Sig Nordal

Occasionally I plan trips solely around getting a certain shot or visiting a particular location. Without finding enough people interested to head up to the Canadian Rockies I fell back on a years old plan to Escalante. Escalante has always been a spot I wanted to visit but timing never quite came together for such a trip. Although my primary focus for Escalante was Zebra slot, this shot became increasingly the feature piece and the photo I really wanted to capture.

Located in Coyote Gulch, this cascading waterfall is arguably one of the most photogenic in the southwest. After visiting Coyote Gulch, I understand why many consider it the premiere hike of the southwest. In stark contrast to the surrounding desert, Coyote Gulch is a deep canyon filled with lush vegetation and towering sandstone walls that create breathtaking amphitheaters.

Initially I was anxious to find out the conditions in the canyon hoping the fall colors were not past peek or even worse completely gone. Luckily my fears were allayed after slogging through the desert and arriving at the rim of the canyon. Below, I saw the lush vegetation full of fall colors.

Everything seemed to all come together as Aaron and I arrived at the waterfall. The back wall was glowing, the water flow was excellent and the cottonwoods were a beautiful golden yellow (though a bit past peak). All in all, this is pretty close to a southwest paradise.

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