Monday, May 17, 2010

Hovenweep National Monument


Leaving Monument Valley this morning we headed East first through Mexican Hat then Bluff Utah before deciding to take a side trip to the Hovenweep National Monument.

W.D. Huntington first reported the structures after he led an 1854 Moran expedition into southeastern Utah. Pioneering photographer William Henry Jackson in 1874 first used the name "Hovenweep", which is Ute/Paiute for "deserted valley". President Warren G. Harding proclaimed Hovenweep a national monument in 1923.

The Rim Trail Loop (1.5 miles) is very steep at times but then flattens out to an easy trail. Please remember you're hiking in the Southwest and a very arid climate so make certain you have plenty of water.

First a view of the trail...


And from the trail...

Canon 1DsIII 28-135mm lens 135mm f/5.6 1/800 ISO 250

Canon 1DsIII 28-135mm lens 120mm f/5.6 1/500 ISO 200

Canon 1DsIII 28-135mm lens 100mm f/5.6 1/400 ISO 200

Leica M9 Summarit 90mm f/11 1/250 ISO 160

Leica M9 Summicron 50mm f/4 1/1000 ISO 160

Leica M9 Summicron 35mm f/9.5 1/350 ISO 160 (2-shot panorama)


This is now the second hike I've taken with the Leica M9 and once again I found it a great hiking camera. While I'd love to take my medium format Cambo WRS1000/P45+ digital camera to places like this it just isn't feasible. We'll be taking a 6 mile hike later this week when we go out to the Great Gallery in Canyonlands and I plan on once again taking the M9 and my trio of lenses.

We're currently in Moab now and will remain here for the next couple days visiting the great National and State Parks that are here.



Sandy & Don

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