Need Advice Re : First ever visit to South Rim of GrandCanyon in January

I was postponed by cancer last year and this year I AM GOING. I will be stayin at ElTorvar and have my Kodak Magnesium 8x10 with 240mm Sironar and a 155 Grandagon. Carbon fibre manfroto and 26 sheets of Velvia and Provia, some Ilford Delta 100 too. Where are good place to shoot frmand also must be accessible. The Hermit Rd is open. WHat can I expect for weather? Where are the " best" places to go to. I don't mind doing the "typical" shots, in fact I relish making my own 8x10's of famous views.

Cold on top and far warmer on bottom

Snow

Please don't fall in

However January was my favorite time to go there, far less maddening crowds

Just about anywhere along the rim makes for nice photos, especially if you get some beautiful light and, maybe, some weather. All around the Watchtower is nice, too, IMO. Have fun and make some great photographs!

It’s hard to go wrong there.

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Originally Posted by Tin Can

Cold on top and far warmer on bottom

Snow

Please don't fall in

However January was my favorite time to go there, far less maddening crowds

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Warmer -- but I spent a week down in the Canyon in a January and only when the sun was on me (rare) was it above freezing and anything close to something one call 'warm'! LOL!

Just hit all the pull-outs and have fun!

First, as a Torontonian (i.e. acclimatized to essentially sea level), I'd advise that you ask in advance whether El Tovar can place you in a ground floor room. There's no elevator in the building, and an 8x10 Kodak -- even a magnesium one -- might be quite a chore if you, like I did last August, end up on the third floor. :)

Second, although it depends on how one "sees," I've found that something in the 450mm to 480mm range is best suited to photographing from the rim. Billowing monsoonal clouds in summer break that "rule" for me, but you won't find any in January.

My best shots so far have been a vertical at Mather Point and a horizontal at Desert View. In the former case, go down the overlook stairs and then right into the small cul-de-sac. Frame eastward and exclude railing and people at the left edge. For Desert View, go almost all the way out on the small projecting railed pathway. Frame northward and use front fall / rear rise to keep the lower left "rock pile" from exhibiting excessive keystoning.

Finally, hope for a good snowfall followed by late morning clearing the next day. Good luck, and enjoy.

I don't agree with the lens choice you recommend, I will have my 240mm and 155mm. To me the point is to record the expanse. I have already spoken with some other very well respected Large Format Photographers on my choice of lenses and they have agreed with the 240mm and 155mm. AS to the negative about the stairs, That seems you are being sort of negative. My health is fine and I am robust. I also have a backpack for the camera The Airports are much more demanding than a simple three floor walk up. If it si too much then I will store the camera with the Concierge or in my vehicle. Or if needed I will hire a local as a sherpa. As to the Altitude issue , that is a non starter. I have experience hiking mountains. I know how to deal with this change in Altitude. In saying that I also recognize that the north rim would be higher. I really think you are trying to throw a wet towel on my adventure and that you dreadfully underestimate my present health and physical condition. Frankly I will not fall for your subtle anti-Canadian Bull. Now stop being a we towel. I will do it my way and that will yield some magnificent shots which I intend to have blown up to at least 8 feet wide.

While I shoot 4x5 I go for 84 degree field of view, ie,75mm

PowellPoint for sunrise, and a couple west of there. Yavapai, Mather is ok, Yaki Poi t, Lipon for sunset.

I just spent Christmas thete, 23-26 Dec.

If you are up to it. Walk east or west from El Tovar also g the Rim Trail. You will be presented with images you don't normally see. Look at my images of the Canyon. Pm me if you want lore info. I go there 4 or 5 times a year, South rim, North rim, Toroweep.

I will write some more shortly.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/157376714@N08/albums

I'm 25% Canadian, so here's my opinion :D.

Go wide and get in close for an interesting foreground element. Earlier in the morning is better. I slept in my car in the Desert View parking lot before shooting this:

https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pkFaQr3al...nyon-7872s.jpg

Be creative too, and think outside the box:

https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-B2qD1Auo3...yon-7984sq.jpg

I have also used a 90mm and 210. 210 gives good coverage with detail. One thing to be prepared for is the wind. It gets silly at sunset and sunrise. So be sure to shield camera during exposures. I typically am anywhere from 1 sec to several minutes almost exclusively at f/32. Sometimes f/22 and rarely below that.

