Photo of the Week - Sunrise at Mesa Arch

Canyonlands National Park, Utah

Serious landscape photographers dream of going to certain iconic locations so that they can capture a scene for their personal portfolio. Mesa Arch is one of those places.

There are many hardships to get the shot. It is a desolate and remote area, about 40 miles outside of Moab, Utah. A dreadfully early alarm is required to get there at sunrise. From the parking lot, there is 0.7-mile hike along a rocky path. The hike is rated as “easy,” but simply walking on a flat, even surface isn’t easy for my tired body and chronically painful knees. And then I had to fight for a tiny spot to rest my tripod, competing with dozens of other photographers in a very restricted space. The panorama that I got was simply potluck.

Once the sun rose above the horizon, the arch ceiling turned crimson from the reflected light. The view through the arch window extended for dozens of miles, ending with the La Sal Mountains in the far distance. It was a beautiful sight to behold!

This was my one and only visit to Mesa Arch. I made it count!