Exploring Southern Utah by Airplane

[Hatchcanyon]

This is an older story! Did not find a better place to post it.

We started flying over southeastern Utah in the late 1990ies. It was my wife´s idea to get a better picture about the features and where these are located.

In 2001 we met Tim Martin from LaSal aka "The Flying Cowboy" and had a first flight with him. Inpressive! He knows everything about flying over the area and how to approach points of interest. In 2006 we planned something larger. A flight from Moab Canyonlands Airfield along the Colorado River down to the northern Arizona and back again. Tim calculated between 3 and a half and 4 hours. That sets the price tag.

At first we didn't know that TIm was the guy who flew through a number of arches. As he told us some time later he also said "Don't ask for that, I'll risk my license doing it with paying customers!" We didn't!

Starting at the Canyonlands Airfield we reached the river not far away from Deadhorse Point, followed it more or less down to Page turned around over Coyote Butte flying eastward over the north shore of Lake Powell. At the Dirty Devil River we took a more northern direction to go over Buckacre Point and from there back to Cataract Canyon. Again along the River we returned to the Moab Canyonlands Airfield.

I will not write much text about the flight. The pictures are self-explanatory. Pictures were taken with two cameras, a digital one and an analog one on slide film. Some pics are technically limited (reflections, not always 100% focussed, sometimes shifting colors througt tinted Windows.)

More about flying over Canyon Country: Cross Country Flying (http://hatchcanyon.eu/Navigation/USA/Utah/Moab/Cross_Country_Flights/) written in German. Due to the number of pictures the story will come in several "chapters".

http://hatchcanyon.eu/Navigation/USA/Utah/Moab/Cross_Country_Flights/Eagle/Eagle_5/PICT0531_12.jpg
Tim Martin and his plane - Moab Canyonlands Airfield

http://hatchcanyon.eu/Navigation/USA/Utah/Moab/Cross_Country_Flights/Eagle/Eagle_5/PICT0532_12.jpg
Waiting for the pilot - notice the limited space.

http://hatchcanyon.eu/Navigation/USA/Utah/Moab/Cross_Country_Flights/Eagle/Eagle_5/PICT0535_12.jpg
Determination Towers - sorry something missed!

http://hatchcanyon.eu/Navigation/USA/Utah/Moab/Cross_Country_Flights/Eagle/Eagle_1_/Flight%202006%20005.jpg
Another analog picture

http://hatchcanyon.eu/Navigation/USA/Utah/Moab/Cross_Country_Flights/Eagle/Eagle_5/PICT0536_12.jpg
Bull Canyon System

http://hatchcanyon.eu/Navigation/USA/Utah/Moab/Cross_Country_Flights/Eagle/Eagle_5/PICT0538_12.jpg
Approaching White Rim - so called Airport Tower middle left

http://hatchcanyon.eu/Navigation/USA/Utah/Moab/Cross_Country_Flights/Eagle/Eagle_5/PICT0539_12.jpg
Lathrop and Buck Canyon

http://hatchcanyon.eu/Navigation/USA/Utah/Moab/Cross_Country_Flights/Eagle/Eagle_5/PICT0541_12.jpg
The Loop

http://hatchcanyon.eu/Navigation/USA/Utah/Moab/Cross_Country_Flights/Eagle/Eagle_5/PICT0545_12.jpg
Colorado River - Green River Confluence

http://hatchcanyon.eu/Navigation/USA/Utah/Moab/Cross_Country_Flights/Eagle/Eagle_5/PICT0546_12.jpg
Confluence again

http://hatchcanyon.eu/Navigation/USA/Utah/Moab/Cross_Country_Flights/Eagle/Eagle_5/PICT0547_12.jpg
Canyonlands Maze District: The Doll House

http://hatchcanyon.eu/Navigation/USA/Utah/Moab/Cross_Country_Flights/Eagle/Eagle_5/PICT0548_12.jpg
Waterhole Flat and Gunsight Butte

http://hatchcanyon.eu/Navigation/USA/Utah/Moab/Cross_Country_Flights/Eagle/Eagle_5/PICT0553_12.jpg
UT 95 and Colorado River Bridge near Hite

http://hatchcanyon.eu/Navigation/USA/Utah/Moab/Cross_Country_Flights/Eagle/Eagle_5/PICT0554_12.jpg
North Wash

