Traditional house, Main Loop Trail

Ladder up to cave home

I didn't wake early enough to be in any particularly interesting location when the sun rose, and my uninformed scouting from the night before proved pointless; a weak sunset spot wasn't automatically a great sunrise spot. I was beginning to think I needed more discipline for my self-run photography workshop. Either that, or try again in winter when I could sleep two extra hours and still see the dawn.

The previous afternoon's storm did not create vivid skies; when I got to Bandelier everything was grey and I knew I wouldn't be getting special afternoon colors. ArnyZona had told me he liked his morning photos the best but Photographing the Southwest listed Bandelier as an afternoon location; it seemed I wasn't going to have much chance to test that theory. I enjoyed seeing the various ruins of the Main Trail, the kiva, the cave homes with ladder entrances, and loved having the place almost all to myself at this hour; but my delight in the place did not translate into good photos.

Volcanic tuff

The Upper Falls, Falls Trail

Morning in Bandelier was incredibly serene. I was the only person on the trail at 7:30 and was able to go slow, leisurely take photos in the soft light, and simply breathe deep the crisp air...except when I walked repeatedly into spider webs and got all girly. The only downside to arriving before the visitors' center opened was that I didn't have the self-guided map explaining the various numbered spots. Volcanic tuff I was an expert at picking out, of course, and still preferred thinking of it as tufa as it's called in Cappadocia.

The Upper Falls, reached after an hour or so, was quite lovely but much further from the trail than I expected. Since the flow was fairly weak, I surmised the additional hike to the Lower Falls might not be that worthwhile apart from...you know, exercise. I headed back, finally passing a few other hikers on the trail.

I gave the Main Trail another try. I had been unsure of the quality of my color shots from the previous afternoon, so I decided to give morning another try with black-and-whites, plus more digital infrareds. It was way crowded at the point...around 10AM. The Main Trail offered none of the tranquility of the Falls Trail but still had lovely views; it was popular for good reason.

It was getting incredibly hot but I couldn't leave without climbing up to the Alcove House AKA Ceremonial Cave. Every bit of documentation on Bandelier mentioned how this cave involved climbing 140 or 150 feet of ladders off the canyon floor, and should not be attempted by those afraid of heights or in poor health. I have a weird fear of heights that only manifests when I truly believe I could fall. Thus, I'm afraid of stairs but not cliff edges or roller coasters. The ladders up to the cave were sturdily bolted to the rock and tilted at enough of an angle than I never felt I was climbing straight up. Basically, it was no big deal.

Digital infrared shot from Bandelier

The cave featured the only kiva open to visitors. It was very dark inside, so there wasn't much to see, but I let myself imagine the varied ceremonies taking place in the cool chamber. The climb was well worth it for the views over the canyon and a chance to get away from the crowds; but the climb itself was mobbed with people and many passageways were so narrow only one person could cross at a time.

At $12 per car, Bandelier can be pricey for a single person to visit over a weekend; but with a car full of people and a week to spare, it's a bargain. The hiking is varied and beautiful, and the park unique in its cultural features. I wished I could test out my theory about Bandelier's oddly unphotogenic light with more shots in the afternoon, but I needed to move on.

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