Within the Lens: Tortilla Flat/Canyon Lake, AZ

Imagine for a moment the vibrant rusty hues of the renowned red rock of Sedona, grasping toward unblemished blue skies. Now picture this: no tourists.

Welcome to Tortilla Flat, Arizona. Population: 6.

Follow US-60 or Loop 202 due east to connect with AZ-88, approximately an hour out of Phoenix, to arrive at this desert oasis cradled in the stunning Superstition Mountains. The area boasts Canyon Lake, a water playground maintained as part of Tonto National Forest, surrounded by spectacular red and green rock rising on all sides. Keep your wits about you and be prepared for narrow mountain roads with frequent switchbacks. While not posted, you might consider turning off the AC to avoid stressing your vehicle's engine during peak summer temperatures.

Canyon Lake is nestled into the vibrant red and green tinted rock of the Superstition Mountains.

Canyon Lake is a man-made reservoir with available boat docking and ramp, as well as basic picnic spots, although a day permit is required for use of these areas. Just 3 miles down the road from the lake, you will arrive at the unassuming tourist trap that is the town of Tortilla Flat. The town boasts a snack shop (try the honey pops), gift shop, bar/restaurant, and miner mascot info kiosk which will tell you all of this and more for a modest $1.00 fee. The town, while quaint, is not the real draw. For the avid nature lover and photographer, the views are bar none.

Canyon Lake Vista is the first stop among many hosting stunning views of  the reservoir itself and surrounding desert range.

I drove out past the town area toward open desert, climbing ever higher, and found myself stopping frequently in admittedly sketchy turnoffs (some barely more than a scuff in the dirt right off the main road) to pull out the camera. Past mile marker 216 the canyons begin to plateau and open up to breathtaking panoramic scenery.

While the lake and town areas are fairly trafficked with people spending the day playing in the water, the areas further out were secluded, quiet and beautiful. I spent some time examining the local flora, and scarcely heard anything but the rumble of the wind, wailing of cicada and the crunch of gravel underfoot. The experience was invigorating.

Prickly pear cactus are abundant in the area around Canyon Lake, and most were laden with new fruit.

Unfortunately, as is often the case in beautiful places, not everyone is mindful of keeping it that way. I was dismayed to find the occasional litter left by those before me, particularly after passing a sign just down the road asking visitors to adhere to the "pack it in/pack it out" rule. While I strongly encourage safe visitation and exploration of this spectacular location, I also ask my fellow trekkers to do your part to keep it just as spectacular for those who will come after you.

Please help keep these natural areas beautiful: if you pack it in, pack it out.

My last stop was to grab a shot of an elusive lone mesa that I had failed to capture on the way in, just outside the small town of Goldfield. The quiet majesty of these monoliths is a vision not to be missed, and a refreshing change from the hustle and bustle of the central Valley's development.

While admittedly a last-minute decision, I was (and still am) thrilled by the outcome of this day trip to the Tortilla Flat/Tonto National Forest area. I'm looking forward to another outing to this locale, perhaps in the spring in time to catch the prickly pear cactus in full bloom and sunrise/sunset over the Superstition Mountains. If you decide to take a drive to this area, bring plenty of water, sunblock (my tan lines had tan lines) and don't forget your camera. Whether you're a veteran landscape photographer or an enthusiast looking to experiment with this genre as I was, you won't be disappointed. Get out there and happy shooting!

Discover: Ikebana at Japanese Friendship Garden in Phoenix

Ikebana: the Japanese art of flower arrangement. As of this weekend, visitors to the Japanese Friendship Garden in Phoenix will have the opportunity to enjoy this unique art form while strolling through the peaceful garden scene. I was lucky enough to witness some of the finishing setup for the exhibit during my very first visit to the garden.

There is a nominal $5.00 admission fee to visit the garden (this price was the same with the exhibit running), and there are discounts available for students, military and seniors.

The Ikebana exhibit runs through this Sunday, January 31st, with visiting hours of 10:00am to 4:00pm. The garden surrounds a beautiful koi pond, and guests can feed the koi with food purchased at the gift shop.

Tours, music and information booths will round out the exhibit for this weekend, be sure to stop by and take a look!

Ikebana exhibit by Retta Marconi-Dooley.

Ikebana exhibit by Sandy Ehler.

Ikebana exhibit by Carol Gould.

Ikebana exhibit by Susan Allen.

Within the Lens: Christopher Creek, AZ

Fact: 102 degrees is deemed "not that hot" in Phoenix suburbs during the peak of summer. (We hit 117 in central Phoenix recently. New record!) Phonecians like to talk about how it's a dry heat, but let's be honest; anything over 100 degrees period is uncomfortable after about five minutes. In light of this, I packed up and headed north with family to cooler climes in the Payson area for the week.

Our creek-side cabin in the beautifully green (and shady) woods.

We stayed in a cabin perched right above the fervent babbling of Christopher Creek, about 20 minutes east of Payson. The average daytime temperature in the sun still ranged from 85-90 with humidity, but in the abundant shade we enjoyed an apparent temperature of 75 or so.

Nature has always inspired me artistically, and I had the camera ready and waiting to capture the beauty. I'm currently rocking a Nikon Coolpix E8800 that I bought on ebay for about $150.

Aside from capturing some great images in and around the creek, I also managed to twist my knee and put myself out of commission for the next two days.

Toward the end of the week, we made a quick excursion to Woods Canyon Lake, about 10 minutes east of Christopher Creek atop the Mogollon Rim. The view just before descending to the lake was breathtaking.

On our final day, we headed north of Payson to visit the Tonto Natural Bridge State Park. There was a nominal admission fee of $5 per person, and the Ana Mae trail was a quick 10 minute jaunt down to the creek bed and backside of the cavern below the bridge. The natural bridge is made up of travertine created by deposits of plant and other natural materials over thousands of years.

The hollow under the bridge was astounding, and allowed for some excellent experimentation with lighting and shadow.

The outer edge of the cavern framed the bright open sky perfectly.

Overall the trip to the Payson area was fantastic and gave me an opportunity to rekindle my artistic passions. I'm already looking forward to my next photo excursion, and I really hope I was able to capture some of the existing natural beauty within the lens.




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