http://hatchcanyon.eu/Navigation/USA/Utah/Moab/Cross_Country_Flights/Eagle/Eagle_5/PICT0555_12.jpg
White Canyon

http://hatchcanyon.eu/Navigation/USA/Utah/Moab/Cross_Country_Flights/Eagle/Eagle_5/PICT0556_12.jpg
White Canyon

http://hatchcanyon.eu/Navigation/USA/Utah/Moab/Cross_Country_Flights/Eagle/Eagle_5/PICT0558_12.jpg
Glen Canyon

http://hatchcanyon.eu/Navigation/USA/Utah/Moab/Cross_Country_Flights/Eagle/Eagle_5/PICT0559_12.jpg
Castle Butte

http://hatchcanyon.eu/Navigation/USA/Utah/Moab/Cross_Country_Flights/Eagle/Eagle_5/PICT0560_12.jpg
Ticaboo Canyon

http://hatchcanyon.eu/Navigation/USA/Utah/Moab/Cross_Country_Flights/Eagle/Eagle_5/PICT0561_12.jpg
Good Hope Mesa

http://hatchcanyon.eu/Navigation/USA/Utah/Moab/Cross_Country_Flights/Eagle/Eagle_5/PICT0562_12.jpg
Tapestry Wall

http://hatchcanyon.eu/Navigation/USA/Utah/Moab/Cross_Country_Flights/Eagle/Eagle_5/PICT0563_12.jpg
Forgotten Canyon

http://hatchcanyon.eu/Navigation/USA/Utah/Moab/Cross_Country_Flights/Eagle/Eagle_5/PICT0564_12.jpg
Moqui Canyon

http://hatchcanyon.eu/Navigation/USA/Utah/Moab/Cross_Country_Flights/Eagle/Eagle_5/PICT0570_12.jpg
The Rincon

http://hatchcanyon.eu/Navigation/USA/Utah/Moab/Cross_Country_Flights/Eagle/Eagle_5/PICT0571_12.jpg
The Rincon

To be continued.....

[Hatchcanyon]

Chapter 2:

http://hatchcanyon.eu/Navigation/USA/Utah/Moab/Cross_Country_Flights/Eagle/Eagle_5/PICT0574_12.jpg
Hole in the Rock

Nearly half of the way down is now covered by water.

http://hatchcanyon.eu/Navigation/USA/Utah/Moab/Cross_Country_Flights/Eagle/Eagle_5/PICT0577_12.jpg
Reflection Canyon

http://hatchcanyon.eu/Navigation/USA/Utah/Moab/Cross_Country_Flights/Eagle/Eagle_5/PICT0579_12.jpg
North of Navajo Mountain. The trail leading to Rainbow bridge is visible even in the picture is technically mediocre.

http://hatchcanyon.eu/Navigation/USA/Utah/Moab/Cross_Country_Flights/Eagle/Eagle_5/PICT0580_12.jpg

http://hatchcanyon.eu/Navigation/USA/Utah/Moab/Cross_Country_Flights/Eagle/Eagle_5/PICT0586_12.jpg

http://hatchcanyon.eu/Navigation/USA/Utah/Moab/Cross_Country_Flights/Eagle/Eagle_5/PICT0588_12.jpg
Several views of Rainbow Bridge.

Tim circled three times with the plane.

http://hatchcanyon.eu/Navigation/USA/Utah/Moab/Cross_Country_Flights/Eagle/Eagle_5/PICT0590_12.jpg
Forbidding Canyon

http://hatchcanyon.eu/Navigation/USA/Utah/Moab/Cross_Country_Flights/Eagle/Eagle_5/PICT0594_12.jpg
Navajo Point and Driftwood Canyon

http://hatchcanyon.eu/Navigation/USA/Utah/Moab/Cross_Country_Flights/Eagle/Eagle_5/PICT0595_12.jpg
Teddys Horse Pasture and Dangling Rope Marina

http://hatchcanyon.eu/Navigation/USA/Utah/Moab/Cross_Country_Flights/Eagle/Eagle_5/PICT0596_12.jpg
Propeller killers

http://hatchcanyon.eu/Navigation/USA/Utah/Moab/Cross_Country_Flights/Eagle/Eagle_5/PICT0597_12.jpg
Wetherill Canyon

