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Don Boyd
1-Jan-2004, 14:07
In late March, I will be fulfilling a decade long dream of photographing with large format gear on the Colorado Plateau for 3 months. I am interested in hearing from others who have taken extended photographic camping trips. I am minimally familiar with Natural Bridges, Capitol Reef, Escalante-Grand Staircase and Canyonlands, and not at all with the San Rafael Swell or places outside of the Monuments. I will be primarily tent and camper-shell housed, and have a small 4-wheel drive pickup. I will probably make 2 or 3 trips back to my Tucson home over the course of the three months to make sure that I am still married, resupply and check the images. (Actually, my wife is very supportive, although she does wish I was taking the three dogs with me.) Although I certainly want to hear about some of your favorite places, I am also also very interested in suggestions and tips about managing such a prolonged shoot; all those little things that you wish you had known before you set out that you would put in your book if you were to write one. While I realize this posting is not about large format per se, some of your tips may address issues I need to consider for my 4x5 transparency work. One question I am looking for some feedback on is, is a GPS a helpful photographic/safety aid? I am also looking for a very reasonably priced house/dwelling/palace that I might hang out in and use for a base for a month or so in April or May, preferably in the Capital Reef, Torrey, or Escalante areas. Many thanks in advance.

Bruce M. Herman
1-Jan-2004, 14:55
Don,

I would work with Readyloads/Quickloads (your choice) and make notes on the paper film containers if you're the sort who keeps notes. My notes include the date, loacation, subject, lens, H or V for horizontal vs vertical, and number of exposures for this composition (ex. 2 of 3). I would also suggest sending some of the film to your favorite processing lab periodically to help you keep an eye on your mechanics (no pinholes in the bellows or problems with the exposure meter for instance).

Dust will accumulate fast than you might image. Take a soft bristle brush and clean your camera and film holder periodically. Use your favorite technique to clean your lenses and filters, too.

I tend to rely on maps and my own ability to read the topography instead of a GPS when it comes to location and safety. You can carry a personal emergency transponder if you're thinking of telling someone that you need help. I would not rely on a cell phone to maintain contact with the outside world as coverage is still pretty spotty in these areas once you leave the main road corridors. Hence the reason that the GPS may not be as useful for saftey as it mighgt be. Keep to a schedule of contact times with your wife. Let her know your plans for the next few days. Then, if something happens and you don't call her, she'll know that she has to call in the Mounties. It may seem silly, but this could save you from having to amputate your own limb as one guy did last year.

Stay hydrated. Wear a hat and use sun screen. That's from your mother.

I sure wish that I had the time to do this kind of trip. Best of luck!

Bruce

QT Luong
1-Jan-2004, 17:25
I have found my GPS useful for: (a) determining with precision the time of sunrise/sunset (especially while travelling across confusing time zones), (b) marking locations to return to, (c) occasionally finding my way back to the car in the dark, (d) marking each of my actual exposures so that the data is there, should I want to use it in the future. I like the Garmin etrek series. The additional price of the models with a better screen a joystick is worth it. If you're really concerned about your safety, what would be very helpful is a satellite phone.

Michael Rosenberg
1-Jan-2004, 17:32
Don,

You should have no trouble doing what you want to do in that area. The chief limitation in how long you camp will be water. In the Grand Staircase you can access much of the area from Escalante, but you may have to plan to purchase some food and bring it to Escalante as the store there was not overly stocked. Figure 1 gallon of water per day for cooking and hydration. Also be very cognizant of the weather, as a little bit of water can turn the road into a mess. Check with the BKM. When you hike trails sign-in at the trail heads. The Staircase is grand, but remote.

If you did take your dogs you have to be careful. Besides things like stickers, there are snakes, and if they chase a rabbit there is the potential they could run off a cliff!

Bruce Barnbaum is offering a workshop from Boulder, so you may want to check out his web site. It sounds like a lot of fun. I will be in the Bluff/Capitol Reef/San Rafael Ridge area in late April early May.

You can e-mail me for some more details on that area.

Regards,

Mike

John Kasaian
1-Jan-2004, 17:46
Try the trout at the Road Creek Inn in Loa!---Cheers!

