After spending 3 months in Florida including Christmas week with our entire family and a long weekend with my highschool friends and their spouses we headed back to Pasadena. I’m getting prepared to have my left knee replaced after success with having the right knee done last August. Hiking and walking to build up some strength drove me to walk the Arroyo and revisit some sites which make me remember why Pasadena is such a lovely city.
This was my second trip to Upper Antelope Canyon where our hike started at 10:30 am as opposed to the last time when it was at noon. The slot canyons were as beautiful as I remembered. I found this a better time for photography because of a softer light vs. direct overhead light at noon. Note that the featured image is that of a heart — didn’t see that last time. Check out my website for the differences between each shoot (new photos should be posted later in the week).








On the 31st we drove through the East Side tunnel to leave Zion (interesting – a little less than a mile long but it has 5 cutouts in the tunnel walls where you can get views of the canyon) and stopped at the Canyon Overlook Trail for a hike over the canyon wall for a view back at Lower Zion Canyon and Pine Creek Canyon. Then off to the north rim stopping along the way at Checkerboard Mess to view the wind and water erosion along a bee hive mountain. Arrived at the north rim at noon and hiked the Bridal Path Trail and the trail to Bright Angel Point. We had dinner plans at the Grand Canyon lodge but we had time to see several viewpoints — Point Imperial, Vista Encantada and Roosevelt Point. Dinner was excellent in a dinning room with great canyon views.
Canyon Overlook / Checkerboard Mesa
Point Imperial, Vista Encantada
Arrived in Las Vegas after a flight from Raliegh on May 29th – our trip was with our grand-daughter Haley as an 8th grade graduation present – then drove to Zion for a late afternoon shuttle trip for an overview of the park. On the 30th we took several hikes including the Watchman trail, Grotto Trail, Emerald Pools trail, The Narrows, Court of the Patriarchs and on the 31st the Canyon Overlook trial as we moved on to the Grand Canyon.
On May 3rd we spent our day in Monteverde – in the morning taking a hanging bridge tour through a Cloud Forest – viewing humming bird, three levels of the cloud forest, many species of birds and fauna and flowers.
For additional photos please visit – www.peterskucmaphotography.com/International-Travel/Costa-Rica/Monteverde/