Post by 150FromFundy on May 22, 2017 21:13:22 GMT -5
Zion National Park, Utah
Our second day was spent in Zion National Park. Zion means ” The Promised Land”, and this park lives up to that reputation. The park ranges in elevation from 3,600 feet to 8,700 feet, so there is a vast range of ever changing habitat from the valley floor to the Temple Cap formation at the top of the canyon rim.
Like a Virgin River Trail Walk
We started out for a hike on the Virgin River trail walk towards The Narrows.
Take Me to the River
Unfortunately, all good things must come to an end. Why not just walk the river you ask? Proceed to next photo.
Respect
The last time we thought about respect, it was driven by a lack of water. This time things are a little different. While the valley receives only 15” of rainfall annually, the plateau that feeds the canyon receives 26” of rainfall annually. Most of that occurs during Monsson season, which translates into flash floods. Although it was not Monsson season, this hike ended at The Narrows for us due to high water and anticipated rain.
I Want to Rock Squirrel
The lush riverbank provides shelter and the tourists provide a regular food supply that allows these Rock Squirrels to survive in numbers. Funny, but it seems I’m always getting distracted by these.
All the World’s a Stage
This Grotto gives the appearance of a stage and the desert varnish gives the appearance of a striped curtain ready to come down.
Far From an Empty Garden
Heavy rains on the plateau seep through pervious sandstone layers until they reach an impervious sandstone layer. When water can no longer seep through the impervious sandstone layer, it looks for an alternate escape route through cracks and crevices in the rock. Plants take advantage of this source of water and cling to the cliff wall forming hanging gardens at Weeping Rock.
You Are My (Zion) Shooting Star
From afar, the hanging gardens of Weeping Rock appear like a mossy mass of vegetation, but upon closer examination, they reveal how delicate life takes advantage of every situation. This is a Zion Shooting Star.
Western Columbine
The Western Columbine occurs in a wide range of colours and apparently flavours. The flowers of some varieties of Western Columbine were used as a condiment by Native Americans. Extracts from seeds and roots were used to cure abdominal pain. Additionally, the plant is a natural parasiticide to take care of that pesky old head lice. A rose by any other name couldn’t do that.
Golden Pricklypear Cactus
At higher elevations, the availability of water changes as do the plants that inhabit the area. In addition to water controlling plant habitat, some of the layers in the Staircase are toxic. The Chinle Formation, which is exposed at the base of many of Zion’s monuments, is rich in the toxic mineral Selenium creating a poison environment where only a few hardy plants may survive.
Orange Blossom Special
Actually, this is an Orange Globe Mallow, but I had to throw an easy one in for those of you that are actually still searching for song lyrics and titles buried in my rant.
The Gravity of the Situation
The camera does not capture the true scale and majesty of this park. Every once in a while, I throw a human in for scale. For instance here. Can you see find the rock climber? Don’t worry if you can’t. The next photo will make it easier.
Hanging On
Can you find the rock climber now? Like the hanging gardens of Weeping Rock, delicate life will take advantage of every crevice to marginally cling on to existence. Sure I like rocks, but this is not my cup of tea.
Checkerboard Mesa
On the drive out of Zion, we drove through the Checkerboard Mesa (6,670 feet) and through a few skinny tunnel s cut through the mountain along the way. Interesting lesson learned. Canadian vehicles have a light sensor on the dash that controls headlights automatically. We no longer use a headlight switch on the dash. American rentals do not. I came to this realization while in the skinny tunnel along the way. Fortunately, after a white knuckled drive through a very dark skinny tunnel, I had enough light at the end of the tunnel to find the headlight switch on the dash. Yikes! Laura eventually got over it.
Slick Kid Rock
Slick Rock is something totally new to us, and we did get to see a little more of it along the way. We are accustomed to seeing rock polished by wave action of the ocean. Here, there is little water for that, yet the rocks are still polished. This polishing is the result of the forces of water (Monsoon rains), but more so as the result of wind and blowing sand. The term slick rock probably goes back to a time when this polished rock was essentially impassible for metal shoed horses. I finally understand those Jeep and mountain bike commercials on TV.
