A Story in Pictures: Antelope Canyon

Ok so, Antelope Canyon.  What can I tell you before I overwhelm you with pictures?

Wikipedia fact: Antelope Canyon is the most-visited and most-photographed slot canyon in the American Southwest.  It is divided between two canyons - Upper and Lower Antelope Canyon and is located on Navajo land so you're not allowed in to either until you pay the land entrance fee and then a visitor fee to one of the two families that allow access to the land.  They also require you (since the 80's) to have a guide with you since people tend to ignore the incredibly serious flash flood warnings which means there's always the unlucky chance that you'll end up with a huge tour group gettin' all up in your pictures.

Jimmy and I tried to beat this by getting up early and then going to Lower Antelope Canyon first - described as a more strenuous walk which means less people would be there and then swinging over to Upper Antelope Canyon since the sunlight starts to hit it around 10:30.  In terms of the two, I definitely preferred the first (Lower) just because we had a small group, our tour guide was rather amusing and we got to walk unhindered by other huge groups of people - since we were the first tour to go out that morning. But, you could make the fair argument that the second (Upper) was much more photogenic and they had to drive us out there over fields of sand that were possibly worse than snowbanks in Vermont. (Actually the drive was hilarious because everyone else in the truck was freaking out and Jimmy and I were just amused). Also, we had to deal with the small glitch that my camera died about halfway through Lower Antelope and we finally got Jimmy's working for Upper Antelope. 

But anyway, without further ado, Lower Antelope Canyon:

"This is the entrance.  If I can fit in then all of you can fit" - Our tour guide, Truman

Jimmy going down

Indian Chief and his friend, the Frenchie

Lady in the Wind

United States Postal Service Eagle. Thanks to the eyes of Truman

Ok, in love with it all yet?  Want to come visit us and go out there yet?  Yeah, that's what I thought. Ok now we've got Upper Antelope Canyon and the crowds.

crowds outside and the trucks to get us there

the entrance

tumbleweed trapped from the last flash flood - at least 5 feet above our heads

the mayhem down below

one of my favorite pictures - points to Jimmy

Alright, enough for now. Leaving the internet cafe for now.  I'll be back tomorrow with more.

Hope everyone's doing well back east!