Antelope Canyon RIP

[ratagonia]

WTF is James?

James is a troll that dwells in the Political Forum.

but I must say, sir Snatch, you channeled his style MOST succesfully!

Tom

[snatch]

I wiped my previous entry. It was a bit crass. Sorry Tom.
For future reference, what is proper troll etiquette?

[Iceaxe]

For future reference, what is proper troll etiquette?

This might be opening a can of worms.... but here is the general idea.....

A wicked sense of humor and a rapier wit are admired and appreciated on Bogley. Unimaginative name calling and lackluster personal attacks are frowned upon.

In other words

[uintahiker]

I did some looking around, and as of a book published in 2005 (Canyoneering Arizona) the stairs and ladders were up in Antelope. Seems to me like there's a lot of us that haven't been in the last 4 years!

[Sombeech]

If any of you have been down to Havasupai, you'll know it's one of the most gorgeous canyons around.

The path down there though is littered with trash; gatorade bottles, plastic bags, and the occasional piece of furniture.

This is a shame, you wonder who would do such a thing. Then you witness for yourself somebody throw their empty Coke can off to the wayside from atop their horse as you are hiking down.

The Havasupai Indians own the canyon, and they do with this as they please. I am grateful though that they still let us down there for a small fee.

[ratagonia]

A smart and clever troll usually serves a useful purpose in pointing out the absurdity of a certain situation, or the fact that the emperor has no clothes.

Sometimes I worry about you, Shane! How'd ya know I was sitting here plum nakid, swillin beer and scratchin up a storm? Guess I otta close the blinds once in a while.

Adding an emoticon or two helps mitigate the sting out of any witty comment.

T

[snatch]

I'll even throw an apology to high horse himself. Native Americans were ravaged, no doubt about it.

"Perhaps I mispoke." I meant to imply that I like my canyons natural. Sorry for the metaphor, it was only that.

[PQuintana]

There were rickety wooden and aluminum ladders when I got sucked down the canyon in August 12th 1997. I watched one float bye in the Flood. The bolted ones might have been a different story for some who were standing on them when the flood started. Those people did not make it through the flood. I also do understand what you mean by your original post, takes away from what was created by the floods. I still have a piece from that wooden ladder. I like some of the others posts people and what you all have to say. Great topic. "Disneyland" lol



"Let Your Dreams Guide You"
P.Quintana

[ratagonia]

There were rickety wooden and aluminum ladders when I got sucked down the canyon in August 12th 1997. I watched one float bye in the Flood. The bolted ones might have been a different story for some who were standing on them when the flood started. Those people did not make it through the flood. I also do understand what you mean by your original post, takes away from what was created by the floods. I still have a piece from that wooden ladder. I like some of the others posts people and what you all have to say. Great topic. "Disneyland" lol



"Let Your Dreams Guide You"
P.Quintana

Welcome to the Bogley, Poncho.

Tom

[wasatchghost]

My thinking is that if we can get all the tourists distracted by easily accessed canyons we can keep them away from the canyons we really value. It's a shame that a canyon so beautiful as Antelope got "staired", but I like to think that in a sense it is protecting many other canyons from the destructive habits of ignorant tourists. Same goes for bolting canyons. I don't support bolts marring up the walls of Utah's canyons, but it seems logical to sacrifice one or two canyons for the sake of preserving a hundred others.

[Iceaxe]

My thinking is that if we can get all the tourists distracted by easily accessed canyons we can keep them away from the canyons we really value.

That argument never seems to work, in fact it usually has the opposite effect in that those who visit Antelope want more slots dumbed down to their level so they can easily visit those canyons also....

....which is really the essence of the bolt debate.

YMMV

[Iceaxe]

Great topic. "Disneyland" lol

Welcome to Bogley and thanks for posting.

For those that don't know Quintana is the man that survived the infamous flash flood in Antelope Canyon.

[wasatchghost]

That argument never seems to work, in fact it usually has the opposite effect in that those who visit Antelope want more slots dumbed down to their level so they can easily visit those canyons also....

....which is really the essence of the bolt debate.

YMMV

Good point. Theoretically their interest in doing more canyons would lead to their desire to learn more about doing it the right way, but unfortunately it's obvious that isn't happening

[deagol]

....... What they have done to Antelope Canyon is no different than if anyone else did the same thing on their own private property.

We are lucky that the Navajo's even let us hike/sightsee on the Reservation. ......

Hello, new poster here.

I just wanted to offer another respectful opinion on these two points.

The first one seems a bit contradictory to the whole "borrow the land from your children" ethic that gets touted, regardless of race.

Second point: I don't think it's luck as much as the fact that it (Antelope Canyon) is a huge tourist draw and therefore brings in money. Even without the steep price of admission, this attraction does bring money into the Rez.

I've done the lower section of Antelope (from the lake up to the dry-fall) but have never seen the corkscrew section. The ladder makes me conflicted, almost not wanting to go after all. Ironically I had planned to pay the fee and see the famous section this fall, but now not sure......

[peakbaggers]

We were there 2 1/2 years ago to do the photography thing. That's mainly what Antelope has become - a destination for every photographer who wants one of those beautiful canyon shots of their own. The stairs, ladders, etc were all placed there as a result of the 1997 flood incident. In fact, the Navajo's have placed several other safety devices as well, including nets stationed in boxes along the rim that can be lowered into the canyon in nearly seconds to allow people to climb out in the event of another flood - and there will be one some day. (Wonder what a major flood would do to some of those stairs.) As for trying to climb around the stairs & ladders, nearly impossible the way they have some placed. It is land that belongs to the Navajo's though and they certainly can do what they deem best, however, it is nothing more than a touroid canyon now. Never had a chance to visit it without all the additions. From what we saw, it looks like it would have been an entertaining little slot.

[Iceaxe]

I've done the lower section of Antelope (from the lake up to the dry-fall) but have never seen the corkscrew section. The ladder makes me conflicted, almost not wanting to go after all. Ironically I had planned to pay the fee and see the famous section this fall, but now not sure......

FYI: If you want pictures on par with Antelope in a slot canyon you have all to yourself try visiting High Spur.

High Spur
http://climb-utah.com/Roost/highspur.htm

As an interested bystander in the world of photography I fail to see the challenge of Antelope any more. You walk down the stairs and set up your camera at the same spot thousands before you have and wait for the correct light. I fail to see any artistic genius coming out of Antelope these days. Outside of having the standard portfolio shot of Antelope I can see little reason to visit.

[UtahAdventureGuide]

FIXED

[PQuintana]

Thanks Tom and IceAxe,

Much appreciated guys. Infamous, here's a clip for some of you who don't know about the flood.



Or you can look it up on youtube under Flash Flood Antelope Canyon August 12th 1997

"Let Your Dreams Guide You"
Pancho Quintana

[Scott Card]

Pancho, thanks so much for posting that. What an amazing story. Welcome to the mad house known as Bogley.

[Felicia]

Welcome Poncho. Thank you for sharing your story.