FUJIFILM X-Pro3 (22.7mm, f/8, 1/250 sec, ISO160)
Finally – Arches NP again. One of my favourite places.
But it’s not just a favourite place for me. After breakfast we went straight to the park entry only to learn that you have to pre-register in order to enter. Of course we didn’t know that. It would be nice if the hotel staff would have informed us the day before when we checked in. I booked the earliest slot available which was I think about 2 hours before the park is opened to anyone on my iPhone and we returned back to Moab.
No we had a hard day to kill with coffee, shopping and lunch. Two coffees later our mood improved and we went on. The good thing is that we would be in the park when the light is nice.
Apple iPhone 12 Pro Max (7.5mm, f/2.2, 1/640 sec, ISO20)
FUJIFILM X-Pro3 (16mm, f/8, 1/250 sec, ISO160)
FUJIFILM X-Pro3 (16mm, f/8, 1/250 sec, ISO160)
When I took the shots of my rental I remember that I took the same shots five years earlier. Back then my car was an Infiniti QX80. This time it’s a Ford Expedition Max. We like to go big when we are in the USA. When I return back home my Volvo XC60 feels like a Mini for the first couple of drives. The Ford was an excellent car and we had no problems to fit our luggage into its boot. 😉
The last time we hiked to the Delicate Arch. This is an amazing hike but it is better to go early (before sunrise) to avoid the heat. Also the light is better during sunrise. We planned to go for a different hike that we used to do when we first visited. But before that we wanted to check out some of the other viewpoints beside the road.
FUJIFILM X-Pro3 (16mm, f/8, 1/480 sec, ISO160)
FUJIFILM X-Pro3 (16mm, f/9, 1/250 sec, ISO160)
FUJIFILM X-Pro3 (16mm, f/9, 1/250 sec, ISO400)
FUJIFILM X-Pro3 (16mm, f/5.6, 1/250 sec, ISO640)
FUJIFILM X-Pro3 (18.2mm, f/5.6, 1/250 sec, ISO640)
FUJIFILM X-Pro3 (20.6mm, f/9, 1/250 sec, ISO1250)
FUJIFILM X-Pro3 (38.8mm, f/5.6, 1/250 sec, ISO800)
FUJIFILM X-Pro3 (22.7mm, f/8, 1/250 sec, ISO160)
FUJIFILM X-Pro3 (16mm, f/8, 1/280 sec, ISO160)
Just like Bryce Canyon you can explore Arches NP simply by driving around and focus on the attraction next to the parking lots. So even if you are not a hiker or if the temperatures are crazy high you can still get great shots. However the real magic happens if you walk a littler further. Delicate Arch is a good example. Not a really tough hike regarding elevation gain but in the heat it can still be hard.
This time we planned for the hike that starts at the Devlis Garden Trailhead. This is the end of the road in the park and there are numerous arches on fantastic trail. When we hiked it a long time ago we were almost alone. At one point we were afraid that we lost the trail because we didn’t meet any people at all.
FUJIFILM X-Pro3 (16mm, f/9, 1/400 sec, ISO160)
FUJIFILM X-Pro3 (55mm, f/8, 1/250 sec, ISO160)
FUJIFILM X-Pro3 (18.7mm, f/8, 1/350 sec, ISO160)
FUJIFILM X-Pro3 (16mm, f/8, 1/250 sec, ISO640)
FUJIFILM X-Pro3 (16mm, f/9, 1/250 sec, ISO320)
There is a perfectly flat trail up to the Skyline Arch but after that it gets a little tricky. You hike on a small ridge. It is rather wide and grip is fantastic but of course you should not fall down on either side. Nothing spectacular really but if you are in high heels or flip-flops this is where you should return back to the parking lot. We had good shoes on our feet but my wife didn’t feel well because of the heat. She told me that I could continue and that she would wait in the shade for my return. But this is a long hike and I would not leave my wife behind. I just wanted to hike to the top of the rock and return back to her.
There is a step at the point where the little ridge gets narrower. It’s not a big deal at all and it wasn’t for us when we came her first but this time was different. Maybe it was because my wife was further down and out of sight but I couldn’t make it past this step. I imaged what could happen if I would stumble. I stood there and felt like an idiot. I’m not a climber but I’m from Austria and used to hike and climb mountains since I was a kid. But here I could not move on. I think it comes with age. You start to imagine what could happen and that makes you very cautious. I also ride my road bike differently compared to what I did 20 years ago.
I stood there like an idiot for a couple of minutes but then I saw I lot of people to turn at this point to. And I overheard a conversation of two guys. One also not willing to take the risk. I took on more picture, returned to my wife and told her about it.
FUJIFILM X-Pro3 (16mm, f/9, 1/250 sec, ISO160)
FUJIFILM X-Pro3 (24.2mm, f/8, 1/250 sec, ISO320)
We walked back to the parking lot and I continued to take a lot of pictures. Too many for this blog post so there will be on more from the Arches NP.
What a spectacular place!
FUJIFILM X-Pro3 (16mm, f/8, 1/350 sec, ISO160)