Photographs and commentary by Dick Snoke
I attended a workshop in the park and surrounding areas in late October. I arrived a couple of days early to acclimate to the altitude and wander around by myself. Then I did the workshop for three days. I stayed over one extra night to have an easier trip home. So I had seven days on which I could take pictures. In this post, the first album is my favorite images. Then comes an album for each of the seven days.
Day 1: This was the travel day. I arrived mid-afternoon. I just wandered around the ranch for a couple of hours before dinner and sleep.
Day 2: I awoke to snow on the ground, so I spent the morning at the ranch doing pictures in the snow. I could not get the bison to co-operate however. Then in the afternoon I drove the Scenic Drive in Capitol Reef National Park, and I drove over to the Fruita schoolhouse and Grand Wash trailhead, just to see where they were and if they held any promise for images.
Day 3: Another day spent on my own. I drove to the trailhead on Hwy 24, then walked to the other end and returned. This was my time to see the steep cliffs and various rock colors up close. I then drove out the east side of the park toward Cainsville to see the park from the other side. Very different landscape there, but very tricky roads. The snow made the clay very wet and slippery. I nearly got bogged down turning around. In the evening I met Eric, our guide, and Terry and Marsha Lowenberg, the other folks in the workshop.
Day 4: This was the first full day of workshop. We started in the area between the visitor center and the Gifford House, just to see what sort of images we could find. The cottonwood trees, the river, the orchards and the barn were all good subjects. We bought pie at the Gifford House (71,000+ sold there in 2021) for lunch, took a break a break at the ranch for an hour or so, and then went out Hwy 24 east of the Grand Wash. There we found rocks and bushes and other stuff. Only a few of my images from this outing came out as I wished. We ended the day by hiking up to Sunset Point just before sunset. The light on the cliffs and mountains was spectacular.
Day 5: The second day of the workshop. This was a day to wander around outside the national park. We drove Hwy 12 to Boulder, UT. The road went up and down as we crossed multiple mesas on the way. One particularly interesting stretch is The Hogback, where the road is on the crest of a ridge that is at most a 100-150 feet wide. Wonderful views but I would be nervous to drive it. We drove east on Burr Trail Road to a great overlook, and we drove south past Boulder to the Kiva Koffeehouse in the middle of nowhere. We ended the day back at Sunset Point. The light was not a good, but the sky was much more colorful
Day 6: The final day of the workshop. In the morning we hiked part of Cohab(itation) Canyon. The climb uip/down was many switchbacks, but the view from the top and the canyon itself were great. Lots of rocks and trees to use for compositions. In the afternoon we went back along Hwy 24 east of the visitor center for more trees, reflections in the river, rocks, etc. Then dinner and packing for the trip home.
Day 7: I stayed over an extra night to make an easier drive back to Salt Lake City for an early flight the next day. So I went back to shoot the park entrance sign, one more time in the cottonwoods, and the ranch entrance on my way back to Salt Lake City.