Red Rocks and Animal Spirits (Page, AZ)

“If you look closely you can see the bear’s mouth” pointed our young guide. I squinted and did my best to make out the shape in the red rock.  You see, we were taking a tour of Antelope Canyon in Page, AZ and according to the local indians, the rocks are alive with animals.

Although the shape didn’t exactly jump out this concept was not new to me. In fact, it reminded me of an incident several years back…well, let’s just say many several years back, in the budding youth of my college years. A few friends and I had taken a primitive backpacking trip in Nevada and we had fortified our sustenance with beer and, shall we say, unusual fungi. After the evening meal, much of which involved the two aforementioned items, I hiked solo up onto the mountain face and sat down to absorb my surroundings. In the midst of mountains and nature, I was suddenly barraged by animals seeming to come out of the rock-face. So, I connected, if you will, to the mountain spirits.

Despite the lack of enhancing supplies in my current situation, I could easily see how the spirit of animals would abound in a place like this too. There is, indeed, something awe-inspiring and spiritual about red rock. The massive faces loom majestically in the landscape and reflect the forces of millions of years of history that have gorged their mark into the landscape causing both deep chasms and delicate patterns on their faces. They stand unmoving and strong, yet ever-changing in the light from fiery red in the early morning to shades of ochre by noon and purple hues in the evening.

So far, first impressions of this area are breath-taking. I’ll let you know if I see more animals…

Paul soaks in the view at Horshoe Bend. The Colorado River runs off into the background.

The awesome and crazy Horshoe Bend

Red sand and lots of space

Stunning Antelope Canyon

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