Monday, February 13, 2017

Antelope Canyon in Page, AZ

I am still catching up with posting photos from my out west trip.  I have taken hundreds of thousands of photos during my life.  The favorite pictures I have ever taken were during the two tours I had of upper and lower Antelope Canyon.  Lower Canyon (located below ground) is around 1,330 feet long.  Upper Canyon (located above ground) is half as long, but during the tour you walk both ways.  These canyons are formed when there are flash floods.  The area averages two flash floods per year.  As the flash floods approach these slot canyons, the water is squeezed through the openings, sort of like when you restrict the water coming out of the end of a hose.  In some cases the water with dissolved sediments exceeds 100 feet high and flows over 100 mph.  This is what carves out the incredible formations.  These canyons were absolutely breathtaking. 

Until a couple of decades ago you were allowed to explore the canyons on your own.  A group of 11 hikers entered the lower canyon on their own on a day when it rained hard upstream.  They were caught in a flash flood.  Only one person survived.  Some of the bodies were never found.  Thus, today there are only guided tours that only take place on days when there is no threat of a flash flood.

Here is a selection of the hundreds of photos I took during the tours.















 






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