The Dark Towers
Is it Middle Earth? Are we on the set of Lord of the Rings? Where are these rock spires that majestically arise out of nowhere?
There’re actually near Hanksville, Utah. Hidden between towering cliffs, these twin black spires jut dramatically up and out of the ground. They were once part of an unbroken layer of sand and rock surrounded by cliffs.
But millions of years of erosion created a natural amphitheater. And for unknown reasons, only a lone pair of stoic shale spires remains in the middle.
An Unusual Name
This strange and fascinating formation goes by many names. A few refer to it as The Spire or The Needle. But it’s best known as Long Dong Silver.
That’s the stage name of retired British porn star Daniel Arthur Mead. His moniker was inspired by a play on words of the fictional Treasure Island character Long John Silver.
He appeared in several pornographic movies in the UK and US during the late 1970s and early 1980s. The actor reached a new audience in the wake of allegations of sexual harassment during the Clarence Thomas Supreme Court nomination in the US Senate in 1991. Anita Hill alleged that Thomas mentioned to her that he was a viewer of Long Dong Silver's films.
The Shot
Last October 28 I was in Hanksville, Utah with friends Steve Horne and Scott Fuller. We decided to visit and attempt to photograph this spellbinding formation.
The location isn’t marked. You must drive to GPS coordinates on the highway and then follow an unmarked dirt road for about a mile. After parking there, it’s about a 1.5-mile hike until you spot the spires.
I almost turned back. There was nothing notable for over a mile. It isn’t until the last few hundred yards that the formation came into view.
We did our best to take an interesting photograph. Nothing seemed to work. Out of curiosity, I took out my drone and circled the formation.
What a difference! As the sun set, I discovered this composition. I enjoyed how the spires seemed to line up with the setting sun.
Because there was sufficient battery power remaining, I kept flying. After the sun set, a view in the opposite direction caught the last light on the clouds.
