The Earth Awakes

by Lucinda Walter

Title

The Earth Awakes

Artist

Lucinda Walter

Medium

Photograph - Photography, Digital Art, Fine Art, Textured Photography

Description

THE EARTH AWAKES - BY LUCINDA WALTER
http://lucinda-walter.artistwebsites.com/
First light as the sun rises on Mittens in Monument Valley, Arizona. Monument Valley Park is maintained by the Navajo Nation. I was staying at The View hotel to catch this early morning beauty. This was taken as the sun was above the horizon and a few minutes after "Mittens at Sunrise" and I was able to catch the sun rays on the right Mittens.
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All images are copyright ￿ Lucinda Walter. The materials contained may not be reproduced, copied, edited, published, transmitted or downloaded in any way, shape or form. All rights are reserved. Copying, altering, displaying or redistribution of any of these images without written permission from the Artist is strictly prohibited.
One of the grandest � and most photographed � landmarks in the United States, Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park is a sprawling, sandy preserve that spans the border between Arizona and Utah, bathing the region in rich red hues. Dominated by crimson mesas and surreal sandstone towers � some as tall as 1,000 feet � the area is also known for dramatic, mesmerizing lighting, with the sun illuminating the towers and casting long shadows on the valley floor.
Located inside the Navajo Nation � one of the largest Native American tribes in the United States � Monument Valley is around four hours northeast of Flagstaff, near the Four Corners area.
History & Nature
Now part of the Colorado Plateau, Monument Valley was once a simple flat basin. Over millions of years, layers of sediment piled onto the basin, which was eventually uplifted by pressure from below. Then, wind and water slowly eroded the plateau, leaving Cutler Red siltstone and its sand behind, forming the wonders of Monument Valley that we enjoy today.
As a representation of the Arizona Old West, Monument Valley has been a favorite shooting location for Hollywood filmmakers since the early days of the frontier genre � starting with Stagecoach, in which John Wayne rides horseback across the region. Today, Monument Valley is still a popular backdrop for films and postcards � as well as the ancestral home of the Navajo people, who still reside here today as part of the Navajo Nation, the largest Native American reservation in the United States.
Things to Do
Start your visit at the Visitor Center, located north of Kayenta, off of US 163. From here, take in the panoramic view of the world-famous Mitten Buttes and Merrick Butte. You�ll also find information on self-guided tours, a restaurant with native Navajo cuisine and a gift shop. Guided jeep tours led by Navajo tour operators are also available at the center � giving you the best view available of some of the most notable landmarks in Monument Valley.
On your way out, stop along the roadside � around one mile from the visitor center � for a glimpse into Navajo culture from the many Native vendors selling arts, crafts, Navajo food and souvenirs.
http://www.visitarizona.com/places-to-visit/arizona-parks-monuments/monument-valley-navajo-tribal-park
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Welcome to the Navajo Nation's Monument Valley Park. You are experiencing one of the most majestic - and most photographed - points on earth.
This great valley boasts sandstone masterpieces that tower at heights of 400 to 1,000 feet. framed by scenic clouds casting shadows that graciously roam the desert floor. The angle of the sun accents these graceful formations, providing scenery that is simply spellbinding.
The landscape overwhelms, not just by its beauty but also by its size. The fragile pinnacles of rock are surrounded by miles of mesas and buttes, shrubs, trees and windblown sand, all comprising the magnificent colors of the valley. All of this harmoniously combines to make Monument Valley a truly wondrous experience. Enjoy this beautiful land.
Navajo Name: Tse'Bii'Ndzisgaii
Elevation: 5,564' above sea level
Size: 91,696 acres
(extends into Arizona & Utah)
Download current Newsletter - Monument Valley
HISTORY
Before human existence, the Park was once a vast lowland basin. For hundreds of millions of years, materials that eroded from the early Rock Mountains deposited layer upon layer of sediments which cemented a slow and gentle uplift generated by ceaseless pressure from below the surface, elevating these horizontal strata quite uniformly one to three miles above sea level. What was once a basin became a plateau.
Natural forces of wind and water that eroded the land spent the last 50 million years cutting in to and peeling away at the surface of the plateau.
The simple wearing down of altering layers of soft and hard rock slowly revealed the natural wonders of Monument Valley today.
From the visitor center, you see the world-famous panorama of the Mitten buttes and Merrick Butte. You can also purchase guided tours from Navajo tour operators, who will take you down into the valley in jeeps for a narrated cruise through these mythical formations. Places such as Ear of the Wind and other landmarks can only be accessed via guided tours. During the summer months, the visitor center also features Haskenneini Restaurant, which specializes in both native Navajo and American cuisines, and film/snack/souvenir shop. There are year-round restroom facilities. One mile before the center, numerous Navajo vendors sell arts, crafts, native food and souvenirs at roadside stands.
http://www.navajonationparks.org/htm/monumentvalley.htm

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March 17th, 2015

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