion around May 14th or May 21st Meet Up (Members Only) 0
Nick Best portrait and all-around lens Photography 14
IntrepidXJ Light, Clouds and Hiking Around Moab Hiking & Camping 2
fossana AZ Strip bike exploration (Sunshine Trail/Hurricane Wash Loop) Everything Else 3
Titans 2020 Road Conditions Southern Utah (& Arizona Strip ) Trip Planning 1
Miya Snowy Miracle on The Strip, Oh Yeah and Valley of Fire Everything Else 12
Titans Winter campfires - Utah / Arizona strip General Discussion 13
Titans This week- Kanab, Arizona strip Trip Planning 13
Cool Danish Arizona Strip - Fall 2014 Hiking & Camping 8
Michael Clam Shell - Arizona Strip Hiking & Camping 6
IntrepidXJ Once in a Blue Moon | The Arizona Strip Hiking & Camping 18

Similar threads

Back
Top