Steve Sherman
1-Jan-2004, 18:22
Don, I am not fortunate enough to live west of the Mason Dixon but I have been to the Colorado Plateau scores of times (last November), best Large Format location on the planet. I can honestly say within that area is home to four of the most bizzare areas of erosion and desolation I have seen in 20 years with backpack and sheet film. E mailed me off line and I can try to summarize various places I have been.

John Cook
2-Jan-2004, 03:48
A really ugly, durable, UV-proof hat will come in handy.

http://tilley.com/

Cesar Barreto
2-Jan-2004, 05:16
Don,

Last year I made a much shorter trip on quite a different environment (Fernando de Noronha Island, mid-Atlantic), but was enough to find out that indexing exposed film can easily become a major issue, deserving some good thinking long before leaving home. A lot has already been discussed and written about it and suggest you to dig into this matter, unless you've already found a good way to keep your records apt to your needs. As a tip, I'd suggest taking to field a plastic bag, tied to some kind of string, that could be used two-fold: to fast cover camera against inclement weather and to be used filled with rocks or alike as center-weight on windy days. It save me a bunch of times and also kept my cameras free from tons of sprayed salt water.

Chad Jarvis
2-Jan-2004, 07:43
Bring compressed air to blow out your film holders. Someone recommended this to me when I made the trip to the area, and the advice was invaluable.

Prepare yourself for wind and cold.

Tom Hieb
2-Jan-2004, 09:13
Don,

QT is right on with his points about the value of a GPS unit. It's worth emphasiszing again, though, that they can be very valuable for finding your way back after dark. Especially if, like me, you tend to stay out until the last bit of light has faded and get too preoccupied with compostion and exposure to pay good attention to where you are at. One thing you will also want for finding your way back is a good light source. I highly recommend a good, lightweight L.E.D. headlamp. These things weigh very little and run for an amazing amount of time using just a few small batteries. You can walk all night in the dark and not run the batteries out. I always carry one in my LF gear pack just in case. If you don't know what I'm referring to check out www.princetontec.com. The little "Pulsar" lights they sell are also very useful in your gear bag. They put out an amazing amount of light for such a tiny unit.

James Venis
2-Jan-2004, 10:21
As a former scoutmaster, I want to mention Scouting's Outdoor Essentials, a short list of items that should always go with you when you venture off well-worn paths:

1. a pocketknife 2. a first aid kit 3. extra clothing 4. rain gear 5. a canteen or water bottle 6. a flashlight 7. trail food 8. matches and fire starters 9. sun protection 10. map and compass

To this basic list I usually add a pair of medium-weight work gloves for scrambling over rocks and for insulation from hot or cold tripod legs, a couple of bandannas, spare batteries, and a small pill container or foil pack of Ibuprofen and Benedryl caplets.

Keep a 5-gallon container of clean water in the car to top off your canteen, your spare canteen, and your extra Platypus water bottles. You might be tempted to carry purification tablets or a fancy water filter and pump, but you'll be in such dry country that these will have little practical use. I know from backpacking in New Mexico that I can consume as many as six liters of water per day.

My first GPS got stolen off my tailgate at Arches. My second is a simple Garmin eTrex, and I find lots of uses for it, but I'd never leave the car without my non-battery-powered compass as well. And as I tell the Scouts, knowing how to use a compass is essential to understanding the uses and limitations of a GPS.

There's a clean, modern motel in Cannonville, Utah, that's a good place to stop, shower, and rest. You'll know it when you see it.

Will you have a way to keep the rest of us posted during your experience? It might be fun if some of us could meet up with you for a day or so.

Don Boyd
2-Jan-2004, 10:44
James, might be fun to have a fairly impromptu, "Convention in the Canyon." I plan on working very sponstaneously and where I go may be somewhat weather dependent, but . . . I might be able to pick a geographic spot a month or so out for a gathering. I don't have much interest in doing a blog but will have a laptop with me for occasional correspondence. I am cautious about taking on much planning but will think about it some more. In the meantime, are there others who might be interested in such a get-to-gether? If so, where in the Plateau might be the easiest place to meet for you?

Kerry L. Thalmann
2-Jan-2004, 11:26
Don,

I've spent a fair amount of time hiking, camping and photographing on the Colorado Plateau, but never more than about 10 days at a time. You're in for a real treat. You've picked a great time to go.

