Antelope Canyon in Arizona: where the geo-physical laws culminate into spectacular artistries of nature- I

            Antelope Canyon is a slot canyon in the American Southwest, in the state of Arizona. It is on Navajo land east of Page. Antelope Canyon includes two separate ‘slot canyon’ sections, referred to individually as "Upper Antelope Canyon" or "The Crack"; and "Lower Antelope Canyon" or "The Corkscrew". Both are in the LeChee Chapter [ LeChee is a census-designated place (CDP) in Coconino County, Arizona ] of the Navajo Nation. The canyons are accessible by guided tour only.

Photography within the canyons is very difficult due to a wide exposure range (often 10 EV or more) made by light reflecting off the canyon walls, and the cracks vary from less than three feet to ten feet in width. Metering is very difficult due to widely varied illuminated rock surfaces within a very short range. In places light beams break into a wide range of colors from extremely curved and polished Navajo sandstone surfaces leading to spectacular forms of natural art.  

[ Navajo Nation
The Navajo Nation (Naabeehó Bináhásdzo) is a Native American territory covering about  27,413 sq mi, occupying portions of northeastern Arizona, southeastern Utah, and northwestern New Mexico in the United States. This is the largest land area retained by a Native American tribe, with a population of roughly 350,000 as of 2016.
The Navajo Nation has an elected government that includes an executive office, a legislative house, and a judicial system, but the United States federal government continues to assert plenary power over all decisions. The executive system manages a large law enforcement and social services apparatus, health services, Diné College, and other local educational trusts.
The population continues to struggle with health problems, unemployment, and the effects of past uranium mining incidents.]

How the canyon was formed
Antelope Canyon was formed by erosion of Navajo Sandstone, primarily due to flash flooding and secondarily due to other sub-aerial processes. Rainwater, especially during monsoon season, runs into the extensive basin above the slot canyon sections, picking up speed and sand as it rushes into the narrow passageways. Over time the passageways eroded away, making the corridors deeper and smoothing hard edges in such a way as to form characteristic "flowing" shapes in the rock.

Flooding in the canyon still occurs. A flood occurred on October 30, 2006, that lasted 36 hours, and caused the Tribal Park Authorities to close Lower Antelope Canyon for five months.

Tourism and photography
Antelope Canyon is a popular location for photographers, and a source of tourism business for the Navajo Nation. It has been accessible by tour only since 1997, when the Navajo Tribe made it a Navajo Tribal Park. All visits are through one of several licensed tour operators. It is not possible to visit the Canyon independently.
Beams of light enter the upper canyon most often in the summer months, as they require the sun to be high in the sky. Winter colors are more muted. Summer months provide two types of lighting. Light beams start to peek into the canyon March 20 and disappear October 7 each year. Lower Antelope Canyon is located several miles from Upper Antelope Canyon. 

Flash flood danger
Antelope Canyon is visited exclusively through guided tours, in part because rains during monsoon season can quickly flood the canyon. Rain does not have to fall on or near the Antelope Canyon slots for flash floods to whip through, as rain falling dozens of miles away upstream of the canyons can funnel into them with little prior notice.
On August 12, 1997, eleven tourists were killed in Lower Antelope Canyon by a flash flood. Very little rain fell at the site that day, but an earlier thunderstorm had dumped a large amount of water into the canyon basin, 7 miles upstream. At the fee booth, a NOAA Weather Radio from the National Weather Service and an alarm horn are stationed.

Taken on: October 4, 2017

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Antelope Canyon

Arizona

Nature's Wonders

Navajo Nation

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