I also use reverse grad nd filter for most sunrise and sunset images. 3 stops (0.9 filter factor). Make sure it is quality filter if you use it and don't place it to low or you will overly darken the tops of the cliffs. I place mine so the top of cliffs are just barely darkened slightly to almost not darkened at all. It is kind of an art.

For your slide film make sure you get enough exposure in the shadow areas. Typical with sunrise and sunset there will be a cliff or two that "look" proper, but in reality are about 2 stops under exposed compared to 90% of the rest of the scene. With bw you can usually compensate for this in development but with color neg and slide almost impossible to correct.

If cloudy look for light rays in clouds and shadows on canyon and on canyon floor and cliff walls, especially if cloudy. You are looking for patterns. Also, shit sunset and sunrise judiciously and be patient. Sometimes a dud. But there is also a lot to image after sun goes down a few minutes ( look for colors in Sky to brighten up). Sunrise just before and during its peaking out from behind the rocks is great and only the first couple minutes after it emerges into full view. Quickly things get ugly after that.

There is probably not a lot of snow on the sides of canyon currently, it snowed good and a lot on everything but the Canyon walls. Walking the Rim Trail, I finally found pristine snow scene. People just love to screw up potential scenes of wonder. Here are couple IR be images from my 5DMKIII. Waiting to develop my film.

https://flic.kr/p/2i5Gt89

https://flic.kr/p/2i5HvJA

Toronto, I think you misinterpret what Sal put here.
Many of Ansel's finest were with longer than normal lenses - and elevated viewpoint.
Sound advice on elevation differences, apparently from one who has experience.
Nothing negative in what he posted. No "anti-Canadian Bull" to be seen. Just advice given from personal experience.

As for "what should I use and what are the best views" as you ask. "Same old, same old" is what you will end up with - as we too often see.

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Originally Posted by Torontoamateur

I don't agree with the lens choice you recommend, I will have my 240mm and 155mm. To me the point is to record the expanse. I have already spoken with some other very well respected Large Format Photographers on my choice of lenses and they have agreed with the 240mm and 155mm. AS to the negative about the stairs, That seems you are being sort of negative. My health is fine and I am robust. I also have a backpack for the camera The Airports are much more demanding than a simple three floor walk up. If it si too much then I will store the camera with the Concierge or in my vehicle. Or if needed I will hire a local as a sherpa. As to the Altitude issue , that is a non starter. I have experience hiking mountains. I know how to deal with this change in Altitude. In saying that I also recognize that the north rim would be higher. I really think you are trying to throw a wet towel on my adventure and that you dreadfully underestimate my present health and physical condition. Frankly I will not fall for your subtle anti-Canadian Bull. Now stop being a we towel. I will do it my way and that will yield some magnificent shots which I intend to have blown up to at least 8 feet wide.

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Geepers, the guy was just trying to be helpful. How would he have any idea what your current health status is? The only clue you gave was you had recently beat a serious illness. As for being Canadian these major parks attract people from all over the world, just like the Columbian Ice Fields do. Relax a little and enjoy yourself.


Kent in SD

One thing I would say to remember is that when you say your in great shape for the Canyon, you need to think again. If you hike all the way to Indian Gardens down the South Kaibab and then come back that way or the Bright Angel trail it is a 22-24 mile hike straight down and straight up. Been there done that. There is no water on the trail save for the last 4.5 miles on the Bright Angel trail at 1.5 mile intervals. I don't care if your whatever, but to be nonchalant about it is to invite certain disaster. You will be given a choice of leaving your gear on the trail and being rescued or staying with your gear and taking your chances. Plus you will get a massive fine if they determine you should not have been hiking the Canyon for a physical or other reason.

That said, I am a local to the area so I have more knowledge than most about this subject.

