Wandering north about 0.5 miles from the Dead Horse Point Overlook we encountered a most excellent view of the La Sal Mountains with Shafer Basin in the foreground.  Lying at the bottom of the basin are the Potash Solar Evaporation Ponds.  Potash; which is potassium carbonate, was originally mined in the basin using conventional underground methods.  After 1970 salt extraction was converted to solution mining.  Colorado river water is pumped into the mines and the resulting saline solution is directed into the evaporation ponds, which possess an unworldly deep blue color.  An excellent article on the geology of of Dead Horse Point and vicinity has been written by Deolling and Chidsey of the Utah Geological Survey.

The image was recorded at about 7:30 am on February 15th using the Nikon 700 and the AF-S NIKKOR 24-70mm f/2.8G ED lens at 24mm.  The exposure was f/18 at 1/125s, ISO 200.

In addition, panning just slightly north we have a shot of the HP practicing her arts on the rim trail.  Yeah, she does seem to be wearing several layers- although it was sunny, it was pretty chilly with updrafts all around the rim.