The first thing I recommend is getting copies of Photographing the Southwest Volume 1 and Volume 2 by Laurent Martres. If you can't find them locally, you can order them online directly from the author/publisher at:

http://www.phototripusa.com/

You might also check out some of his online showcases while you're visiting his site. These books are very well researched, will help you find locations you might otheriwse miss and save you a lot of time. Highly recommended.

Second, as others have mentioned, I'd definitely recommend Quickloads/Reayloads. When I'm in the SW, I spend all my time from before sunrise until after sunset hiking, photographing anf driving to the next location to do it all again hte next day. On my last trip to the SW, I spent every day from before 6:00am until after midnight on the trail, on the road and taking pictures. I was so engrossed in photography that I didn't really have any time to spend loading and unloading film holders. Plus, the Quickloads/Readylods will pretty much eliminate dust problems (I keep them in 1 gallon ZipLoc bags).

Be prepared for any kind of weather. I've been snowed on in Capitol Reef in late March and then experienced temps in the 90s in Canyonlands a week later. In late March, nightime temps will be in the 30s, possibly even 20s. By the end of your trip, expect daytime temps to regularly exceed 90, or even 100 degrees. Just take a warm sleeping bag and dress in layers.

With a 4wd truck, you should be able to camp near many of your destinations - this is great for being in the right place at the right time for sunrise and sunset shooting. In addition to the formal campgrounds at places like Arches, Canonlands, Deadhorse Point, etc. you can also camp anywhere you please on BLM land (usually for free). Just keep your truck well stocked with food, film and water. A cooler and a small camp stove will allow you to prepare meals in the backcountry. This saves both money and time compared to eating in restaurants.

That said, there is one dining experience I highly recommed - Paria Outpost & Oufitters. It is located between Page and Kanab, right on Hwy. 89 near the Paria Ranger Station. On Fridays and Saturdays they have a buffet that is incredible. I've eaten there the last couple times I've photographed at Coyote Buttes, and believe me, you won't find any better food (or a better deal) for a few hundred miles in any direction. The place is run by a couple of hippie types (they also have a nice selection of tie-dyed children's cloths), and they couldn't be nicer. They treat strangers like old friends. In addtition to the great food (both the selection and the quality is outstanding), they are also a great source of information about the area. They usually have live entertainment on Fridays and Saturdays. This can be anything from live bluegrass music to a slide show, but there's usually something. They have a web site at:

http://www.paria.com/

Have fun and post some images after your trip.

Kerry

Michael Rosenberg
2-Jan-2004, 16:20
Just to add to what essential information was posted above: When my wife and I came out of Grand Gulch last year there was a news story we learned about of a serious hiker out on his own up near Moab - yeah you all know the one I am talking about! From that day forward I resolved to always carry a sharp knife! ;-)

Seruously, it does not hurt to leave a map visible in the windshield marked with the trail you are hiking - and always sign in at the trailhead!

Mike

J.L. Kennedy
2-Jan-2004, 22:07
All these guys are so excited about your trip that they've missed the most important question... does your wife have an unmarried sister? I can't imagine being so fortunate as to have a wife who would tolerate a trip like this for a week, let alone being "very supportive" of a three month jaunt. Be very good to her, she's worth it.

james mickelson
3-Jan-2004, 12:18
The Cedar gnats will eat you alive so start taking large amounts of B vitamins now to help combat the little buggers. And take only what you'll need for that days shoot with you in your truck. You'll come back to your vehicle at the end of the day and find it stripped of all valuables. Not always the case but often enough that I'd never leave much of value in your vehicle such as extra cameras and stuff. Yeah yeah I've heard from guys who've never had a problem parked out at the end of the road at Horseshoe Canyon and Salt Creek but I have first hand experience too. And friends who've had their vehicle broken into more than once. Play it safe. And Tucson's not that far from many of the locations you mention. Days drive at the most. And I second Quickloads. You'll save yourself lots of agrevation and since this is a lifetime dream, it's worth the cost. My best advice will be a little different. Slow down. Take your time. Look for the light. You've lots of time so be selective. S L O W D O W N ............ And have fun.

Mark_3632
3-Jan-2004, 14:53
Having lived on the CP for 27 years I can definately say "been there done that for most of the places around here". I can also say STAY OUT OF THE GRAND STAIRCASE IF IT HAS RAINED OR SNOWED AND NOT HAD TIME TO DRY. A late spring twenty mile hike in 4 inch deep clay taught me one hell of a lesson. It is a wet winter so far and off roading will be hazardous in most placesas the snow melts and sprng rains show up. I can give great pointers, esecially for the Navajo Reservation and north western new mexico areas. E-mail me if you want.