Currently the North Rim is closed for the winter until next April I think. And there is no one to hire at the Canyon to schlep your gear for you. 99% tourists. You could reserve a mule so long as you and your gear weigh less than about 220 I think.

The pointers I gave will get you good locations that are atypical and not wildly over done. But you gotta work for the shot.

4x5 Portra160,.9RND, approximately 3:45 second exposure of sunrise from Yavapai Point February 2019. Chamonix 45H-1. 75mm Nikkor f/4.5@f/32.

https://www.steveruttenbergphotograp...43924135-6.jpg

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Originally Posted by Torontoamateur

I don't agree with the lens choice you recommend, I will have my 240mm and 155mm. To me the point is to record the expanse. I have already spoken with some other very well respected Large Format Photographers on my choice of lenses and they have agreed with the 240mm and 155mm. AS to the negative about the stairs, That seems you are being sort of negative. My health is fine and I am robust. I also have a backpack for the camera The Airports are much more demanding than a simple three floor walk up. If it si too much then I will store the camera with the Concierge or in my vehicle. Or if needed I will hire a local as a sherpa. As to the Altitude issue , that is a non starter. I have experience hiking mountains. I know how to deal with this change in Altitude. In saying that I also recognize that the north rim would be higher. I really think you are trying to throw a wet towel on my adventure and that you dreadfully underestimate my present health and physical condition. Frankly I will not fall for your subtle anti-Canadian Bull...

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Wow! What an unexpected and absurd reaction. If you knew anything about me, you'd know there's no one in the U.S. more pro-Canadian than I am. I've often lamented, publicly and on forums, how unfortunate it is that your country's immigration rules prevent me from relocating there. It's quite baffling how my post, written in the spirit of helpfulness, could be interpreted so diametrically opposite from how it was intended.

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Originally Posted by Torontoamateur

...I will do it my way...

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As I wrote at the end of #8, good luck and enjoy. Here's one last helpful hint: if that's your intention, don't bother starting a thread asking for advice.

I lived in the El Tovar Hotel when I worked in the Park starting in May 1977...in the old servant quarters. Nice place. I was in great shape, 23 yrs old, and played full-on basketball several times a week all Fall and Winter. I went over to the high school gym on the South Rim -- I ran up and down the court a couple times and about died. An elevation of 7000 feet needs to be considered when it comes down to planning hiking times and judging how much one can do in a day, but generally not too bad. But man -- after 5 months on the Rim, I returned to the coast and felt like I could run forever!

My 7-day winter hike down in the Canyon (January 1979 or '80) was bracketed by major snow storms that closed all the roads into the South Rim. I think I was the last vehicle to enter the Park before the roads closed down completely. The VW CamperVan was a great snow vehicle. Temps on the South Rim got down to 14F for the day's high -- my Frisbee shattered trying to toss it around. The Rim lost all power both times -- which meant the hotels/park fed everybody for free in the El Tovar Hotel where they could cook food with propane stoves (I was on a tight budget, too!). But I had a week of clear, cloudless sky in between for the hike -- fu**king cold cloudless skies! I am sure it was below freezing on the Rim itself all day while I down in the Canyon

I guess you Canadians are use to it and will be better prepared for the cold than me!! Climate is what you have, weather is what you get! Good luck!

My suggestion is to get some shots @sunrise. Currently the sunrise is around 7:40AM. I used to live temporarily in Flagstaff and came up to the Rim in really wicked (Summer) early morning hours to do this. The bouncing light was really wild. There are lots of photogenic spots away from the main entrance road....towards Kaibab Trail etc. Haven't been much of a fan of S. Rim for the last 30yrs.....just too many people....very much like Yosemite.

Les

The last time I was there with my 8x10, I asked pretty pretty please and the manager of the Lookout Studio let me set up on the second floor and shoot out the window:D

Hard to go wrong ... and hard to go right. As a Wonder, it's been photo'd to death. If I were to go, look to see what others have done. When you get there, think about what it all means to you and how to express it. Make images that make a difference to you. And yes, don't fall in. I started the hike down one year at Christmas time. There was a lot of ice on the trail. I slipped and sprained an ankle. Wife drove me home in our VW van the next day. Take your 'grippers' if you are walking down even a few feet.

