Skeleton Canyon Panorama, Making the Big Picture

On each hike with the Portal Rodeo Hiking Club, time is spent gathering photographs for a large format panorama as part of the documentation process.  The idea is to create a "big picture" view from an overlook or other scenic vista somewhere along the hike that can be translated to a reader.  In the 1500 square miles of the bootheel the views and vistas are immense and it is not difficult to find vistas where a person can easily see over 50 miles.  Coupled with the fact that humans have an approximately 180 degree field of view capturing an image that adequately presents this information can be quite a task.  Fortunately, Microsoft has a tool that helps create such an image.  Photosynth, allows the creation of large multi-image panoramas or Photosynths that translate what was seen on the hike into a format that can be enjoyed by others.




Here is another example of an aerial photosynth of Paramore Crater in southeastern Arizona created from a light sport weight shift control aircraft.

One more Photograph from Skeleton Canyon

Finished this photograph from the Portal Rodeo Hiking Club's trip up Skeleton Canyon in the Peloncillo Mountains and the reviewers comments have been positive.  It is a desaturated and tiltshift modified image of eroding white volcanic ash beds along the bottom of skeleton canyon.  The pockets would appear to be areas where softer material has eroded out or alternatively held rock inclusions that have fallen out of the ash bed leaving the pockets.  It is curious that the pockets are arranged in a linear fashion (2 rows of pockets one above the other) but but angled up.  This would suggest the whole ash bed has been tilted up from it's original position and subsequent erosion reveled the pockets.

Eroding Rock Spire

Skeleton Canyon in the Peloncillo Mountains, December 16, 2010

Skeleton Canyon has a rich history with stories ranging from massacres and treasure to the site of Geronimo's final surrender to the United States government.  It is a natural corridor between the Animas and the San Bernardino Valleys and has been used over time to move cattle and other goods.  Twenty two members of the  Portal Rodeo Hiking Club visited the canyon and hiked in along the dirt road for 5 miles.  Starting in Arizona at the western mouth of the canyon the hikers crossed the state line into New Mexico somewhere in the canyon. Half of the group opted for lunch on the road and half continued on, eventually stopping for lunch on a ridge on the north side of the canyon.  It was easy going along the bottom of the canyon with spectacular views of outcrops and wildlife along the route.  And of course no report on Skeleton Canyon would be complete without a photograph of Devil's Kitchen near the mouth of the canyon.  The map of the hike in Skeleton Canyon is in the sidebar.

Google Earth screen shot of Skeleton Canyon Hike

Portal Rodeo Hiking Club at Devil's kitchen

Friendly Javelina at the start of the hike.

Shelter Cave along Skeleton Canyon