http://hatchcanyon.eu/Navigation/USA/Utah/Moab/Cross_Country_Flights/Eagle/Eagle_5/PICT0598_12.jpg
Drowned Goosenecks of the Colorado River

http://hatchcanyon.eu/Navigation/USA/Utah/Moab/Cross_Country_Flights/Eagle/Eagle_5/PICT0601_12.jpg
Last Chance Bay

http://hatchcanyon.eu/Navigation/USA/Utah/Moab/Cross_Country_Flights/Eagle/Eagle_5/PICT0603_12.jpg
Dominguez and Padre Buttes

http://hatchcanyon.eu/Navigation/USA/Utah/Moab/Cross_Country_Flights/Eagle/Eagle_5/PICT0604_12.jpg
The Channel - Castle Rock Cutoff is dry and impassable

http://hatchcanyon.eu/Navigation/USA/Utah/Moab/Cross_Country_Flights/Eagle/Eagle_5/PICT0605_12.jpg
Too much window reflechtions - Upper Antelope Canyon

http://hatchcanyon.eu/Navigation/USA/Utah/Moab/Cross_Country_Flights/Eagle/Eagle_5/PICT0606_12.jpg
Glen Canyon Dam

http://hatchcanyon.eu/Navigation/USA/Utah/Moab/Cross_Country_Flights/Eagle/Eagle_5/PICT0607_12.jpg
No hit of Bulls Eye: Horseshoe Bend

http://hatchcanyon.eu/Navigation/USA/Utah/Moab/Cross_Country_Flights/Eagle/Eagle_5/PICT0609_12.jpg
Paria River Canyon

http://hatchcanyon.eu/Navigation/USA/Utah/Moab/Cross_Country_Flights/Eagle/Eagle_5/PICT0610_12.jpg
Vermilion Cliffs

http://hatchcanyon.eu/Navigation/USA/Utah/Moab/Cross_Country_Flights/Eagle/Eagle_5/PICT0612_12.jpg
Marble Canyon

http://hatchcanyon.eu/Navigation/USA/Utah/Moab/Cross_Country_Flights/Eagle/Eagle_5/PICT0622_12.jpg
Approaching Coyote Butte

More to come....

[Hatchcanyon]

Chapter 3:

Coyote Butte is a very special feature located at the Arizona - Utahb oder Line. One of these where looking down from a plane gives not necessarely the better view - it's a different one.

http://hatchcanyon.eu/Navigation/USA/Utah/Moab/Cross_Country_Flights/Eagle/Eagle_5/PICT0623_12.jpg

http://hatchcanyon.eu/Navigation/USA/Utah/Moab/Cross_Country_Flights/Eagle/Eagle_5/PICT0624_12.jpg

http://hatchcanyon.eu/Navigation/USA/Utah/Moab/Cross_Country_Flights/Eagle/Eagle_5/PICT0625_12.jpg

http://hatchcanyon.eu/Navigation/USA/Utah/Moab/Cross_Country_Flights/Eagle/Eagle_5/PICT0626_12.jpg

http://hatchcanyon.eu/Navigation/USA/Utah/Moab/Cross_Country_Flights/Eagle/Eagle_5/PICT0626_12.jpg

http://hatchcanyon.eu/Navigation/USA/Utah/Moab/Cross_Country_Flights/Eagle/Eagle_5/PICT0627_12.jpg

http://hatchcanyon.eu/Navigation/USA/Utah/Moab/Cross_Country_Flights/Eagle/Eagle_5/PICT0629_12.jpg

http://hatchcanyon.eu/Navigation/USA/Utah/Moab/Cross_Country_Flights/Eagle/Eagle_5/PICT0630_12.jpg
Coyote Butte North

This is where the Wave is located. Even if the Wave itself is not easy visible the colorful structures are awesome.

http://hatchcanyon.eu/Navigation/USA/Utah/Moab/Cross_Country_Flights/Eagle/Eagle_5/PICT0632_12.jpg
Buckskin Gulch and Paria River Canyon. Some kind of a slot confluence.

