There is one disconcerting trend we have noticed during our brief journey through the American Southwest. It relates to the fact that some of the smaller, well-hidden natural wonders in the deep backcountry have been altered since our arrival…
We were visiting the incredible gallery of Michael Fatali in Springdale the other night and it come to be known that a number of natural monuments have been altered or completely destroyed by the possible actions of man:
The geysers in the famous Fatali shot Earth Moon Rising - Damaged by gun fire
The ‘Control Tower’ in Coyote Buttes - Damaged (cause unknown)
The second hoodoo of the famous trio in Utah - Destroyed (human involvement?)
The ‘Teapot’ immortalised in Fatali’s ‘Back of Beyond’ - Destroyed (cause unknown)
And so on.
Now, it maybe entirely plausible that the changes have not involved human involvement. In such a case, it would be churlish for a landscape photographer to denounce the eroding powers of Mother Nature. Marvelling at the delicate sculpting power at work in Antelope Canyon or at the Wave provides a clear demonstration that the entire visual landscape is in a constant state of change – no natural wonder resides idly in situ awaiting a photographer’s gaze.
However, the possibility of gun-shot marks, mountaineering damage and deliberate desecration is surely beyond the pale.
There are numerous ‘secret’ locations in the Southwest which wilderness fanatics and professional photographers keep fiercely to themselves. One can not begin to understand why they are kept secret until we all witness the downside which fame brings.
I have no burning view on the keeping locations hidden or not (but I do believe that with the advent of the internet, GPS etc., that no knowledge stays secret for very long these days). However, it is a slightly sad testament to mankind that places need to be kept secret in order to prevent others from destroying them.
For obvious reasons, we will now not be visiting many of these locations. The only way for future generations to see these incredibly delicate formations of yesteryear is through artistic or photographic media for they simply do not exist in tangible form anymore.
