Photographing Monument Valley

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Wednesday, 17 October 2018 - Woke early to photograph the Totem Pole formation at sunrise under dramatic desert light, searched for the best angles around the sand dunes while noting animal tracks, then got briefly stuck in the sand before our driver LeRoy freed the vehicle, explored Teardrop Arch with its framing view into Monument Valley, saw the winding San Juan River and Gooseneck State Park on the way, photographed the Mexican Hat formation, and finished the day with a purple sunset over Rock Door Mesa from the hotel patio.

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Up early to be at the Totem Pole formation at sunrise. We were lucky that the sunrise has some light clouds and nice colors.
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After catching the sunrise colors we then scrambled around to catch the golden light on the east side of the Totem Pole formation.
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Scrambling around in the sand to get a good shot revealed some little creature tracks.
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Sand and Totem Pole formation

Once again driving back to the hotel we got stuck in the sand. After a couple of tries we all had to get out of the tour vehicle. Then LeRoy jumped behind the wheel and drove the tour bus out of the sand - and we had to walk a very long way to catch up with the bus.
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This formation is the mountain behind the hotel - taken from the parking lot literally standing outside my room.

The rock wall is the edge of Rock Door Mesa
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After lunch we headed to the Teardrop Arch - which was a 30 minute drive but was only a few 100 yards away in the hotel in the mountains directly behind the hotel.

Teardrop Arch creates a window into Monument Valley
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Cal standing in the Teardrop Arch

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Gooseneck's State Park and the San Juan river - cutting back and forth through the earth.

Millions of years ago, the Monument Upwarp forced the river to carve its channels over 1,000 feet deep as the surrounding landscape slowly rose in elevation. The San Juan river was an old one with many curves - and simply cut down as the land rose in the same pattern it had on flat ground.
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Mexican Hat formation outside the city of Mexican Hat, Utah.
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As the sun set once again I stood in the parking lot and took pictures of the rocks of Rock Door Mesa standing over the hotel.
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A purple sunset in on Eagle Mesa in Monument Valley - this picture taken from the room patio.
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