http://hatchcanyon.eu/Navigation/USA/Utah/Moab/Cross_Country_Flights/Eagle/Eagle_5/PICT0640_12.jpg
Nipple Bench north of Big Water

http://hatchcanyon.eu/Navigation/USA/Utah/Moab/Cross_Country_Flights/Eagle/Eagle_5/PICT0641_12.jpg
Stud Horse Point

http://hatchcanyon.eu/Navigation/USA/Utah/Moab/Cross_Country_Flights/Eagle/Eagle_5/PICT0646_12.jpg
Lone Rock and Wahweep Marina

http://hatchcanyon.eu/Navigation/USA/Utah/Moab/Cross_Country_Flights/Eagle/Eagle_5/PICT0649_12.jpg
Wiregrass Canyon. The Cliffs are Called Mustard Cliffs. Must be due to the color.

http://hatchcanyon.eu/Navigation/USA/Utah/Moab/Cross_Country_Flights/Eagle/Eagle_5/PICT0653_12.jpg
Alstrom Point

http://hatchcanyon.eu/Navigation/USA/Utah/Moab/Cross_Country_Flights/Eagle/Eagle_5/PICT0654_12.jpg
Little Alstrom Point

http://hatchcanyon.eu/Navigation/USA/Utah/Moab/Cross_Country_Flights/Eagle/Eagle_5/PICT0658_12.jpg
Gooseneck Point

http://hatchcanyon.eu/Navigation/USA/Utah/Moab/Cross_Country_Flights/Eagle/Eagle_5/PICT0661_12.jpg
Rock Creek

http://hatchcanyon.eu/Navigation/USA/Utah/Moab/Cross_Country_Flights/Eagle/Eagle_5/PICT0664_12.jpg
Dry Rock Creek

http://hatchcanyon.eu/Navigation/USA/Utah/Moab/Cross_Country_Flights/Eagle/Eagle_5/PICT0666_12.jpg
Little Arch Canyon

http://hatchcanyon.eu/Navigation/USA/Utah/Moab/Cross_Country_Flights/Eagle/Eagle_5/PICT0668_12.jpg
Balanced Rock Canyon below Navajo Point

http://hatchcanyon.eu/Navigation/USA/Utah/Moab/Cross_Country_Flights/Eagle/Eagle_5/PICT0669_12.jpg

http://hatchcanyon.eu/Navigation/USA/Utah/Moab/Cross_Country_Flights/Eagle/Eagle_5/PICT0670_12.jpg
Reflection Canyon

http://hatchcanyon.eu/Navigation/USA/Utah/Moab/Cross_Country_Flights/Eagle/Eagle_5/PICT0671_12.jpg
Mouth of San Juan River

http://hatchcanyon.eu/Navigation/USA/Utah/Moab/Cross_Country_Flights/Eagle/Eagle_5/PICT0672_12.jpg
Mouth of Llewellyn Gulch (more to the rigt on the left side of the River) and Cottonwood Canyon opposite to Hole in the Rock

http://hatchcanyon.eu/Navigation/USA/Utah/Moab/Cross_Country_Flights/Eagle/Eagle_5/PICT0673_12.jpg
Llewellyn Gulch

More to come....

[Hatchcanyon]

Chapter 4:

http://hatchcanyon.eu/Navigation/USA/Utah/Moab/Cross_Country_Flights/Eagle/Eagle_5/PICT0674_12.jpg
Again Hole in the Rock

On the other side Cottonwood Canyon where the Mormons carried on. The Chute was the next obstacle.

http://hatchcanyon.eu/Navigation/USA/Utah/Moab/Cross_Country_Flights/Eagle/Eagle_5/PICT0675_12.jpg
Escalante River

http://hatchcanyon.eu/Navigation/USA/Utah/Moab/Cross_Country_Flights/Eagle/Eagle_5/PICT0678_12.jpg
Stevens Arch from the South

http://hatchcanyon.eu/Navigation/USA/Utah/Moab/Cross_Country_Flights/Eagle/Eagle_5/PICT0679_12.jpg
Stevens Arch from the North

http://hatchcanyon.eu/Navigation/USA/Utah/Moab/Cross_Country_Flights/Eagle/Eagle_5/PICT0680_12.jpg
East of Stevens Arch

http://hatchcanyon.eu/Navigation/USA/Utah/Moab/Cross_Country_Flights/Eagle/Eagle_5/PICT0683_12.jpg
Stevens Canyon

http://hatchcanyon.eu/Navigation/USA/Utah/Moab/Cross_Country_Flights/Eagle/Eagle_5/PICT0684_12.jpg
Waterpocket Fold

http://hatchcanyon.eu/Navigation/USA/Utah/Moab/Cross_Country_Flights/Eagle/Eagle_5/PICT0685_12.jpg
Moqui Canyon

http://hatchcanyon.eu/Navigation/USA/Utah/Moab/Cross_Country_Flights/Eagle/Eagle_5/PICT0686_12.jpg
Crystal Springs Canyon

