My plan for scouting was to go to the plateau where the Pedestal and Tongue Hoodoos (see posts from my March visit for preliminary information) are located, evaluate shooting options there and in the general area.
However, even though I went to the plateau, I deviated from the plan. Instead, I found a route down into the deep wash just south of the plateau and explored the wash area. From the plateau on another visit, I had seen large wing like hoodoos in the distance, but I only knew how to get near those from another longer route. This is one of the things that I enjoy most about scouting an area, results are often more interesting, when one deviates from a plan.
The photo above looks down the valley/wash back towards the north parking area along which I hiked to get up onto a plateau where many interesting features are found.
Along the wash route to the plateau, I spotted this saddle like feature on a hilltop:
Walking directly south after climbing onto the plateau, one comes to a very deep ravine/wash. I found an easy route down into the ravine.
Near the base of the hill just around the corner from the junction with the deep ravine, I spotted this fragile arch or bridge that had been formed by water washing down the hillside. I’m sure this little bridge will be short lived.
Turning to the left in the deep ravine, one very shortly comes to the base of the hill upon which are the large wing like hoodoos in the above photo. The middle feature is the one referred to as “The Seal”. I had seen these from the plateau on the opposite of the wash and prior to this exploration, I did not know how to get to these other than walking up the wash from the east. The route I discovered today is a much shorter and faster route from the north parking area.
To get up near these features requires climbing a steep slope of loose, clay soil.
There are a few short branches off of the main wash at the base of the Seal hoodoo and I explored along these finding a few other interesting hoodoos that are easily accessible.
A view across a deep ravine, with many hoodoo features on the opposite side:
There are many flat top wing like hoodoos and others along the ravine walls:
Another view overlooking a deep ravine:
A hoodoo lined North Bisti Wash:
Back below the big wing hoodoo and others near The Seal, there were interesting clouds passing over:
Continuing to the east along the ravine more large wing like hoodoos are high up on hillsides along the wash:
The narrow ravine eventually merges with a wide wash in the vicinity of the Conversing Hoodoos.
Just around the corner, so to speak, from the Conversing Hoodoos is a large batch of large wing like hoodoo features with one triangle shaped one:
One can imagine the triangular hoodoo as an alien space ship.
Many large wing like hoodoos with some forming windows between the hard rock tops and the softer sediment beneath are in this large group.
Later in this trip I found a way to get up above or near the same level as these features, where I shot at sunset the last day of this visit. I have not yet evaluated or edited the photos from that shoot, so it remains to be seen how those turned out.
As I hiked back to the north Bisti parking area, it became very windy with rain visible in the distance. The wind whipped up dust and blasted me with sand on occasion, making the hike back a bit less pleasant.
That’s all for now,
Ken
What a huge area to explore… and much hiking involved! I wonder what it would look like after a heavy rain storm. Thank you for sharing more of these amazing photos!
Yes, it is huge. Even though I’ve been there a number of times and hiked over much of it, there are still portions to which I’ve not been. It would be interesting to see it after a heavy rain, but I would not want to walk into it when very wet, since the clay soil is vey messy. Wet rock forms here would probably look much better than dry ones. I have seen deep footprints from some who have walked into Bisti when it was muddy. Thanks for the comment and for following, Shutterpug.