Giuseppe 
Saturday, 28th of May 2011 at 08:45:44 AM
This day begins again at 4.00 am. I wanted to capture the Whaweap hoodos, a early morning/sunrise location. I had seen them often in Internet fotos, and wanted to see them myself for a while already now. The problem is that they are quite difficult to access. Either a 3 mile uphill hike or access over a difficult dirtroad with approx. 1h drive time. I choose the second option and had studied the dirtroad the evening before. I arrived in time to make some good shots and then I headed back the same way to the BLM Ranger station to participate a second time at the Wave lottery.
I arrived 5 minutes before the draw started and the luck was on my side this day. As last of ten day permits my No. 35 was drawn and I received a Permit for visiting the Coyotte Buttes North area were the Wave is located.
. After the lottery I drove again like the day before on the Lone Valley dirtroad to the 45 min away trailhead of the Cobra Arch hike.This dirtroad had a washed out part near its end and required to drive on the road shoulder in deep sand. It was until now the most difficult drive I encountered on this trip. I arrived at around 10.15 am on the trailhead and it took me 1h hiking in the hot sun. It has began to get hotter in the last two days, and the hike was very strenous. During my hikes in the desert I had noticed that there are many wildflowers blooming right now.
Perhaps also a sign that the winter and rainy time had just ended and thus it was a good choosen time for hiking having the possibility to see all the desert in bloom and the manifold of wildflowers. I had fotographed many and plan to create a own webalbum for them. This yellow cactus flower was a rare one.
I found perfect light condition for some shots and returned at 12.30 at the trailhead. Another 45 minutes late I was back on US89. I decided to drive back to Page and refresh in the pool.
. At the evening at 4 pm I started another long dirt road drive, this time branching of in Big Water from US89 towards Alstrom Point, a fantastic sunset viewpoint into Lake Powell. Around 20 miles on this dirtroad took me around 1h one way and I arrived in time for the photos. (The last 1/2 mile I walked cause the road condition was absolutely critical with big ledges. I was back in the Motel at 8 pm and after a shower went to DAMs Grill for a good American Burger. This was one of the most succesful days: 3 great photo location under best light condition and as a cream topping the win of the wave permit. Tomorrow is wave day….my second time.
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