Carry water, warm and extra clothes, tell someone where you will be. Spontinaity is great as long as you have planned. Late spring and early summer can be hot one minute and dump 6 inches of snow on your car over night. remember the elevations are high and it does freeze into may on most years. it is beautiful, rough, and tranquil here. I can't imagine living amywhere else.

Garrett Kwakkestein
4-Jan-2004, 03:04
Bring LOTS of film! I would like to second the mention of considering a weekend or so to have a meet up there. I live here in the Phoenix area, and I could give you a hand in bringing up some supplies if you're considering some type of get together. Extra gas cans. Extra water containers. GPS is over rated. Spend the money on getting the USGS 7.5 min topos for all the areas you are going. Learn how to use your compass well. Popular sells great foam 3" thick pads for the back of your truck. Don't forget your comfy pillow. Bring good reading material. Bring guide books. consider an extra spare tire and good jack. One word: Beer. This sounds really wimpy, but... REI also sells a portable camp shower that uses propane to warm water and batteries to pump, all fitting in a box the size of your LF camera. You laugh now, but remember reading this - 3 weeks into your trip without a bath. A warm shower IS heaven in the back country. bring your array of split ND grads. bring synthetic clothes for the cool weather, bring cotton sparingly use only when it gets real hot. Tow strap. Very good thick cooler to keep ice long-time. Headlamp, get the Petzl or the Black diamond at REI. or if you're from Tuscon, Summit Hut off of Speedway Blvd. Canned air. TONS O SPARE BATTERIES for your light meter and other toy cameras like a 35mm. Bring common sense. are you backpacking? or car camping? leave dark cloth at home, bring fleece jacket. buy a 6" drain tube at home depot to toss in the back or roof of your truck to keep your tripod handy, unburied, and for easy access. Get a dust PROOF container for all your photo gear. bring sunset / sunrise azimuth chart. consider packing heat (i can feel everyone cringe). Get insurance rider for LF gear before you go. Music, coffee and chocolate. Boy it is getting late. Bring lots of fun.

Bruce Wehman
4-Jan-2004, 15:54
All good advice. I might add that a raised platform on one side of your pickup will save you much, much hassle with regards to sleeping accommodations. The one that I use is made from cheap 1/2 in. exterrior plywood and is configured such that one side sits on top of the wheel well and extends a few feet into the interrior of the shell. It also affords some storage space beneath that seems to attract such things as tripods and dirty boots.

Kosta
19-Jan-2004, 14:14
Don,

I agree very much with Bruce with regards to having some sort of "platform" to sleep on and store gear underneath. I have a 95 Nissan Pathfinder in which I have built such a platform. For photography/camping trips/long distance driving, it has been extremely convenient.

Also, I am planning a trip myself that will start in Capitol Reef (mainly focusing on Cathedral Valley) before heading off to Cedar Mesa, Canyon de Chelly, etc., so I'd love to hear about your experiences/recomendations (I have Laurent Martres's books on the southwest which I found incredibly invaluable).

Kosta

Bill_1856
19-Jan-2004, 15:24
I've been enjoying this thread ever since you posted it, admiring your Moxie, dreaming of me doing it instead of you. I'm about to make a suggestion which might get me banned from this forum: leave your Camera Obscura Gigantia at home and take a manual 35mm, 2 or 3 lenses, a Velbon 343E tripod, and lots of Portra 160 or Kodachrome. Oh yeah, and don't drink the water. Good luck and GodSpeed.

Don Boyd
19-Jan-2004, 15:39
Thanks again to all of the posters. Just an update, I've sold my Ranger pickup and bought a Freightliner Tractor with a 50 foot trailer just to carry my stuff (not). Seems like a "manual" 4x5 camera safari requires lots of stuff. (Reminds me of the story that Gandhi's benefactors tell of how much money it cost then to keep him in simple homespun clothes.)

Next month I will be sending out a note with some possible get together dates in April or May to those who have indicated an interest. If you are not on the list and want to be send me a note.

Finally, I want to reflect back one of the quotes someone passed on to all of us the other day, "Failure is not nearly so frightening as regret." Don