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Dave Beedon | profile | all galleries >> Places >> Utah >> Moab (environs) >> Negro Bill Canyon ("NBC") >> NBC Fins >> NBC Fins, First Visit tree view | thumbnails | slideshow

NBC Fins, First Visit | NBC Fins, River Overlook | NBC Fins, Cave Visit | NBC Fins, Miscellaneous

NBC Fins, First Visit


My first visit to the plateau of fins was near the end of a hike far up the canyon. On the way back to the trailhead I noticed a minor side trail that beckoned to me. Of course I could not resist, and up it I went. In short order the trail became a scramble through boulders and bushes that ended at the top of a large pour-off. From there the trail went through a magnificent corridor between two fins, then led to a maze of fins and domes.

The terrain was mesmerizing but a bit dis-orienting. That and the lateness of the day made that first visit short.


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View of Negro Bill Canyon from top of the boulder field
View of Negro Bill Canyon from top of the boulder field		 Corridor between sandstone fins frames Negro Bill Canyon
Corridor between sandstone fins frames Negro Bill Canyon		 Explorer in streambed between fins
Explorer in streambed between fins		 Deep shadow yields to sunlight up ahead (reverse view of previous photo)
Deep shadow yields to sunlight up ahead (reverse view of previous photo)		 Landscape is beginning to look weird
Landscape is beginning to look weird
Straight ahead: ramp leading to the base of the hump
Straight ahead: ramp leading to the base of the hump		 Looking back down from the top of the ramp: Negro Bill Canyon in the background
Looking back down from the top of the ramp: Negro Bill Canyon in the background		 The hump at the top of the ramp: bush is about 4 feet (1.2m) tall
The hump at the top of the ramp: bush is about 4 feet (1.2m) tall		 Spiked hump is the key to further exploration
Spiked hump is the key to further exploration		 Looking up at the spiked hump
Looking up at the spiked hump
S-curve ramp leading to higher ground
S-curve ramp leading to higher ground		 Face of the spiked hump, from the S-curve ramp
Face of the spiked hump, from the S-curve ramp		 Looking back toward the S-curve ramp (beyond the bushes)
Looking back toward the S-curve ramp (beyond the bushes)		 A hint of a fin
A hint of a fin		 Sandstone fin
Sandstone fin
Another hump (probably the end of a fin)
Another hump (probably the end of a fin)		 This hill is the end of a large fin
This hill is the end of a large fin		 The rock ornament is getting farther away as I walk between more fins
The rock ornament is getting farther away as I walk between more fins		 Following a deer path through the crytobiotic soil
Following a deer path through the crytobiotic soil		 Feces of elephant? crocodile? kangaroo? deer?
Feces of elephant? crocodile? kangaroo? deer?
Sandstone, snow, and sky
Sandstone, snow, and sky		 Fin Boy surveys the landscape
Fin Boy surveys the landscape		 Yet farther into the fins
Yet farther into the fins		 Faint diagonal animal path as hiking route through the cryptobiotic soil
Faint diagonal animal path as hiking route through the cryptobiotic soil		 Shortage of time forced a turn-around here; what lies beyond???
Shortage of time forced a turn-around here; what lies beyond???
Humps, bumps, bushes, and sand (and fear)
Humps, bumps, bushes, and sand (and fear)		 Approaching the S-curve ramp: there's the rock ornament again
Approaching the S-curve ramp: there's the rock ornament again		 Looking down the S-curve ramp
Looking down the S-curve ramp		 Detail of the S-curve ramp
Detail of the S-curve ramp		 Looking down the first ramp: beyond the gap is Negro Bill Canyon
Looking down the first ramp: beyond the gap is Negro Bill Canyon
Again in the dark corridor between the fins
Again in the dark corridor between the fins		 Negro Bill Canyon, from the top of the boulder field
Negro Bill Canyon, from the top of the boulder field		 View to the left from the boulders
View to the left from the boulders		 Back in Negro Bill Canyon, I see this
Back in Negro Bill Canyon, I see this

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Lee G02-Jan-2007 07:01
Very nice photos and information Dave. Your galleries always give me road trip fever!
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