Zig-zag, back and forth, down, down, down, Jonathon, Dad, and I went into a mysterious new world. Now that I have gone into this hot, dry canyon surrounded by monstrous hoodoos, I have seen what it is really like to leave the small town of Seymour, and emerge into the greatness of this world. I have now seen several other National Parks on one of the most renowned places on earth for mysterious creations, the Colorado Plateau. Of all the beautiful places on it, even the Grand Canyon, I have found my favorite one. Bryce Canyon National Park. I thought it was amazing, because it was the most diverse to anything I have ever seen before. We hiked down into it and I felt like I was surrounded by skyscrapers. We trekked around a little, but we didn’t
Many will attest to the grandeur of the natural feature that exists in northern Arizona, but the formation of the Grand Canyon has befuddled geomorphologists to this day. This confusion can be attributed to the Kaibab Plateau, an anomaly considering the Colorado River traverses it seamlessly. Four prevalent hypotheses have been proposed since the 19th century, starting with the lake overflow proposition first brought up by John Newbury and then reinforced by Eliot Blackwelder. Newbury argued that a structure must have ponded an ancient lake causing an overspill to cut into the Grand Canyon. This argument holds that the river must have come after the plateau’s existence. Unbeknownst to Newbury, the structure would be the Kaibab Plateau.
Everyone’s experience is not all the same similarly to the Grand Canyon situation that is mentioned by Percy. The individual needs to be taken into consideration. Like with me, I went to many tourists spots, such as the Valley of Ten Peaks, that are talked among many people that and have been influenced by the media, but when I got their I was left speechless by the sight of the of the Peaks. This experience is a counter point Percy’s idea, that prejudges of situations can skew the perspective of people. Percy states “[a tourist] Does not one see the same sight from the Bright Angel Lodge that Cardenas saw” (Percy 464). This quote explains how people cannot see the true beauty of a sight with these expectations that block it for us. Most of the time I have had my expectations of a sight given to me by media or other people lessen my experiences in life. This occurs because how much someone is willing to let so...
This seemingly boring process came to fruition in one of the most beloved National Parks in the United States of America. The Grand Canyon National Park is located in the state of Arizona. It is over 270 miles long and, at some points, is up to 18 miles wide and deep (History.com Staff). Its deep walls help provide a geologic history of the earth, because the many layers contain artifacts and information about the climate at the time (History.com Staff).
The canyon is a part of what is now the Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming, an area of land first acquired through the Louisiana Purchase. In this painting, the observer may notice many features which stand out. In the background, the image depicts a large, rocky ravine, occupied by a river and rows of trees. The river leads to a large orb of light, presumably stemming from a fire. In the foreground, two men are seen standing on a cliff above the ravine, presumably in awe at the wondrous land they have just discovered in the distance. Behind the men is an untraveled area of
My youth pastor pulled out of our church parking lot at three am in the morning loaded down with a bus full of twenty four teenagers including me. We were off at last head to Colorado Spring Colorado, little did I know, our bus was going to fall apart this very day.
This is in memory of John Wesley Powell. John Wesley Powell was born March 24, 1834. He was born in Mount Morris, New York. He lived a full life, he was a solider, scientist, and explorer. He explored many different things for instance he was the first explorer of the Colorado River, also he explored the Grand Canyon. While he was exploring the Grand Canyon three of his men decided to go back, they were killed by Shiviwits part of the Paiute Tribe. He Studied at Illinois Institute and Oberlin College, he studied botany, zoology, and geology. Powell was a professor at Illinois Wesleyan University. In 1861 he enlisted in the Union Army. He became a major after being a second lieutenant. He served in the Civil War, he lost his right arm from
The Grand Canyon, it’s truly is grand. The animals, the plant life, and the canyon’s history is something my father and I have been interested in for a long time. My dad, Erik, shows me plant specimens and fossils of animals i’ve never seen before. He once told me there was a type of vulture that are so close to extinction there are only 20 left alive in the world. We visited Arizona to see the Grand Canyon once dad got enough money to go on a roadtrip. I’m so excited to see my friends there, too. I brought so much snacks, maybe too much, and my backpack is kind of heavy for the hiking trip, but I’ll live through it.
I love camping and spending time outside, but this summer I had a completely new experience when I visited the Boundary Waters Canoe Area. Before leaving, I had very little knowledge of the Boundary Waters. After getting advice from friends and purchasing some special equipment, I realized that camping there was going to be much more complicated than I had thought.
A couple of years ago during one of those, on a whim after spending a few days in Arches National Park, my wife and I detoured to the snowy, icy south rim of the Grand Canyon. We journeyed toward it from the east side but got turned back at the National Parks’ gate; the road was snowed under from there on up. After retracing our steps, we traveled down to Flagstaff and spent the night, driving in my four by four truck up to the South Rim the next day. It was an eerie experience to stand on the edge of the South Rim and see only cloud; fog shrouded the canyon’s great gap, leaving us with visual doubts that anything was really there. Defeated, we hit the Visitor’s Center and gathered information so we could go back sometime in the spring or fall with weather more to our liking.
