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Trip Report: Southwest Monsoon: Grand Canyon Country - July 2023
Trip Report: Southwest Monsoon: Grand Canyon Country - July 2023
by Douglas Marshall
THE QUALITY OF LIGHT
“And then, in the desert, when the sun comes up, I couldn’t tell where heaven stopped, and the earth began. It was so beautiful.”
Forrest Gump
“And then, in the desert, when the sun comes up, I couldn’t tell where heaven stopped, and the earth began. It was so beautiful.”
Forrest Gump
Tom Hanks utters those words to the love of his life, Jenny, as his character, Forrest Gump, describes to her the scene he experienced as he was running through Monument Valley, on his cross-country runs. Jenny replies that she wished that she could have been with Forrest during that magical moment. Forrest looks at her lovingly and replies. “You were.”
There is good light, there is great light, and then there is exceptional light. As photographers, it seems we are always chasing, always on that eternal quest of finding the exceptional light. In my 25+ years of photographing professionally, I have had the pleasure and luxury of photographing in many of the most beautiful areas in the U.S. as well as numerous locations around the world, and sufficed to say, the Colorado Plateau has consistently been the champion of exceptional light. I’m not quite sure what it might be, or if I’m a bit biased having lived in the region for over a decade, and having some strong emotional ties to the area, but my recent trips with two, fabulous groups on our Desert Southwest Monsoon trip cemented in my mind that this statement still holds true.
What is the Monsoon season?
The Monsoon season is a meteorological phenomenon characterized by a shift in wind patterns and an influx of moisture, resulting in intense thunderstorms and heavy rainfall. While commonly associated with countries like India or Southeast Asia, the desert Southwest of the United States also experiences its own version of this natural spectacle.
During the summer months, typically from July to September, warm air masses from the Gulf of California and the Gulf of Mexico and collides with cooler air currents originating from the Pacific Ocean. This clash creates atmospheric instability, fueling dramatic cloud formations and electrifying lightning displays, and some very exciting photography opportunities.
However, like many of our weather-dependent trips, relying on weather phenomena for photography can be a crap shoot. This year’s Monsoon season arrived later than usual, with storms not really starting until just a few days before our first departure. Despite this tardy start to the season, we were able to experience some Monsoon action during both of our excursions. The wonderful thing about this trip is that the various locations we visit don’t necessarily need Monsoons to make them photogenic, they simply add a different dynamic to the scene. In fact, when visiting the awe-inspiring Antelope Canyon X, no Monsoons are a necessity!
The Monsoon season is a meteorological phenomenon characterized by a shift in wind patterns and an influx of moisture, resulting in intense thunderstorms and heavy rainfall. While commonly associated with countries like India or Southeast Asia, the desert Southwest of the United States also experiences its own version of this natural spectacle.
During the summer months, typically from July to September, warm air masses from the Gulf of California and the Gulf of Mexico and collides with cooler air currents originating from the Pacific Ocean. This clash creates atmospheric instability, fueling dramatic cloud formations and electrifying lightning displays, and some very exciting photography opportunities.
However, like many of our weather-dependent trips, relying on weather phenomena for photography can be a crap shoot. This year’s Monsoon season arrived later than usual, with storms not really starting until just a few days before our first departure. Despite this tardy start to the season, we were able to experience some Monsoon action during both of our excursions. The wonderful thing about this trip is that the various locations we visit don’t necessarily need Monsoons to make them photogenic, they simply add a different dynamic to the scene. In fact, when visiting the awe-inspiring Antelope Canyon X, no Monsoons are a necessity!
Our excursions begin in Flagstaff, AZ on the southern edge of the plateau, which is a wonderful jumping-off point. On this trip, we explore just a small portion of the Colorado Plateau, one of the most iconic areas within the desert Southwest. This expansive plateau spans over 130,000 square miles and boasts breathtaking canyons such as the Grand Canyon, Glen Canyon (Lake Powell), Antelope Canyons, and other landmarks such as Monument Valley, Zion and Bryce National Parks, and the Escalante-Grand Staircase recreation area. One could literally spend a lifetime exploring this area. It is that big. It is that intricate. And in my opinion, it boasts some of the most exceptional light one can photograph.
Our trips continued to Monument Valley where we toured through the Navajo Tribal Park and visited some of the most prominent locations such as the “Mittens”, “Three Sisters”, “Totem Poles”, and the “North Window”. The next morning it was a beautiful sunrise shoot at rock features such as “Thunderbird” and “Bear and Rabbit”, with the sun painting the red rocks with a golden glow and accentuating the striking purple hues in the scene.
