From Ridgway we traveled to Hotchkiss, Colorado, where we planned to visit the North Rim of the Black Canyon of the Gunnison. Years ago we had briefly visited the south rim, but this was the first visit to the North Rim. After checking into our motel, which was surprisingly nice for such a small town, we drove to the north rim.
It is a fairly long drive from Hotchkiss to the canyon, but I wanted to do a bit of scouting, prior to returning for late day or early morning photos. It was early afternoon and the sun was high in the sky. We stopped at a number of canyon overlooks, where I snapped iPhone scouting photos.
Since this is a deep canyon, direct sun light penetrates to the bottom for only a few minutes each day. The best time to photograph the canyon is probably not during the typically preferred golden hours of early morning and late day, so timing when to be here is a problem for those of us that are not highly knowledgeable of the lighting variation across the seasons here.
Much geology is revealed in the rocks of the canyon walls. One can find lots of information on the canyon’s geology via many online sources. Here is one link to check out, if interested, and another here.
The last photo in this post shows a feature referred to as “The Camel” (left of center and just above the vertical center).
My original intention was to return to the canyon with my DSLR either later today or the next morning, but given the travel time from our lodging and the uncertainty about the best time of day to be here, I decided more effort on this visit might not be adequately fruitful. Instead, we changed our travel plans and decided to move on towards home a day earlier than planned.
I know these iPhone photos are not very good, but these are all I have for this trip.
Ken
I haven’t been to the canyon in a little while. Of course the south rim, outside of Montrose is where I would access it but I have been to both sides. The south rim has more pull-outs, trails and vantage points. They close off the road in the winter past the visitor center and people cross-country ski. It can be real pretty in the winter. Lighting can be tricky in timing a successful photo stop. I like to go at sunset or sunrise.
I would like to see that canyon with snow in it. I hope to get back there, when I have more time to hang around.