My previous post, “Dry Juniper Descent” had me above the ridge of the featured photograph.
I interrupted my descent to Reavis Falls to stop on a ridge overlooking Reavis Creek, the same ridge that forms the western wall of the canyon. By this time it was late afternoon on a March Day with the angle of the sun being perfect for capturing rock formations. Notice the effect of the light on the distant mountains.
This is the North / Northeast view of the opposite ridge above a flow from multiple springs on Lime Mountain.
This photograph was created from multiple images using tripod-mounted Kodak DCS ProSlr/c with a 50mm, 1.4 Canon lens.
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Hoodoos
The ridge and slopes are covered with a rock formation named Hoodoos for the fantastic shapes taken on by layers of stone weathered over eons by water, wind, sun and cold. These hoodoos are enormous, some precisely balanced and carved into elaborate shapes. The word “Hoodoo” derives from the name of the practice of sorcery or folk magic. You can image the effect on ancient people of coming upon these formations and believing them created by malevolent beings (djinns, goblins, demons) in their leisure time, when not causing problems, and worse, for humans. These beings are especially active in desert places, such as this, which has the comforting name of Cedar Basin.
The hoodoos cast a spell on me. I had never heard of Cedar Basin, but knew, as the sun was low in the west, I needed to unload my 70 pound pack, set up the tripod and camera to spend over an hour of precious time to capture the images of this blog.
Ancient Village
Cedar Basin forms on one side from the ridge of this photograph. On the other side of the ridge, the mountain slope levels out to a site settled by ancient people we call Sin Agua. There is nothing but a few stones left of their village and way of life.
Cedar Basin
Looking to the left of the Hoodoo Panorama photograph and into Cedar Basin, you see more of that same rock type that formed the hoodoos to the right on this same ridge. This is also the lower slopes of Lime Mountain, as you can see from the color of the upper ridge.
This and the following photographs were created using a tripod-mounted Kodak DCS ProSlr/c with a 200mm, 1.4 Canon L type lens.
Another side of the basin is formed by the ridge I am on. This side is across from the canyon of Reavis Creek and Falls. The trail leads down switchbacks from the Dry Juniper of my previous post to a dry draw. You can see the way I came in the following two photographs. I captured Castle Dome, then panned to the right for the rest of the ridge. You can see the trail to Reavis Ranch carved into the slopes of Castle Dome.
I then panned one more time to the right to capture the ridge above Cedar Basin and the start of the hoodoos. It was an army spread across the entire ridge!!
My next posting will feature close-up of the most interesting hoodoos from the panorama, using a 200 mm telephoto lens.
Michael Stephen Wills Photography 
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