Welcome to my Wilderness Journal

You may enjoy my September 2012 blog: Sharing Experiences of Great Mystery, which describes the purpose of this wilderness log, photo-art gallery, and poetry corner. In Peace, Bob

Tuesday, May 16, 2017

Exploring Joshua Tree National Park by Full Moon and Bright Sun

My last photographic venue of my two week Southwest Desert tour was fabulous Joshua Tree National Park. I arrived from Phoenix in the late afternoon to find a fine campsite among the granite boulders of White Tank Campground. I was soon seeking out the natural arch, hoping to get the full moon rising though it. But when I arrived I realized there was no such viewpoint as steep higher rocks hemmed it in to the west. I positioned myself on the highest rock and settled for a moonrise over the arch.

While waiting for the moon to appear, I saw a man carrying a wedding dress followed by the bride dressed in something less awkward to hike through the rocks in. They headed directly for the base of the arch below me with flashlights illuminating the base rocks. I captured some of these lights as the moon rose and then moved west to do some light painting of Joshua trees. I found my way through the moonlit rocks back to camp.

Enjoy these images of my adventure that evening and the next day.













































Exploring the Grotto and Hoodoos at Arizona's Chiricahua National Monument

Wild Chiricahua's wild hoodoo rocks make a magnificent playground for a nature lover and photographer. David, Ron, Dave and I hiked the Echo Canyon-Hailstone-Ed Riggs Trail Loop through the Grotto, Wall Street, and Echo Park and found much to please and learn about. These fantastic formations are weathered rhyolite (volcanic pumice compressed into rock). Enjoy these images of this rock wonderland.




Pumice is light as a feather (not really).

The Grotto









Wall Street

Cochise's Head (see him lying down)

Me, Cochise and David

Claret Cup Cactus

David at the Grotto


Lunch in the Grotto










The Wild Man of the Chiricahuas

Parting of the Ways in Bowie, AZ (no promised breakfast to be had anywhere)