The journey continued to Page, the gateway to Lake Powell, where we spent the next day and a half exploring the area and a trip into the famed Antelope Canyon X. Located in northern Arizona, just outside of Page on Navajo tribal land, Antelope Canyon X showcases narrow sandstone slots that have been sculpted by water over millions of years. As sunlight filters through these narrow passages during the Monsoon season, it creates otherworldly displays of light, patterns, colors, and shadows. If this location is not on your bucket list, it certainly should be! Our other stop outside of Page was the famed Horseshoe Bend. What used to be a small, dirt parking lot with braided, dusty trails that led to the rim of Marble Canyon and the big bend in the Colorado River, has become one of the largest visited areas in Page. Despite its popularity, Horseshoe Bend is still a “must-see” and a stunning area to visit and photograph.
After our time in Page, we made our way to the North Rim of the Grand Canyon, but not without a few stops at some amazing overlooks first. We tracked storms moving across the expanses of the valley below us. The views across the valley to the multi-colored Vermillion Cliffs and the giant fissure of Marble Canyon that slices its way through the plateau that displayed cloud bursts and foreboding black clouds above, made for some memorable scenes indeed.
Once at the North rim of the Grand Canyon, we kept our eyes peeled for the herd of Bison that roam the beautiful wildflower meadows of the Kaibab plateau and at the entrance to the park. Both trips were lucky enough to see the herd, which seems a bit out of place in Northern Arizona, but an awesome experience for all.
The North Rim of the Grand Canyon and I have a very meaningful relationship. I have spent numerous days there exploring and sharing its beauty with family, specifically my father, who claimed that it was pretty much his favorite place on the planet. The Grand Canyon as a whole, has literary changed my life, as I have spent countless hours on the rim, explored the numerous hiking trails within the canyon, and logged hundreds of days floating on the river within the Grand Canyon. It always feels like home when I revisit, and I enjoy sharing it with guests and sharing its magic. These trips were certainly no different, as we tracked storms and figured out the best places and vantage points to try and capture the magic of the Monsoons, but still stay safe from lightning and stay dry from the torrential downpours these storms produce. Sometimes the weather did not cooperate, and we would have nothing but cloudless skies, but other times Mother Nature put on a show, so we had to be ready. Exceptional light. Extraordinary light. Light that one couldn’t tell where heaven stopped, and the earth began….
I must admit, during one of these moments, I was totally washed over with emotion. The beauty, in every direction, was so immense, so staggering, that memories of my father flooded me. Walking back to the van I had to take a bit of time to recompose myself. I know my dad, like Jenny, would have loved to have been there to see and experience all the immense beauty. But I know he was there.
I often get asked, “Doug, what is your favorite trip?” That’s a tough question, I reply, but I certainly know which one is the most magical.
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AUTHOR
AUTHOR
Doug received his first camera, a Kodak Brownie, at the age of six. That’s the day he fell in love with the fact that one could essentially freeze a moment in time with a click of a button. That Brownie met its demise only a few days later, as Doug was running up the backstairs to his house in rural Pennsylvania and he tripped, smashing the camera into a multitude of pieces. Despite being totally devastated, the youngster did not let this incident shatter his zeal for photography! Doug still has the same passion and excitement for capturing moments in time, those special in between times, in his over 20 years as a professional photographer. Doug’s photography is focused on documenting the natural world, people interacting with the natural world, and the magic these moments display. It is with optimism, that his images will inspire the viewer to take action.
Doug’s guiding experience is extensive, with close to 23 years leading trips around the American West, Canada, and down through Belize with youth with varied learning styles and diagnosed learning disabilities. Doug is a firm believer that the Natural World is the greatest educator if we take the time to listen and observe.
To view some of Doug’s work and to see what he’s been up to, follow along on Instagram @dmelphotogrande.
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BACKCOUNTRY JOURNEYS
"Backcountry Journeys offers guests the unique opportunity to explore our natural world from behind their own lens. We run a selection of hand-crafted Photo Tours, Workshops & Safaris connecting passionate people to exceptional experiences. Locations worldwide.
- Russ Nordstrand, Backcountry Journeys Founder & Director
- Russ Nordstrand, Backcountry Journeys Founder & Director
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All Images & Content are property of Backcountry Photography Tours, Workshops & Safaris LLCs - Copyright 2024
BACKCOUNTRY JOURNEYS
"Backcountry Journeys offers guests the unique opportunity to explore our natural world from behind their own lens. We run a selection of hand-crafted Photo Tours, Workshops & Safaris connecting passionate people to exceptional experiences. Locations worldwide.
All Images & Content are property of Backcountry Journeys Photography Tours, Workshops & Safaris LLC - Copyright 2024
TRIP CATALOG
Download our Trip Catalog for detailed information on our many destinations for photography tours, workshops, and safaris.