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Author Topic: Zion national park or Death valley?  (Read 8370 times)

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Zion national park or Death valley?
« on: May 16, 2004, 02:50:12 pm »

[font color=\'#000000\']There are pros and cons to both. Death Valley is huge, and except at the beginning and end of the day the light can be very harsh. You'll also be baking in 110F+ temperatures. You'll be driving a lot of miles for a very narrow shooting window in just a few locations.

Zion will not be as hot, and also has many more exciting and lovely shooting locations within a much smaller area. This time of year you have to take a bus into the valley, but you can hop on and off wherever you want, so be sure to bring light weight and backpackable equipment.

Michael[/font]
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Alan Smallbone

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Zion national park or Death valley?
« Reply #1 on: May 17, 2004, 12:15:51 pm »

[font color=\'#000000\']For a one day trip I would say Zion, go up and hit the shuttle for the day and then drive up to Kolob Canyon (north end of the park) and shoot sunset there.

Death Valley is nice but a bit tough for a one day trip from Lost Wages.

Alan[/font]
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Alan Smallbone
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drizztlin

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Zion national park or Death valley?
« Reply #2 on: May 18, 2004, 01:47:26 am »

[font color=\'#000000\']Thanks everyone! Those are useful. I already have some idea about my trip. Thanks again.
Wayne[/font]
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howard smith

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Zion national park or Death valley?
« Reply #3 on: May 18, 2004, 01:11:01 pm »

[font color=\'#000000\']Between Zion and the Grand Canyon, stop at Jacob Lake for a milk shake.  Best anywhere.[/font]
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drizztlin

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Zion national park or Death valley?
« Reply #4 on: May 16, 2004, 01:06:49 pm »

[font color=\'#000000\']I will travel to Las Vegas for two days and then Grand Canyon. So I plan one day in Las Vegas to Zion or Death Valley. Does anyone have any suggesions? Which one has more shooting ops and go through in one day?
Thanks
Wayne[/font]
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jdemott

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Zion national park or Death valley?
« Reply #5 on: May 16, 2004, 02:52:02 pm »

[font color=\'#000000\']For one day, Zion probably is the better choice since there are many shots in the valley that don't require shooting at dawn or dusk and you'll get more shooting in all day. Also many of the sights in Zion are much closer together.  Death Valley is huge and many of the sights are interesting photographically only at sunrise and sunset.

You don't say when you will be going, but there are two other things you should keep in mind.  First, it is already getting very hot in Death Valley.  Second, as the summer travel season gets going, Zion will be very, very crowded--the one time I was in Zion during the peak tourist season I left within an hour because of the crowds.

Overall, I prefer Death Valley as a location, but for one day I would probably recommend Zion.[/font]
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John DeMott

framah

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Zion national park or Death valley?
« Reply #6 on: May 17, 2004, 12:42:47 pm »

[font color=\'#000000\']Or... you could skip Zion and head up to Cedar Breaks Nat. Monument which is above Zion. It's at a high altitude so make sure you don't have altitude problems. I went there after going to Zion and barely made it from the car to the edge of the canyon because my head was pounding so hard. Apparently, I'm not much good above 9000 ft. or so and this is at around 12 or 13 thousand ft. Absolutely beautiful, tho!! [/font]
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KMOlender

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Zion national park or Death valley?
« Reply #7 on: May 18, 2004, 12:35:05 pm »

[font color=\'#000000\']You don't say exactly when your trip will be.  While part of Cedar Breaks is open, the visitor center and main scenic drive won't open until the Memorial day weekend, and the campground is closed until June 12.  They are still plowing roads with several feet of snow.  See Cedar Breaks NM web site.  There should be no issue with Zion, which is much lower, and I would expect that is more "on the way" to or from the Grand Canyon than Death Valley.[/font]
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Kurt O.

framah

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Zion national park or Death valley?
« Reply #8 on: May 19, 2004, 02:45:09 pm »

[font color=\'#000000\']Howard... These tidbits of information are what we REALLY need whenever we take  a trip!!   :p  
     While in Death Valley last year, we stopped at a store/campground place (around Stovepipe Wells, I think) and, much to our delight, found Ben & Jerrys ice cream there!!     :p[/font]
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"It took a  lifetime of suffering and personal sacrifice to develop my keen aesthetic sense."

howard smith

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Zion national park or Death valley?
« Reply #9 on: May 19, 2004, 03:25:16 pm »

[font color=\'#000000\']Well then, next time you are in Death Valley or parts California, get an It's It if you can.  Ice cream and cookie combo.  Eat it before you drive off so you can go back in and get one for the road.

In Vegas (and most of the civilized world), get a burger at In & Out.  I recommend the double double with onion.

Between Vegas and Barstow is Baker.  The town has no reason to exist except for the "tallest thermometer in the world" and the Mad Greek restaurant.

In Mexican Hat, Utah, there is a motel/restaurant (don't remember the name but there aren't all that many choices) that makes a killer Navajo taco.

At the South Rim GCNP, get a window table at the El Tovar dining room and have a drink of your choice as the sun goes down.  It's worth a thousand photographs.  Food is $$$ and adequate.

At Zion, skip Fanelli's (spelling?) studio.  He has some nice work but he is a piece of work.  I also find the shuttle bus system a necessary evil and all the reason I need to not go back.

Cedar Breaks is very nice, looks a lot like Bryce w/o crowds.  It faces west so different shooting conditions than Bryce.  Last time I was there, there was a beetle bloom and plenty of dead trees.  A Photoshop challenge to make them green.

The Nevada/southern Utah/northern Arizona area is mostly desert, so photo ops abound and aminities are few and far between.  Take your own if you can.

St. George is a pretty complete place.  Lots of nearly everything.  Even a camera store that had a tripod quick release plate to replace the one I left at home.  Saved my day at Antelope for $10.95 plus tax.[/font]
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