WORKSHOPS
Grand Staircase Escalante & Hole-in-the-Rock Road, Utah May 3-6, 2013
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Considered by many the heart of Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument, the Escalante River and its tributaries have carved a spectacular network of deep, narrow canyons into the thick layers of Navajo, Kayenta and Wingate Sandstones which blanket this region in southern Utah. For this workshop, we'll base ourselves in the small town of Escalante and use Hole-in-the-Rock Road to access some of the most beautiful photo locations Grand Staircase Escalante has to offer. To the east of this 60-mile long backcountry road, flowing water throughout the ages has carved deep, serpentine grooves into the Navajo Sandstone and created countless canyons which drain east into the Escalante River. Many of these canyons contain small streams with pools, waterfalls, arches, slots, alcoves, cottonwood trees and carpets of wildflowers. These are all that remain of the once-fabled canyons of Glen Canyon which now lie mostly buried beneath the dark waters of Lake Powell. Jim has spent more time exploring and photographing the Escalante region than any other location in southern Utah. He has walked the entire length of the river, from its headwaters on the Aquarius plateau to where it flows into Lake Powell nearly 100 river miles to the south and explored all but a few of it's tributary canyons. Jim's extensive knowledge of this region allows him to choose some of the best photographic opportunities this remarkable region has to offer. As we spend our days exploring the canyons, he will offer insight into one of his other great passions: the geologic history of this spectacular region.
WORKSHOP FEE: $975.00 - 4 nights lodging included. Meals and transportation to and from Escalante not included.
Register now with a $200.00 deposit. We will charge your card for the balance 30 days prior to the workshop. (See cancellation policy below.)
(Note: When you register, choose the option "Ship to this Address" in the Billing Information section and then in the next window, choose the option "Workshop - No Shipping Fee".)
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WORKSHOP ITINERARY
6:00pm - Meet at Prospector Inn in the town of Escalante, Utah.
Saturday May 4
5:30am – Depart motel for our sunrise photography session at a breathtaking overlook high on the rim of Escalante Canyon. This will involve a 5-minute walk to our vantage point.
8:00 – Breakfast in Escalante
9:00 – Depart Escalante and drive down Hole-in-the-Rock Road to our trailhead. We’ll spend the day exploring and photographing two of the most beautiful and unique slot canyons in Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument. Before we begin photographing the canyons, we’ll find a comfortable spot to relax for a while so Jim can discuss some of the important techniques we will be using over the next 3 days. This hike will involve a moderate 3.5 mile round-trip hike with approximately 300 feet of elevation gain and some scrambling through short sections of narrows. We’ll need our water shoes for occasional pools along the way.
4:30 - Arrive back in Escalante for an early dinner.
6:00 - Depart Escalante and drive down Hole-in-the-Rock road to capture last light on a fairyland assortment of sandstone hoodoos and arches in the shadow of 50-Mile Mountain. This will involve a short walk with little elevation change.
9:00 - Arrive back in Escalante.
Sunday May 5
7:00am - Breakfast in Escalante
8:00 - Depart Escalante and drive down Hole-in-the-Rock Road to our trailhead. We’ll park our cars and spend the day exploring one of the Escalante’s most spectacular side canyons with its treasure trove of photographic possibilities. Along the way, we’ll see small pools, waterfalls, enormous alcoves, wildflowers, one of the largest arches on the Colorado Plateau and some of the most beautiful Navajo sandstone narrows in the region. We'll be walking in a shallow stream and stepping over and around slippery rocks so we'll need our water shoes and hiking poles.This will involve a 4.5 mile round-trip walk. Hiking out of the canyon at the end of the day will involve a 500-foot elevation gain with 400 feet of this gain in the last ½ mile on a steep sandy trail.
5:00 – We’ll arrive back at our vehicles; grab a dinner snack and a cold drink and then drive to the trailhead for our sunset location at a small but very photogenic natural arch with a sweeping view of the surrounding country. Accessing the arch will involve an easy two-mile round-trip off-trail hike with an elevation gain of 200 feet.
9:00 - Arrive back at the trailhead for the drive back to Escalante.
10:15 - Arrive in Escalante. This will be a full day!
Monday May 6
7:00am - Breakfast in Escalante
8:30 – Depart Escalante and drive to a location on the rim of a deep canyon overlooking the Escalante River where Jim will demonstrate the optimal procedure for capturing a series of digital images which can then later be stitched together into a high-resolution panoramic image file. This will involve a short walk from our vehicles.
11:00 – Return to our vehicles and drive to an intimate restaurant in the heart of the Monument where we'll be served lunch on a deck with a stunning view of Escalante Canyon.
12:45 – Depart for Calf Creek trailhead.
1:00 – We’ll begin our hike along a well-maintained trail to Calf Creek Falls; one of the most impressive waterfalls on the Colorado Plateau. This beautiful waterfall plunges 150 feet from the lip of a narrow canyon while its spray nourishes a kaleidoscope-colored garden of plants which grows on the water-sculpted walls surrounding it. We'll spend about two hours photographing the waterfall before beginning our hike back to the trailhead. This hike entails approximately 500 feet of total elevation change with a round-trip distance of 5.5 miles.
6:00 - Arrive back at our vehicles and return to Escalante.
7:00 - Dinner in Escalante
OUR CANCELLATION POLICY
When you register more than 30 days prior to a workshop, we will charge your credit card for the deposit only. We will then charge your card for the remaining balance 30 days before the workshop begins. If you cancel more than 60 days prior to the workshop we will refund 75% of your deposit. If you cancel within 30-60 days of the workshop, we will refund 50% of your deposit. If you cancel within 30 days of the workshop, and we can fill your spot, we will refund 90% of the full workshop fee. If we cannot fill your spot, we will refund 70% of the full workshop fee.
TRIP INSURANCE
In the event of a medical, family, or other emergency, we strongly recommend purchasing trip insurance. For these same reasons, we may also need to cancel a workshop on short notice. If we cancel, we will refund 100% of all monies collected from you.
