ANTELOPE CANYON

April 26, 2011

We heard about a tour to a slot canyon on Indian land so stayed another day in order to go on it.  When we woke up it was very windy but got a little better as the day went on.  Our tour was around 11:30.  At that time the sun shines into the canyon.  Also known as Slot Canyon, Wind Cave, Grotto Cave or "The Crack", Antelope Canyon was first discovered in 1931 by a young Navajo girl herding sheep.

                                                

We started at Antelope Canyon Tours in Page, Arizona and headed east.  The Canyon is on the Navajo Reservation.  Each group of 12 rode in a vehicle driven by their Indian tour guide. 

                          

                          

We drove a short distance on the highway and than 3 1/2 miles on a wide (most of the time) dry wash which ended at the slot behind these vehicles.  The slot is a narrow crevice in the mesa scoured out over thousands of years by wind and water. The slot in Upper Antelope Canyon measures a quarter mile long and 130 feet deep.

                           

                            The entrance to the slot canyon.  We were glad to get in out of the wind.

                                                    

                            WOW was the word that came to mind over and over again.

                               

                                                        

We moved through the slot with our guide who pointed our places to take the best pictures.  We passed other groups with their guides coming back out of the canyon  which is only 500 yards long.  There were other groups in front of us and behind us.

                                                       

At one point the wind blew sand in from above so that it got in our teeth and hair and clothing.  We hurried through that part as quickly as possible. 

                                                          

                                                   

                              Our guide threw sand onto the rock so it would run down as in second picture.  Sometimes he threw sand up in the light beams but in the windy portion the sand blew down from above and was like dust motes in the sun.  The sand got all over us  and our cameras.

                                           

                                                          

                                                      At times we just stood and marveled!

                                     

                                                  WHAT AN EXAMPLE OF GODS CREATIVE POWER!

                                     

                                                               

We came out of the other end of the canyon covered with sand!  It was in my backpack  which only had a drawstring closure.  Later I had to turn it wrong side out and rub it off under water. It seemed to be sticky and really stuck to our skin as well.  Although I washed my face several times  after returning home, it stuck until I took a longgggg shower!    We headed back through the canyon meeting other groups along the way.  It was hard to get shots without people in them both coming and returning through the canyon.  It was really beautiful and well worth the $35 each. BUT.... It may cost me a new camera.  The next few days my camera lens had problems opening and closing because of the sand that had gotten into it.   I guess time will tell.....