Easy to see how much sediments the water contains!

http://hatchcanyon.eu/Navigation/USA/Utah/Moab/Cross_Country_Flights/Eagle/Eagle_5/PICT0687_12.jpg
Forgotten Canyon

http://hatchcanyon.eu/Navigation/USA/Utah/Moab/Cross_Country_Flights/Eagle/Eagle_5/PICT0688_12.jpg
Cedar Canyon

http://hatchcanyon.eu/Navigation/USA/Utah/Moab/Cross_Country_Flights/Eagle/Eagle_5/PICT0690_12.jpg
Ticaboo Canyon

http://hatchcanyon.eu/Navigation/USA/Utah/Moab/Cross_Country_Flights/Eagle/Eagle_5/PICT0692_12.jpg
Castle Butte and Blue Notch Canyon

http://hatchcanyon.eu/Navigation/USA/Utah/Moab/Cross_Country_Flights/Eagle/Eagle_5/PICT0694_12.jpg
Scorup Canyon

http://hatchcanyon.eu/Navigation/USA/Utah/Moab/Cross_Country_Flights/Eagle/Eagle_5/PICT0696_12.jpg
Farley Canyon

http://hatchcanyon.eu/Navigation/USA/Utah/Moab/Cross_Country_Flights/Eagle/Eagle_5/PICT0697_12.jpg
Hite

http://hatchcanyon.eu/Navigation/USA/Utah/Moab/Cross_Country_Flights/Eagle/Eagle_5/PICT0698_12.jpg
Cataract Canyon, mouth of the Dity Devil River and the UT 95 bridge

http://hatchcanyon.eu/Navigation/USA/Utah/Moab/Cross_Country_Flights/Eagle/Eagle_5/PICT0700_12.jpg
Red Benches

http://hatchcanyon.eu/Navigation/USA/Utah/Moab/Cross_Country_Flights/Eagle/Eagle_5/PICT0703_12.jpg
Fiddler Cove Canyon

http://hatchcanyon.eu/Navigation/USA/Utah/Moab/Cross_Country_Flights/Eagle/Eagle_5/PICT0705_12.jpg
Hatch Canyon

http://hatchcanyon.eu/Navigation/USA/Utah/Moab/Cross_Country_Flights/Eagle/Eagle_5/PICT0707_12.jpg
Hatch Canyon and Dirty Devil River

http://hatchcanyon.eu/Navigation/USA/Utah/Moab/Cross_Country_Flights/Eagle/Eagle_5/PICT0706_12.jpg
Hatch Canyon and Gunsight Butte

Tim Martin flew through the right gap so deep that we had cliffs on both sides of the airplane.

To be continued......

[Hatchcanyon]

Chapter 5:

http://hatchcanyon.eu/Navigation/USA/Utah/Moab/Cross_Country_Flights/Eagle/Eagle_5/PICT0711_12.jpg

http://hatchcanyon.eu/Navigation/USA/Utah/Moab/Cross_Country_Flights/Eagle/Eagle_5/PICT0712_12.jpg
Colorado/Green River Confluence

http://hatchcanyon.eu/Navigation/USA/Utah/Moab/Cross_Country_Flights/Eagle/Eagle_5/PICT0714_12.jpg
Colorado River: The Loop

http://hatchcanyon.eu/Navigation/USA/Utah/Moab/Cross_Country_Flights/Eagle/Eagle_5/PICT0716_12.jpg
near Horsethief Canyon

http://hatchcanyon.eu/Navigation/USA/Utah/Moab/Cross_Country_Flights/Eagle/Eagle_5/PICT0717_12.jpg
Buck Canyon and White Rim

http://hatchcanyon.eu/Navigation/USA/Utah/Moab/Cross_Country_Flights/Eagle/Eagle_5/PICT0719_12.jpg
Gooseneck and Deadhorse Point

http://hatchcanyon.eu/Navigation/USA/Utah/Moab/Cross_Country_Flights/Eagle/Eagle_5/PICT0720_12.jpg
The Gooseneck and "Thelma and Louise - Point"

The end!