In addition to its immense, subtle beauty, another overriding theme of the Paria River is mud. The river bed has a high clay content, and if you’ve ever been in clay soil when its even a little wet, you know it can be a disaster–its slick, sticky, and vehicles can get stuck in it in a moment.
In the spring, runoff from high elevation prevents some mud (by way of keeping from drying enough to reach that sticky, goopy, phase), but its always a factor. What I like about clay is that it always forms beautiful patterns as it begins drying out. This little patch was reflecting the red rock cliffs on the opposite side of the river early in the day.
Mud & Reflections, March 2011
I also ended up finding a few areas of quicksand, involuntarily, on my hike in the Paria. I felt the area with my hiking pole, and feeling solid, I stepped, only to be swallowed up to my thigh almost instantly. Fortunately, it was easy to pull myself out. People who haven’t dealt with it have a misconception about quicksand. It can’t really suck you into oblivion like childhood cartoons and TV shows lead you to believe. But, as Ed Abbey writes,
Ordinarily it is possible for a man to walk across quicksand, if he keeps moving. But if he stops, funny things begin to happen. The surface of the quicksand, which may look as firm as the wet sand on an ocean beach, begins to liquefy beneath his feet. He finds himself sinking slowly into a jelly-like substance, soft and quivering, which clasps itself around his ankles with the suction power of any vicsous fluid. Pulling out one foot, the other foot necessarily goes down deeper, and if a man waits too long, or cannot reach something solid beyond the quicksand, he may soon find himself trapped. … Unless a man is extremely talented, he cannot work himself [into the quicksand] more than waist-deep. The quicksand will not pull him down. But it will not let him go either. Therefore the conclusion is that while quicksand cannot drown its captive, it could possibly starve him to death. Whatever finally happens, the immediate effects are always interesting.
Finally, the most beautiful effects, in my opinion, happen when the mud begins drying. Because clay expands so much when wet, it cracks in beautiful, wonderfully stochastic patterns. You can find little pockets of dried mud all along the bases of the sandstone walls.
Sandstone and Mud, March 2011
Mud is a major component of the landscape in the Paria, as well as throughout any ephemeral drainage in the southwest. While it can be viewed as a nonphotogenic nuisance, sometimes, its helpful to look at it in a new light.
Awesome! I love mud when it gets all cracked looking like in the 2nd shot. I bet it looked even cooler in person next to all that sandstone.
More great images from your Paria trip Greg! I’ve never experienced quicksand before, but that must have caused some nervous moments in that remote spot.
Nice conclusion to this interesting series Greg. Both images are a real treat (the first gives the mud such a surreal look), but I especially like the second because of the way you divided the frame between textures. Looks really fine in B&W and the combination of cracked and solid is a different take on dried mud than I’ve seen before.
Fantastic series. I really feel you have captured a wonderful essence of this place in your images, and your words are adding a further layer.
A lovely series… well done
Nice work Greg.
Wow, you left the best for last!
That last image is absolutely stunning. Great work Greg.
Love both of them Greg, but that B/W is superb…
Great series and I love that “Mud & Reflections” image!
Two gorgeous shots, Greg. I enjoyed the write-up. I’ve never gotten into quicksand either. In the movies, it always looks soupy and not like sand – did you take any shots of it?
Sharon
Thanks everyone for the comments! I’m happy to see this sort of “trip report” has been well received–I may have to do more of these in the future.
Sharon, I didn’t take any photos of the quicksand, because it was mostly all underneath a few inches of very muddy water.
Great series, and I love the detail in these shots–the light and color reflected in the mud patterns is very pretty. I’ve really enjoyed this trip report!
Thanks, Robin! I appreciate you stopping by and commenting as I know you’re really becoming enamored with the area as well.
Love Mud & Reflections. This one just really draws you in.
When I was nine years old, living in Florida, some friends and I were out in the “jungle” that surrounded our community. I had the misfortune of ending up in some quicksand. Of course being surrounded by a pack of idiot nine year old boys in a panic didn’t help. All of us were sure I was going to die, why because we had all seen the same movies where you die when step in quicksand. Fortunately a hunter heard the commotion and upon investigating found one terrified boy surrounded by a pack of yowling, howling nincompoops. He pulled me to safety and went on his way. I still remember to this day the terror of that event.
Best Regards,
Greg…..
That’s quite a story, Greg. I’m glad to hear your worst nightmare didn’t come true, and I hope you were able to exact any necessary revenge on your friends–mine would have deserved some retribution, I’m sure!