Canyonlands National Park, immense amounts of wilderness and rock, is located at the heart of the Colorado Plateau (Canyonlands National Park-Geology). Millions of years have formed specific features to the rock and surrounding wilderness that make it so special. Throughout the park, you will find that the sedimentary rock has formed many features such as hundreds of colorful canyons, mesas, buttes, fins, arches, and spires. The Green and Colorado rivers have played a major role in the formation of many of these features. These rivers cut through the park forming two massive canyons. This further splits the park into three distinct zones. “Island in the Sky” sits to the north while “The Maze” sits off to the west and “The Needles” to the east (Canyonlands National Park Information Guide). “Island in the Sky” serves as Canyonlands’ observation tower; it allows tourists to see overwhelming vistas of the rest of the land. “The Maze,” as hinted at by the name has been described as a “30 square mile puzzle in sandstone” (NPS: Nature & Science» Geology Resources Division). This section of the park often ranks as one of the most remote and inaccessible areas of the United States. Lastly, “The Needles” is known for its diversity in rock features. Throughout this land, features such as sculptured rock spires, arches, canyons, grabens, and potholes can be seen. The varying names hint at the diversity of the land as a whole. As said by The National Park Service’s Geology Resources Division, “Traces of the Anasazi can be found in almost every canyon in the Needles. Many of their stone and mud dwellings and storehouses are remarkably well-preserved. Tower Ruins, built high on a cliff ledge in a side canyon of Horse Canyon, is an outstanding ex...
Have you ever looked off a gigantic cliff? Now imagine traveling 30 miles per hour on a bike with curvy roads with enormous cliffs on your side with no rails. This is exactly what I did with my family when we went to Colorado. From the hotel we drove to a bike tour place to take us to the summit of Pikes Peak. After we arrived at the building we saw pictures of how massive the cliffs were, but what terrified me was the fact they had no side rails. This observation was thrilling as well as terrifying. It was an odd mix of emotions, but I loved the adrenaline rush it gave me. My dad whispered to me, “ This will be absolutely horrifying”.
SEQUOIA AND KINGS CANYON NATIONAL PARKS – CALIFORNIA, LAKE TAHOE – CALIFORNIA AND NEVADA, AND ZION NATIONAL PARK, UTAH How would like to spend a vacation in the United States and get to explore some of the best adventures? I know there are many adventure lovers out there who only travelers to places which will allow them to experience an abundance of activities. You will be pleased to know that this island is more than a spot for families and romantic couples and it is possible to explore areas which will take you are soaring in the skies. It is easy for you to stay at the Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks in California, Lake Tahoe and Nevada, and Zion National Park, Utah and spend days which are filled with non-stop fun. Just imagine skydiving and flying over 100 miles per hour at Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks in California, definitely a thrilling experience!
In hiking, as in life, there are choices between success and pain, pride and safety; this is the story of one such choice. Last summer I participated in the Rayado program at Philmont Scout Ranch. The eighth day of the trek was my crew’s greatest challenge: Super Black Death, a hike of seven peaks in one day.
... a “Paradise.” That was the verdict of John Strong Newberry, physician-naturalist. “To look into the Grand Canyon is to look into a rainbow of stone.” Each layer has its own distinct color resulting from the interaction of water and air with the rocks. Below runs the Colorado River as it carves through some of the oldest rocks in North America. As the river carves out the rocks, it can change its own channel, and curve off in new directions. As permanent as the rocks of the Grand Canyon seem, these monuments of stone are constantly eroding. The water and wind are gradually wearing them down and the Colorado River will carry the sediment away. The canyon is one of our planet’s most spectacular landscapes. It is a tapestry of history, geology, and beauty. Geologists are still studying the canyon’s birth and are intrigued by its history and vastness.
This area of the world is so foreign to my Oklahoma life; it infuses me with awe, and with an eerie feeling of being strongly enclosed by huge mountains, and the mass of tall trees. However, when my foot first steps onto the dusty trail it feels crazily magical. The clean, crisp air, the new smell of evergreen trees and freshly fallen rain is mixed with fragrances I can only guess at. It is like the world has just taken a steroid of enchantment! I take it all in, and embrace this new place before it leaves like a dream and reality robs the moment. As I turn and look at my family, I was caught by my reflection in their impressions. The hair raising mischief in the car was forgotten and now it was time to be caught up in this newness of life. It was as if the whole world around us had changed and everyone was ready to engulf themselves in it. The trickling of water somewhere in the distance and the faint noise of animals all brought the mountains to