Thor's Hammer
Bryce Canyon, UT
SUNRISE AT THOR'S HAMMER
A BRIEF SUMMARY OF SUNRISE AT THOR'S HAMMER
Witnessing a sunrise at Thor's Hammer at Bryce Canyon during the winter months is one of the most amazing moments found anywhere in the American Southwest.
As the sun first crests the horizon, this seemingly out-of-place hoodoo glows with an almost unnatural saturation of colors that mesmerizes visitors and photographers alike. Everyone seems to stop what they are doing and is captivated by the scene.
Bryce Canyon sits atop the Grand Staircase in southern Utah and provides endless views and photographic opportunities. Thor's Hammer, found just below Sunset Point, is the most recognized and photographed formation in one of America's most unique national parks.
Images and location summary by Tim Wier
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DATA POINTS INCLUDED WITH SUNRISE AT THOR'S HAMMER SUMMARY
I would rate the difficulty of this trail as a 1 or 2 on a scale of 1-5 (with 5 being the most difficult). The walk to this location is a simple 400 yd walk from the parking lot.
If you visit Bryce Canyon with snow on the ground, the trail to Sunset Point can be a bit dicey. And the walk down to Thor's Hammer with ice on the trail can be a challenge - so slow/careful trekking is important.
Photographing Thor's Hammer can be challenging because of the extreme dynamic range, the placement of the Hammer, the amount of hoodoo you want to include, and the angle of the sun rising (time of year). I have seen many different compositions of Thor's Hammer and don't know that I can decide which is best.
Photographing in the Winter - the image above was taken on Feb 7th
As mentioned at Sunrise, the dynamic range is so extreme you will most likely need to composite several images to capture the complete scene. Once the glow first hits the hoodoos, it takes about 3-5 minutes to completely illuminate the full canyon - so different parts of the scene glow at different times.
The image below was a composite of 4 images: 1 for the sky and the other 3 to capture the red glow at different stages of the Sunrise. The sky was taken about 8 min before Sunrise, and the other three images were taken …
Depending on your composition, you will want to bring a wide-angle to standard lens.
The image above was taken with a 40mm equivalent lens.
7,870 Ft. Elevation
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KMZ Trail File
Directions
Best Time of Day to Shoot
Best Time of Year to Shoot
Equipment Needed
Permits Required
Direction of Shot
Google Maps Birds-Eye-View
Number of Photographers to Expect
Cell Service
Overnight Lodging/Camping
Nearby Restaurants
Area Guides and Workshops
Other Resources
LOCATION SUMMARIES WRITTEN BY PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHERS
