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Old 08-18-2015, 12:17 AM
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PropellerHead PropellerHead is offline
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We made our trip up the lonely road to Page, AZ. This is a small place that left the impression we'd not like to return. But we did get a trip souvenir here. Nothing exciting, but something that will remind us of where we spent some time.

But the one thing Page, AZ *does* have is the closest hotels to Antelope Canyon. If you have a Windows machine, you have likely seen the red, wind blown rocks as a background choice. It was a beautiful place.

The canyons are on Indian land. This means you will work through them for access. They only allow guided tours to two of the canyons we visited: Owl and Rattlesnake. Upper Antelope canyon was SLAMMED with people. We were the only ones at Owl and Rattlesnake.
Well, not the only ones. Meet 'JoseB'.

Owl and Rattlesnake were quiet and serene. We really enjoyed our time there.

The wilderness is often most difficult on the wild...

It was awesome...


The passages were often VERY narrow. In some places, light could not get through to the base of the canyon.



Along with narrow passages, Owl and Rattlesnake have the added feauture of traversing ladders! It's a pretty neat feealing to 'pop out' at ground level and look down through the tiny cracks where you were standing 20 feet below.

So here's another beef with Antelope canyon. They make this huge deal out of seeing 'sunbeam'. That only lasts for like 15 minutes or something. I've seen these pics by professionals and always wondered what and where it was. I always wanted to know why the dust was so visible in that beam of light. Was it the Old Faithful of erosion? Did stuff fall every day during th etime this light beamed doen to the canyon floor?

Oh! The mystery!

Yeah. No.

One of the 47 guides in the place throws a handful of dust at it. I'm not kidding.

He's one of dozens of guides that move thousands of people through the most uncoordinated, poorly structured, flat out dangerous, gatherings of people/tourist as I have ever seen. This is 100% ab the money folks. I've never seen any man made attraction this jammed and this absent any foresight into crowd control or experience. I would go back, but I would avoid Upper Antelope canyon.

I carry along a trusty Atlas. Yep. Paper. I like it. Sue me. It was the counsel of this map along with some Subway that set our sights upon the next unplanned stop. And it was a DOOZY, gents..

ZION National Park... More to come.

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