Palo duro Canyon

Gallery: LandscapePosted June 20, 2012149 views4 comments

Early morning shot of rock formation on the canyon floor of Palo duro Canyon. This is from last August during a 14 month drought in the canyon. Temperatures reach around 125 degrees in the day.
I was taken by the extreme deep reds in the canyon.

Humans have inhabited this canyon for over 12,000 years. In 1876, Charles Goodnight opened the JA Ranch and at one time there were over 100,00 head of cattle in this operation. The movie Lonsome Dove had its roots from Goodnight and his operations. The ranch remains active at a smaller scale today.

Called the "The Grand Canyon of Texas".

Sony a700
11-18mm Sony f4 zoom at 15 mm
CPL filter
ISO 400
f 8 @ 1/750
LR3 raw process and PS5 corrections.
Very slight crop

Comments

4 comments

Comment posted by Morris McClung on June 20, 2012 at 4:27 PM

I've shot there a couple of times since my oldest daughter lives in Amarillo with her family. Comps aren't easy to come by here, but you did a fine job with this. I like the color and light as well. Is that Lighthouse Rock at the edge of the rim?

Registered on May 7, 2007, 670 Posts, 19650 Comments

Comment posted by Richard Teller on June 20, 2012 at 10:26 PM

You captured the feeling of the area very well. Nice color and composition.

Registered on August 23, 2010, 1162 Posts, 6692 Comments

Comment posted by Brian Schrayer on June 20, 2012 at 10:59 PM

Nice comp here, Rick. This is your best post from PDC. You should come back this year if you have a chance. We have had closer to normal rainfall and the temperatures are much more reasonable. Although there is still a lot of dead brush life is starting to return. It will be a few years though before it returns to its former glory. It seems that this light suits the canyon the best. I have been going down in the evenings and the light just isn't the same. I need to go down in the morning again soon.

EDIT: Morris, I don't know if you will see this or not. That is not the Lighthouse formation on the end. This is early on the trail to the Lighthouse. The formation that you see here is called Capital Peak and that is just a small hoodoo on the hillside. The Lighthouse is significantly larger. Hope I didn't hijack your thread, Rick. As Morris said, it is hard to find good compositions here but I think you have done very well with this even with the drought conditions. I'm also impressed with your knowledge of the history of the area!!

Registered on May 28, 2004, 114 Posts, 2890 Comments

Comment posted by Rick Turner on June 21, 2012 at 9:12 AM

Brian,
Thanks for the comments and I will post the lighthouse later today. The day I was there it was 125 degrees and the Rangers had to assist me out of the canyon due the heat. The photo here is as you say at about the mile and half mark into the canyon.

Registered on February 18, 2012, 534 Posts, 2755 Comments