Another spring I was there and it was foggy the whole time. Didn't take a single pic. However, I've heard there is a time about now, maybe a few weeks later, where it can be magically warm and the migratory birds appear.

Went through in early February a couple of years ago and hit a period with absolutely clear air and blue skies. Those were conditions for a long shot down the canyon that needed a long lens. A wide one, or very wide one like your 155, would have had to be tilted way down to avoid having half a frame of blank sky. For a major trip like you're undertaking I wouldn't want to be wishing I had also brought along a longer lens l6 to 18 inches - you can leave it in the room on any day when you don't need it. Also, as Sal noted, no matter what condition you are in, don't underestimate coming from sea level to 7000 feet. It will take you a couple of days to acclimate unless you are driving out. I live at 6000 feet and I can really feel it when I go up only 4000 feet more. If you are driving remember that Mother Nature has nasty ways of spoiling your plans. Enjoy your trip.

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Originally Posted by Steven Ruttenberg

https://www.flickr.com/photos/157376714@N08/albums

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Thank You

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Originally Posted by Chauncey Walden

Went through in early February a couple of years ago and hit a period with absolutely clear air and blue skies. Those were conditions for a long shot down the canyon that needed a long lens. A wide one, or very wide one like your 155, would have had to be tilted way down to avoid having half a frame of blank sky. For a major trip like you're undertaking I wouldn't want to be wishing I had also brought along a longer lens l6 to 18 inches - you can leave it in the room on any day when you don't need it. Also, as Sal noted, no matter what condition you are in, don't underestimate coming from sea level to 7000 feet. It will take you a couple of days to acclimate unless you are driving out. I live at 6000 feet and I can really feel it when I go up only 4000 feet more. If you are driving remember that Mother Nature has nasty ways of spoiling your plans. Enjoy your trip.

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I understand . Thank you for the sage advice. I have to travel light and will be at the south rim only. Four days does not give much time to really "do it all" I expect I will come back again in spring or fall. I do hope for some snow, That will make this Canadain feel at home. I have done mountains in winter and I do know it will be a couple of days to get used to the altitude. Taking it easy for two days then maybe more adventurous the last two. But weather is variable and "bad weather" can be really good. I will bring the longer lense later. I am sort of at my carry on weight limit already.

I have COKIN filters in grads. I will be doing digital first to see what is best set up , I mean when each 8x10 Velvia or Provia is $30 I want to make sure the composition and exposure will work. Bracketing 8x10 is only for the very very rich. Thank You for posting pics and links to pics. ( my digital is D800e with zeiss 21mm and 15mm)

Here's a Google map of the area my wife and I used to drive around. https://goo.gl/maps/s2FN1LRQoRxzPgd78
We came in from the east and stopped at the Watchtower first. You can walk from El Tovar along the views and get great views pretty much everywhere. There's a pretty good restaurant along the way, I forget which one. It's right on the overlook so we got pictures after dinner. Not sure which one was taken where, but here are some shots. They're all digital, however. Have a great time.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/alankl...7694819890421/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/alankl...7694819890421/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/alankl...7694819890421/

One of the things that makes this forum great is that people of experience are willing to speak plainly. One of the things I like about forums in general is that I don’t have to take the advice offered to me even when 1.) I ask for it, or 2.) it’s correct.

OP, congratulations on coming back from cancer. I had cancer last year, too, and before and after the resulting (entirely successful) surgery, realized that I needed to revise my thinking. My goal now is to die young—as late as possible. I’m back to reasonable fitness—not where I was 20 years ago when I did the Ironman—but pretty good.

That said, the older I get, the more I pay attention to altitude. I travel constantly and get to calibrate my understanding of altitude effects. The advice you are receiving may not be necessary, but it’s still worth considering and comes with experience and good intentions.

