Spider Rock, Canyon de Chelly

Spider Rock, Canyon de Chelly

Note: Not sure what happened but somehow this image disappeared from SP. While this is the same image, it is not the exact, same edit. I would have left the original had it not disappeared. Spider Rock in Canyon de Chelly (pronounced "shay"), AZ. 800 feet high. Unlikely you can secure permission to climb this rock because it's jointly run by the National Park Service and the Navajo Nation, which still has residents on the canyon floor. Indian legend has it that Spider Woman lives on top of this rock, and that she takes children up to the top who are bad. There, she devours them, leaving their bleached bones to turn the top of Spider Rock white. Imaged in June 2003.

Mark Doiron
on Mar 19, 2006 5:58 pm
Image Type(s): Scenery
Image ID: 182029

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Mark Doiron

Mark Doiron - Apr 30, 2006 11:42 am - Hasn't voted

Watched Movie Last Night

I watched The Eiger Sanction last night. It's the Totem Pole at Monument Valley. The production notes say Clint Eastwood climbed it and George Kennedy was helicoptered to the top for filming. Other trail running scenes are shot at Zion--I recognized Virgin River Trail. Canyon de Chelly and Spiderrock are not mentioned (and I didn't recognize anything that resembled that unique terrain). The DVD production notes go on to say that at the end of filming all pitons, etc that had been placed on Totem Pole by all climbers in the past were removed and that it hasn't been climbed since (or at least as of the making of the production notes).

mountaingazelle

mountaingazelle - Mar 26, 2009 11:58 pm - Voted 10/10

Re: Watched Movie Last Night

You are right. I had confused the Totem Pole with Spider Rock. Both of them are restricted to climbing. I was watching the SCI-FI channel the other night and saw that Spider Rock was featured at the beginning of the movie Poltergeist II. Your photo makes me want to visit Canyon de Chelly.

lisae

lisae - Jun 9, 2006 10:20 pm - Voted 10/10

Ropes on Spider Rock

I spent some time camping in Canyon de Chelley in October 05. We hiked to the base of Spider Rock and I noticed some hanging ropes, about at the level of the notch. The guide we were with said the rangers caught some people trying to climb the tower; they made the climbers come down. (note: the only trail you can travel on in the canyon with out a guide is the White House Trail; otherwise you are with a Navaho guide)

Mark, your photo is beautiful.

Mark Doiron

Mark Doiron - Jun 10, 2006 11:51 am - Hasn't voted

Re: Ropes on Spider Rock

Thanks, Lisae! Yes, we hiked the White House Trail. Got some beautiful images down there, though I don't think I have any posted on SP (none have seemed appropriate for this site).

mark d.

seth@LOKI

seth@LOKI - Aug 1, 2006 9:49 pm - Hasn't voted

backatcha!

you da man behind the lense!
Thanks!

Mark Doiron

Mark Doiron - Aug 8, 2006 11:32 pm - Hasn't voted

Re: backatcha!

Thanks, Seth! Curtis (my son) and I just returned from Colorado, so I hope to add a few more images. Great trip, and tons cooler than here in Midwest City, OK. Can't believe that just yesterday afternoon I was shivering on top of Mt. Evans, and now I'm broiling in my A/C'd home!

mark d.

seth@LOKI

seth@LOKI - Aug 9, 2006 12:21 am - Hasn't voted

looking forward to seeing you pics!

I wish I took more advantage of the amazing era or travel WE have been fortunate to live in. King Soloman would give his whole kingdom to ride at 80mph in a car.

Mark Doiron

Mark Doiron - Aug 9, 2006 12:39 pm - Hasn't voted

Re: looking forward to seeing you pics!

Oh, don't tell my son that (80 mph)! He just got his driver's license so I let him drive most of the trip, including the route to Summit Lake on Mt. Evans (with me white-knuckled the entire time!). I was **very** strict about the speed limit, or slower in the incessant rain (something we could use here in OK!).

mark d.

Lodewijk

Lodewijk - Sep 15, 2006 5:46 pm - Voted 10/10

Great

Great Pic! I've been in Canyon de Chely exactly one year ago, amazing place, Bye Lodewijk

Mark Doiron

Mark Doiron - Sep 15, 2006 6:55 pm - Hasn't voted

Re: Great

Thanks, Lodewijk! It is an amazing place. --mark d.

tarol

tarol - Mar 19, 2007 10:12 pm - Voted 10/10

I used this photo...

...for the Canyon de Chelly page, hope you don't mind! It's fantastic :)

Mark Doiron

Mark Doiron - Mar 19, 2007 10:24 pm - Hasn't voted

Re: I used this photo...

Of course not; I'm honored! Now I'll have to dig out that Canyon de Chelly album and scan a few more pic's--I have several images of the White House Trail. --mark d.

stepho

stepho - Jan 11, 2008 7:08 pm - Voted 10/10

Museum

Looks like a picture of spider rock in the New Mexico Indian museum in Santa Fe. The one there takes up an entire wall!

Mark Doiron

Mark Doiron - Jan 12, 2008 4:07 am - Hasn't voted

Re: Museum

Thanks for looking and commenting, Stepho. I'll have to look that picture up next time I'm out that way! --mark d.

yatsek

yatsek - Oct 29, 2008 8:51 am - Voted 10/10

Like a movie

I remember first seeing it in a western

Mark Doiron

Mark Doiron - Oct 29, 2008 9:28 am - Hasn't voted

Re: Like a movie

Yes, this is a rock you won't soon forget, huh? Thanks for looking and commenting! --mark d.

Pack Addict

Pack Addict - Jan 14, 2009 10:56 pm - Voted 10/10

Wicked Good!

Great shot

Mark Doiron

Mark Doiron - Jan 15, 2009 8:04 am - Hasn't voted

Re: Wicked Good!

Thanks, Patrick. I actually shot this on the (at that time) newly released Kodak high definition film. I was very pleased with results, primarily because of this photo, but it was soon after that I transitioned to digital. --mark d.

Mark Doiron

Mark Doiron - Sep 22, 2009 8:47 am - Hasn't voted

Re: That is a neat place

Yes, retired USAF. And thanks for looking at my pictures--Canyon de Chelly and all of the Indian lands in the southwest are really neat places. I'm glad there is too much to explore because I know there will always be something else to go see (and so much to go see again!). --mark d.

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