Darryl.
Our second day was spent in Zion National Park. Zion means ” The Promised Land”, and this park lives up to that reputation. The park ranges in elevation from 3,600 feet to 8,700 feet, so there is a vast range of ever changing habitat from the valley floor to the Temple Cap formation at the top of the canyon rim.
Like a Virgin River Trail Walk
We started out for a hike on the Virgin River trail walk towards The Narrows.
Take Me to the River
Unfortunately, all good things must come to an end. Why not just walk the river you ask? Proceed to next photo.
Respect
The last time we thought about respect, it was driven by a lack of water. This time things are a little different. While the valley receives only 15” of rainfall annually, the plateau that feeds the canyon receives 26” of rainfall annually. Most of that occurs during Monsson season, which translates into flash floods. Although it was not Monsson season, this hike ended at The Narrows for us due to high water and anticipated rain.
I Want to Rock Squirrel
The lush riverbank provides shelter and the tourists provide a regular food supply that allows these Rock Squirrels to survive in numbers. Funny, but it seems I’m always getting distracted by these.
All the World’s a Stage
This Grotto gives the appearance of a stage and the desert varnish gives the appearance of a striped curtain ready to come down.
Far From an Empty Garden
Heavy rains on the plateau seep through pervious sandstone layers until they reach an impervious sandstone layer. When water can no longer seep through the impervious sandstone layer, it looks for an alternate escape route through cracks and crevices in the rock. Plants take advantage of this source of water and cling to the cliff wall forming hanging gardens at Weeping Rock.
You Are My (Zion) Shooting Star
From afar, the hanging gardens of Weeping Rock appear like a mossy mass of vegetation, but upon closer examination, they reveal how delicate life takes advantage of every situation. This is a Zion Shooting Star.
Western Columbine
The Western Columbine occurs in a wide range of colours and apparently flavours. The flowers of some varieties of Western Columbine were used as a condiment by Native Americans. Extracts from seeds and roots were used to cure abdominal pain. Additionally, the plant is a natural parasiticide to take care of that pesky old head lice. A rose by any other name couldn’t do that.
Golden Pricklypear Cactus
At higher elevations, the availability of water changes as do the plants that inhabit the area. In addition to water controlling plant habitat, some of the layers in the Staircase are toxic. The Chinle Formation, which is exposed at the base of many of Zion’s monuments, is rich in the toxic mineral Selenium creating a poison environment where only a few hardy plants may survive.
Orange Blossom Special
Actually, this is an Orange Globe Mallow, but I had to throw an easy one in for those of you that are actually still searching for song lyrics and titles buried in my rant.
The Gravity of the Situation
The camera does not capture the true scale and majesty of this park. Every once in a while, I throw a human in for scale. For instance here. Can you see find the rock climber? Don’t worry if you can’t. The next photo will make it easier.
Hanging On
Can you find the rock climber now? Like the hanging gardens of Weeping Rock, delicate life will take advantage of every crevice to marginally cling on to existence. Sure I like rocks, but this is not my cup of tea.
Checkerboard Mesa
On the drive out of Zion, we drove through the Checkerboard Mesa (6,670 feet) and through a few skinny tunnel s cut through the mountain along the way. Interesting lesson learned. Canadian vehicles have a light sensor on the dash that controls headlights automatically. We no longer use a headlight switch on the dash. American rentals do not. I came to this realization while in the skinny tunnel along the way. Fortunately, after a white knuckled drive through a very dark skinny tunnel, I had enough light at the end of the tunnel to find the headlight switch on the dash. Yikes! Laura eventually got over it.
Slick Kid Rock
Slick Rock is something totally new to us, and we did get to see a little more of it along the way. We are accustomed to seeing rock polished by wave action of the ocean. Here, there is little water for that, yet the rocks are still polished. This polishing is the result of the forces of water (Monsoon rains), but more so as the result of wind and blowing sand. The term slick rock probably goes back to a time when this polished rock was essentially impassible for metal shoed horses. I finally understand those Jeep and mountain bike commercials on TV.
Darryl.