I was at the South Rim a couple of years ago before, during, and after snow. I can’t show the images (they weren’t large format), but snow is magic in the desert. I used a 24-105 zoom in a 24x36 camera, and needed both ends. That would be like your 155 on the short end, but is much longer than any reasonable lens for 8x10 on the long end. The moral to that story is that there are photos to be made with whatever lens you have.

Now, enjoy your trip—I’m envious. And enjoy the forum, and for that I recommend assuming the best intentions and responding with the best intentions.

Rick “one of your friendly moderators” Denney

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Originally Posted by rdenney

...I was at the South Rim a couple of years ago before, during, and after snow. I can’t show the images (they weren’t large format), but snow is magic in the desert. I used a 24-105 zoom in a 24x36 camera, and needed both ends. That would be like your 155 on the short end, but is much longer than any reasonable lens for 8x10 on the long end...

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Actually, considering horizontal angle of view, a 105 on 35 is the same as a 719 on 8x10. Edward Weston used a Turner-Reich triple convertible lens, a 12",21",28"

https://www.largeformatphotography.i...l=1#post331860

on his 8x10, the 28-inch component of which is 711mm, pretty close to 719. :) A Kodak 8x10 could handle that 28 inches at infinity, as well as focusing closer if a longer replacement bellows has been fitted. My 8x10 Phillips Compact II can only stretch as far as needed for the 600mm Fujinon C I've occasionally used with it. Also, except for winter when a front just moved through, my experience at Grand Canyon has been that there's too much smog/haze to effectively employ the longest lenses.

At Mike Johnston's blog not too long ago someone commented that they found the following correlations:

• Wide angle lenses = "feel"
• "Normal" lenses = "observe"
• Long focal length lenses = "inspect"

My preference for somewhat longer than normal lenses normal (210 on 4x5, 450 on 8x10) is consistent with the Meyers-Briggs results obtained when taking that vocational aptitude test multiple times over a long corporate engineering career. I was always informed that my optimum job would be "inspector." This also likely explains my interest in large format and maintaining sharpness everywhere in images.

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Originally Posted by rdenney

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That said, the older I get, the more I pay attention to altitude. ...

Rick “one of your friendly moderators” Denney

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And, alas, as we get older our tolerance for attitude decreases.

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Originally Posted by Alan Klein

Here's a Google map of the area my wife and I used to drive around. https://goo.gl/maps/s2FN1LRQoRxzPgd78
We came in from the east and stopped at the Watchtower first. You can walk from El Tovar along the views and get great views pretty much everywhere. There's a pretty good restaurant along the way, I forget which one. It's right on the overlook so we got pictures after dinner. Not sure which one was taken where, but here are some shots. They're all digital, however. Have a great time.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/alankl...7694819890421/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/alankl...7694819890421/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/alankl...7694819890421/

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I went through my vacation shots and found these taken from Desert View Watchtower. Lots of people making fools of themselves with selfies. But a nice walk that kind of extends out. It should be more deserted when you're there. The first picture is a better look at the actual view.

https://live.staticflickr.com/7871/3...db65259b_h.jpgGrand Canyon 4 by Alan Klein, on Flickr

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Originally Posted by Alan Klein

Here's a Google map of the area my wife and I used to drive around. https://goo.gl/maps/s2FN1LRQoRxzPgd78
We came in from the east and stopped at the Watchtower first. You can walk from El Tovar along the views and get great views pretty much everywhere. There's a pretty good restaurant along the way, I forget which one. It's right on the overlook so we got pictures after dinner. Not sure which one was taken where, but here are some shots. They're all digital, however. Have a great time.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/alankl...7694819890421/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/alankl...7694819890421/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/alankl...7694819890421/

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Thank You This is inspiring.

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Originally Posted by rdenney

One of the things that makes this forum great is that people of experience are willing to speak plainly. One of the things I like about forums in general is that I don’t have to take the advice offered to me even when 1.) I ask for it, or 2.) it’s correct.

OP, congratulations on coming back from cancer. I had cancer last year, too, and before and after the resulting (entirely successful) surgery, realized that I needed to revise my thinking. My goal now is to die young—as late as possible. I’m back to reasonable fitness—not where I was 20 years ago when I did the Ironman—but pretty good.

