March 24, 2007 - Thor's Hammer, Bryce NP

Canon 5D, 24 - 105 mm f/4L IS @ 65 mm, f/8.0, 1/320 sec., ISO 200

Thor's Hammer may be the most widely recognized rock formation in Bryce NP (Utah). This image was taken late in the afternoon from the Navajo Loop Trail. Hiking to the bottom of Bryce Canyon can be difficult (well, going down is pretty easy - it's the return trip that can wear you down). The altitude there is about 8,000 feet, so walking up a single flight of stairs can be tough. Walking back up from the bottom of the canyon is roughly equivalent to walking up the stairs of a 52 story building. But it's a world like nothing you've ever seen before.