I think the first one is excellent. The second one, I like the composition better, but the highlights are just a little too bright for me. Overall these are all really nice though.
Wonderful photos. Made me go and find out more about the location, and it seems that it can be quite an adventure just getting there! Thanks for sharing these outstanding photos.
You got some sweet light Adam! Hard to pick a favorite because I really like the sky in the first photo, but I enjoy the comp of the second photo. Nice work.
Of all the shots, I think #2 has the strongest composition and the most potential. The B&W would come second for me.
In #2, the lines on the left play well with the river and bring the eye right to the sun. However, the highlights around the sun leave the image feeling incomplete. I can tell there should be sky detail in that area along with all kinds of beautiful red/orange tones. Because the composition takes you there so quickly, I would prioritize the highlight tones in this image and let the shadows just go darker. If you bracketed the image, it's worth spending some time with the exposure blend to bring those tones back down. If I were editing this picture, I would start with the highlights and blend in the darker stuff to bring up the shadow detail instead of the other way around. The sun and the wall on the left are fighting for attention, so the sun should look as pretty as the rock Personally, I would generally keep the shadows pretty dark. But a lot of what I do gets criticized for being too dark . . .
I think the B&W shot has very nice tonality (at least in my browser on my monitor). The detail is good, the black levels seem right and the texture is just right. The sense of atmosphere and overall volume is very appealing. The only thing I feel holds the image back is the composition. You have the right rock elements in place and the right angle of light, but I think the horizon is a bit low. Do you have one looking downward more?
Personally, I would generally keep the shadows pretty dark. But a lot of what I do gets criticized for being too dark . . .