That said, the older I get, the more I pay attention to altitude. I travel constantly and get to calibrate my understanding of altitude effects. The advice you are receiving may not be necessary, but it’s still worth considering and comes with experience and good intentions.

I was at the South Rim a couple of years ago before, during, and after snow. I can’t show the images (they weren’t large format), but snow is magic in the desert. I used a 24-105 zoom in a 24x36 camera, and needed both ends. That would be like your 155 on the short end, but is much longer than any reasonable lens for 8x10 on the long end. The moral to that story is that there are photos to be made with whatever lens you have.

Now, enjoy your trip—I’m envious. And enjoy the forum, and for that I recommend assuming the best intentions and responding with the best intentions.

Rick “one of your friendly moderators” Denney

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I will have a long digital I have only four nights this trip and with 8x10 getting even four shots in a day is success. I know there is reason to bring a long lens. However I am limited by Carry-on weights for this trip.

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Originally Posted by Willie

Toronto, I think you misinterpret what Sal put here.
Many of Ansel's finest were with longer than normal lenses - and elevated viewpoint.
Sound advice on elevation differences, apparently from one who has experience.
Nothing negative in what he posted. No "anti-Canadian Bull" to be seen. Just advice given from personal experience.

As for "what should I use and what are the best views" as you ask. "Same old, same old" is what you will end up with - as we too often see.

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This being my First visit I think the "same old" will be fantastic. Maybe on later visits I will go for more detail and exploratory views. I had wanted to include B&W but I will have 25 sheets of e-6 and to shoot them in 4 days will be impossible I think I will do 16 tops. 4 per day.

I do want to thank Everyone for their help and guidance . This si so very refreshing and helpful . I am excited to go and I know this will be my First trip but not my last.

I'm sure you'll have a great time; it's a magical place. Best of luck!

You can't help but have a great time!


Kent in SD

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Originally Posted by Torontoamateur

I will have a long digital I have only four nights this trip and with 8x10 getting even four shots in a day is success. I know there is reason to bring a long lens. However I am limited by Carry-on weights for this trip.

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My digitals were taken with 35mm equivalent 24-70mm. NO real long lenses Some were cropped. Good luck and have fun. Don;t forget the meal by the overlook. Buy flowers for your wife. (She going?)

Also, the Hopi House is one of the better shops for Native American crafts—much better than the tourist junk in the other stores. You’d have to really know your way around the Big Res and the pueblos to do better, and even then the quality won’t be as consistent. I’ve brought jewelry home to my wife after each trip (I’ve done some gubmint work with the NPS folks at GRCA, and so have been there several times recently).

Rick “heading that way in May, but not with the big camera” Denney

This link https://spiritsofsilver.com/yahoo_si...0232_large.jpg is to a shot I took along Hermit Road with a 200 or 300mm lens on a Pentax 67II (I think it was the 200mm). That would translate to about 600mm or 750mm in 8x10 speak.

Hermit is a long road that turns to gravel but you can drive it without difficulty in a low clearance automobile (I traveled it in a Toyoto Echo). The above view was taken in January from the road about 20 miles out.

Thomas

The only problem is,

no photograph does the Grand Canyon justice

I suggest sitting gazing meditation

'fix' it in your mind

The last time I was there I took a stroll at night with my Nikon DSLR. I got some nice shots at night; no one else was anywhere around.


Kent in SD

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Originally Posted by tgtaylor

...Hermit is a long road that turns to gravel but you can drive it without difficulty in a low clearance automobile (I traveled it in a Toyoto Echo)...

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How long ago was that? Within the last few years I drove it all the way to Hermit's rest and seem to recall the entire thing being paved.

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Originally Posted by Sal Santamaura

How long ago was that? Within the last few years I drove it all the way to Hermit's rest and seem to recall the entire thing being paved.

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That’s my memory also.

Rick “from last year” Denney

Hermit's rest road info: https://www.nps.gov/grca/learn/management/hermit.htm, says "improved in 2008."

