Handheld Night Scene | R. Doug Wicker

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July 5, 2013 · 5:35 am

Return to Carlsbad Caverns — Part 3

Bashful Elephant

Up until 1996 visitors had unfettered access to all the main cavern rooms. This changed because of vandalism, and since that time access to the four “Scenic Rooms” is strictly controlled. Tours to these four rooms are limited in numbers, escorted, and require reservations. By all means make sure that you reserve a spot on one of these tours or you’ll miss some of the most spectacular formations in Carlsbad.

Scenic Rooms Tour

Give yourself at least one full hour to stroll from the cavern entrance to the meeting point in the Big Room. We made it in from the Visitors Center in just over forty minutes, but I wouldn’t want to try that again. The trails are steep and at times slippery, and weekend crowds will block your way if you’re rushed for time.

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The four scenic rooms on this special tour are: The King’s Palace, The Papoose Room, The Queen’s Chamber, and The Green Lake Room.

Scenic Rooms Tour

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Rock of Ages Closeup

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Scenic Rooms Tour

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Scenic Rooms Tour

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Scenic Rooms Tour

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Scenic Rooms Tour

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Scenic Rooms Tour

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Still My Favorite Formation for Some Reason

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Tagged as Canon G1 X, Carlsbad Caverns, Handheld Night Scene, R. Doug Wicker, travel

July 3, 2013 · 5:35 am

Return to Carlsbad Caverns — Part 2

Rock of Ages

As you’ll recall from Monday, we are this week taking a second look at Carlsbad Caverns. This time, however, we’re relying upon advances in digital photography to produce handheld images that were all but impossible just two years ago. Whereas my July 2011 photoblog on Carlsbad relied upon techniques for taking long exposures without a tripod, on this trip I instead relied upon the Handheld Night Scene mode built into the Canon G1 X.

Top of the Big Room — 255 feet (78 meters)

Most of today’s pictures are of the Big Room — the largest portion of the caverns. The hallmarks of the Big Room are the immense columns reaching high above the cavern trails and the “Top of the Cross,” the point on the ceiling of the cavern that is the highest above the Big Room floor. “Top of the Cross” is an intimidating 255 feet (78 meters) above, and one shudders when looking at photographs of the spelunkers who hung suspended beneath it during an expedition back in the 1970s.