Antelope Canyon
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Geology
Antelope Canyon (like other slot canyons) formed over the course of millions of years by erosion of the surrounding sandstone (in this case, the Navajo Sandstone), primarily due to flash flooding and secondarily due to wind erosion. Rainwater (especially during monsoon season) runs into the wash that Antelope Canyon is part of, picking up speed and sand as it rushes through the narrow passageways. Over time the passageways are eroded away, making the corridors wider and smoothing hard edges in such a way as to form the characteristic 'flowing' shapes in the rock.Tourism/Photography
Antelope Canyon is a popular location for photographers and sightseers, and a source of tourism business for the Navajo Nation. Photography within the canyons is difficult due to the wide luminosity range (often 10 EV or more) made by light reflecting off the canyon walls. This is a draw for photographers who want to hone their skills in a challenging environment, but a bane to casual snapshooters lacking the knowledge (and to a lesser extent, the equipment) necessary to obtain pleasing results.
Upper Antelope Canyon
Upper Antelope Canyon, called Tse bighanilini, "the place where water runs through rocks" by the Navajo, is located at . It is the most frequently visited by tourists, due to two considerations. First, its entrance and entire length are at ground level, requiring no climbing. Second, beams (shafts of direct sunlight radiating down from openings in the top of the canyon) are much more common in Upper than in Lower. Beams occur most often in the summer months, as they require the sun to be high in the sky.
Lower Antelope Canyon
Lower Antelope Canyon, called Hasdeztwazi, or "spiral rock arches" by the Navajo, is visited much less frequently. Prior to the installation of metal stairways, visiting the canyon required climbing with ropes and ladders in certain areas. Even following the installation of stairways, it is a more difficult hike than Upper Antelope -- it is longer, narrower in spots, and even footing is not available in all areas. At the end the climb out requires several long flights of stairs.Despite these limitations, Lower Antelope Canyon draws a considerable number of photographers, though casual sightseers are much less common there than in Upper.
Flash flood danger
Antelope Canyon is visited almost exclusively through guided tours, in part because unexpected rains during monsoon season can quickly flood the canyon. Rain does not have to fall on or near Antelope Canyon for flash floods to whip through, as rain falling dozens of miles away 'upstream' of the canyons can funnel into them with little prior notice. On 12 August 1997, eleven tourists in Lower Antelope Canyon were killed by a flash flood. Very little rain fell at the site that day.See also
References
External links
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