The Grand Canyon is great in winter, it will be cold at the rim, but you're from Toronto. Often going even a short distance down the hiking trails will take you away from any crowds that might be at the viewpoints. But take seriously the warnings about ice and using traction devices. Some of the upper parts of the trails see no sun in winter, and others get a strong melt and refreeze, so you can be walking on slush over ice. You can get a relatively inexpensive pair of midfoot boot crampons at the bookstore.

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Originally Posted by Sal Santamaura

How long ago was that? Within the last few years I drove it all the way to Hermit's rest and seem to recall the entire thing being paved.

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January, 2006. From what I remember the road was paved for a relatively short distance before it turned into a dirt road which followed the rim. There may or may not have been a sign warning not to proceed further but if there was I ignored it. I vaguely recall some sort of wooden structure and fence at this location and after scouting the view I thought the 300mm lens would be best. However I didn't care for the composition with that lens (the 300mm eliminated too much of the foreground for me) and went back to the car for the 200mm with which the image was taken. The next time I'm in the area and with the 8x10, the 760mm lens would be ideal with that format.

Thomas

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Originally Posted by tgtaylor

January, 2006. From what I remember the road was paved for a relatively short distance before it turned into a dirt road which followed the rim. There may or may not have been a sign warning not to proceed further but if there was I ignored it. I vaguely recall some sort of wooden structure and fence at this location and after scouting the view I thought the 300mm lens would be best. However I didn't care for the composition with that lens (the 300mm eliminated too much of the foreground for me) and went back to the car for the 200mm with which the image was taken. The next time I'm in the area and with the 8x10, the 760mm lens would be ideal with that format.

Thomas

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I worked at Hermit's Rest form 1991 thru 1992. Whatever "dirt road" you thought you were on was probably the employee and park service access. You would've driven past the manager's house, the assistant manager's trailer and the septic tank, there's nothing but rocks and shrubbery the rest of the way to the trailhead. The road officially ends in the small parking lot. Wherever you think you were, it doesn't sound like Hermit's Rest. Also, there aren't any good "views" from the trailhead area, at least nothing worth hauling out the 8x10 for.

Yep, the asphalt ended and the dirt road that continued must have been the unofficial continuation of Hermit's Rest road. (…"the employee and park service access..." They save the good stuff for themselves!) But if you worked for a year in that same area, surely you must have happened upon a vista like the one pictured, no? No vista was visible from the "road." It was necessary to get out of the car to check from the rim which I did several times.

Thomas

I have walked a dirt road a couple times that goes from the Bass Trailhead eastwards towards Hermits Rest, early 80s. Sixteen miles, that road was as straight as a ruler except for one bend. And certainly no view of the Canyon itself from the road.It runs along the boundary of the Park. I cut across country to actually get over to Hermits Rest from the road -- it hits the paved road east of Hermits Rest itself. I started my hikes down into the Canyon at Hermits Rest and hiked out of the Canyon on the Bass Trail.

There are some nice hiking trails in that area. Dripping Springs was a favorite place to go after work (my shift started early) in 1977.

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Originally Posted by tgtaylor

Yep, the asphalt ended and the dirt road that continued must have been the unofficial continuation of Hermit's Rest road. (…"the employee and park service access..." They save the good stuff for themselves!) But if you worked for a year in that same area, surely you must have happened upon a vista like the one pictured, no? No vista was visible from the "road." It was necessary to get out of the car to check from the rim which I did several times.

Thomas

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Are you sure you haven't confused that with Desert View? The image posted looks a bit like the eastern end of the canyon looking north.

Truthfully, the best views from Hermit's Rest (the trail notwithstanding) are actually from an old picnic spot that can be found if you go over the wall that's in front of the main building (I would not attempt this with a view camera rig, nor do I recommend getting caught climbing down there). If you look carefully you can see where there used to be stone steps that lead to a little view point. When we were sure that no one was looking we'd often climb down to that spot to eat our lunches in peace. The park service broke up the steps about the same time they poured the concrete "terrace" and built the wall that's still there today. You can still find old hand colored postcards that actually show that little viewpoint if you collect that sort of thing.