Fine Art Images from the American Southwest

Tag: Shiprock

Monument Valley, Valley of the Gods, March 30, 2022

Greetings on a beautiful spring day in Monument Valley.

Last week I stated that I would post a few more images from the Monument Valley road trip with my friend David. I hope I don’t overdo it!

We went there for the “shadow event” as it is called. In last week’s photo, I told you that it had fizzled out at the prime moment, even so, the light on the landscape was magnificent. In the first two images below you can see that we were not disappointed with the second evening’s opportunity.

Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park
Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park shadow event.
Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park Shadow event.
Monument Valley, the “Mittens shadow event” at the prime moment.

Dedicating a longer length of time to one place, allowed us to explore the area more extensively. Keeping an eye on the weather (one can see the changes coming far off) we were able to make a judgment call and go to where we thought the results would pay off for a photograph.

This lineman in the next photo has the best view of any job I know of. If I were him, I wouldn’t get any work done. I’d be constantly looking around at the view, and possibly electricute myself in the process. That is why I do what I do and he does what he does.

A line man for the county
A county lineman with the best view!

The lineman’s view, notwithstanding, check out his (were he to glance over) and our view in the other direction, over my shoulder. The vista point was a short walk from a turnout on Highway 163. We passed through a stretch gate, up and over a slight rise for a view of one of my most favorite places on the planet. Over the years, I’ve made many camping trips to Valley of the Gods. My preferred campsite is way in the back of this image, where the rain is falling. There are canyons to hike that seem to go on for almost an eternity. It’s a very special place. Can you imagine the night sky from in there with no light polution?

Valley of the Gods, Utah
Valley of the Gods, Utah.
Valley of the Gods, Utah close up of rain storm
Valley of the Gods, a close-up of a fast-moving rainstorm.

From Valley of the Gods, we drove up the Moki Dugway. If you have a phobia of heights and sheer drops better give it a miss. From the top, we went west on a well-traveled dirt road to the edge of those mesas on the left in the photograph below. The view from the edge was quite amazing. In the second photo, I’m looking down to the San Juan River as it meanders through the goosenecks of the canyon and beyond to Navajo Mountain.

Muley Point and clouds from below in color.
Muley Point with clouds from below.
Navajo Mountain from Muley Point, Utah
San Juan River Goosenecks looking to the west and Navajo Mountain.

Back to Monument Valley, the point of the whole trip.

Tree with a view in Monument Valley
Tree and a view in Monument Valley.
A spectacular view in Monument Valley
Spectacular view in Monument Valley, sans the tree.

Just because it was there, I had fun lining up this shot of the Mittens with a random chair…

West and East Mittens framed
West and East Mittens are framed by a vendor’s tent structure.

…and this one!

West Mitten Framed
West Mitten is framed by a vendor’s tent structure.

One last look at the Monument Valley scenic drive from the iconic pair of rocks at the valley vista.

"The mittens", Monument Valley
“The Mittens”, Monument Valley, scenic drive.

Then it was on to Shiprock, known to the Navajo as Tsé Bitʼaʼí – Rock with Wings, and the road home.

Shiprock "Rock with Wings"
Shiprock, Tsé Bitʼaʼí (Rock with Wings), New Mexico.

Shiprock Tsé Bitʼaʼí (Rock with Wings) New Mexico
Shiprock, New Mexico.

Incidentally, this is how our trip began in the early hours of Tuesday Morning on Highway 64 west of Taos, New Mexico.

Highway 64, New Mexico
Driving in snow and ice on Highway 64, New Mexico

I hope you enjoyed the tour. If you get a chance to head out there, I highly recommend it. If you need a tour guide let me know. Prints are available of all these images. Send me and email if you are interested.

As always, thank you for looking. G

Shiprock, Sun Star, Northwestern New Mexico

Shiprock with sun star, northwestern New Mexico. This is a large panorama from a couple of years ago. One of my favorite views in northwestern New Mexico. I was able to line up the sun through a fracture in one of Shiprock’s many black dikes composed of igneous rocks. I would have been there this year too, again, the current situation forced us to postpone a two week photo workshop around the southwest. This down time has enabled me to pull some images I hadn’t yet delved into. You can read more on Shiprock and it’s geology here on Wikipedia. Thanks for looking. G

Shiprock with sun star, northwestern New Mexico.

On The Shiprock Dike, Northern NM

On the Shiprock Dike, Northern NM. Great views abound from this location at Shiprock. Great skies all the way to the San Juan Mountains of Colorado in the clouds. This photo was from a week long photo tour last May. Hey Ron, I’m still going through images. Thanks for looking. G

On The Shiprock Dike, Northern NM

Four Corners Photo Tour Shiprock, NM

Four Corners photo tour/workshop at Shiprock, NM. Landscape, architecture, people and culture photography tour and workshop in the four corners area of Arizona, Utah, Colorado and New Mexico. Yes it was five days of fun camaraderie, great locations and image making. Thanks for looking. G

Five Day Photography Trip

Red Valley, View To Shiprock

Red Valley, Arizona and the view to Shiprock, New Mexico. Still visiting images made a week ago around the four corners area. This large panorama consists of eight images. We pulled over immediately when we saw the shadows passing across the landscape. I really like this view of Shiprock. A little different than the view from a few days ago. Thanks for looking. G

Red Valley, Arizona and the view to Shiprock, New Mexico.

Five Day Photography Trip

Five day photography trip in Arizona, southeast Utah, northeastern New Mexico. We had a great week visiting Acoma, Canyon de Chelly, Valley of the Gods, Arches NP, Mesa Verde, Shiprock (pictured below) and Chaco Canyon.

Five Day Photography Trip

Grasslands At Shiprock

Grasslands at Shiprock. Horses grazing in apparent contentment which reflects my mood and infuses my spirit when I gaze on the monumental formation known as Shiprock ‘sailing’ through the grasses on the Navajo Tribal Reservation in the four corners region of north western New Mexico.

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