LF Gathering - Hovenweep, Oct 26-28, 2007

[Eric Biggerstaff]

As a follow up to last years LF gathering at Chaco Canyon in New Mexico, we are trying to pull together a fall gathering at Hovenweep National Monument in the four corners area of Colorado.

We are planning on the last weekend in October which is the 26th - 28th. The weather should be cool and comfortable with the days in the 70's and nights in the 40's. There is a small campground located in the park for $10.00 per night and a few spots can handle RV's but most are suited to tent / car camping. Camping is first come, first serve. If you want to stay in a town, Cortez, Colorado is close and an easy drive.

This is a very imformal gathering with no plans other than to show up, do some photography, hike, talk, eat and have a good time.

More information on Hovenweep can be found at www.nps.gov\hove.

Chauncey Walden and I are planning on being down there and we hope that several of you can join.

[matthew blais]

correct link
http://www.nps.gov/hove/

Sounds good. I wanted to attend last years but timing did me in..I'll try (again)

[Eric Biggerstaff]

Thanks Matthew, try to make this years!

[davidb]

Count me in.

[Eric Biggerstaff]

Great David! Look forward to meeting you.

[Allen Rumme]

I'll be there.

[Eric Biggerstaff]

Great Allen! Look forward to seeing you.

[al olson]

I hope we do not popularize this archeological site too much because it is one of the few unspoiled sites that have great photo opportunities while at the same time it is not over run with tourists. [I only go to Mesa Verde for doing people pictures.]

It is with some reluctance that I am revealing the web page that I began last fall. My plan was to go back this spring and summer to spend more time to photograph the ruins in the proper light. Unfortunately, back problems prevented this, but on Tuesday I will be having fusion surgery and I expect to be ready to go by 10/26.

My web page is at www.photo-artiste.com/ruins.html. Please do not link to it because I do not want the information spread so that Hovenweep becomes a tourist magnet. I do not link to it from any other pages on my web site. When the page is complete, I will remove all references to Hovenweep and refer to it only as an archeological site in the Southwest. If we don't tell people about it, maybe they won't come.

I started the web page, primarily with 35mm IR photos and some 6x6, along with some of my observations on what the conditions must have been at that time for these sites to be suitable for human life. I plan to expand the page along with better photographs taken with 4x5 and perhaps 8x10, staying with b&w although I do have some nice color images as well.

[steve simmons]

I don't think this place will be overrun. It is too remote and from what I remember there is at least some hiking involved to get to the good locations. Capitol Reef is another place with great opportunities if the light and weather are right but it to is hard to get to and the roads in the park are pretty rough. It was discovered in the 80s but the discovery never amounted to much .

Hopefully


steve simmons

[Kirk Gittings]

As photographers who exhibit and publish our work, we are constantly faced with the dilemma of how our work destroys by exposure the very thing we love.

However, Hovenweep is a National Park, Googling its name comes up with over 100,000 hits. It is well known amongst non-photographer and photographers alike that I know. Its remoteness and the fact that it is on the way to nowhere accounts for the low traffic. What we do will not impact it at all.

I have been going there since 1978. It is one of my favorite locations. Unfortunately, I have to be back in Chicago then. Sorry I will miss it. Have fun,