UTAH 3a - A Different Kind of Desert
May 24, 2017 19:25:59 GMT -5
adrian65, rockjunquie, and 1 more like this
Post by 150FromFundy on May 24, 2017 19:25:59 GMT -5
Day 3 was a busy day with three stops along the way before we made it to Bryce Canyon National Park. The first stop was a different kind of desert.
Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park
The small desert looks a little more like the TV deserts where caravans of camels cross over drifting sand dunes. In order for this type of desert to form, you need wind, sand and some form of disruptor to the wind.
A Long and Winding Road
This desert is at elevation 6,000 feet and is nestled between two mountain ranges. A notch between the mountains creates a natural Venturi effect. When wind is compressed in the notch between the mountains, the velocity accelerates enough to transport sand. When the wind expands in the valley, the velocity slows enough to deposits the sand.
In the Pink
The source of the coral pink sand is Navajo sandstone. The source of the color in the Navajo sandstone is various forms of iron oxide. The Navajo sandstone dates back to the middle Jurassic period, but this desert is only believed to be between 10,000 and 15,000 years old.
Hanging On
The diversity of life in the dunes is greatly less than that in other areas where life flourishes in the desert. In spite of that, a few plants attempt to anchor the drifting sands in place.
It Keeps You Running
In areas where there is no plant life to anchor the dunes, the dunes may drift up to fifty feet each year.
I Can See for Miles and Miles
At mid-morning, it was already starting to go from warm to hot. Distances are a little tough to judge and you sometimes wonder if hiking up to the next ridge is really worth it.
Taking Advice
I was advised that hiking up to the next ridge was really worth it. To be honest with you, the next ridge looks a whole lot like the previous ridge. You simply have more sand in your boots for the walk back.
Ants in Your Pants
We didn’t see a lot of critters in the heat of the day. However, I did seem to park myself in close proximity to a number of ant colonies along the way.
Darryl.
Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park
The small desert looks a little more like the TV deserts where caravans of camels cross over drifting sand dunes. In order for this type of desert to form, you need wind, sand and some form of disruptor to the wind.
A Long and Winding Road
This desert is at elevation 6,000 feet and is nestled between two mountain ranges. A notch between the mountains creates a natural Venturi effect. When wind is compressed in the notch between the mountains, the velocity accelerates enough to transport sand. When the wind expands in the valley, the velocity slows enough to deposits the sand.
In the Pink
The source of the coral pink sand is Navajo sandstone. The source of the color in the Navajo sandstone is various forms of iron oxide. The Navajo sandstone dates back to the middle Jurassic period, but this desert is only believed to be between 10,000 and 15,000 years old.
Hanging On
The diversity of life in the dunes is greatly less than that in other areas where life flourishes in the desert. In spite of that, a few plants attempt to anchor the drifting sands in place.
It Keeps You Running
In areas where there is no plant life to anchor the dunes, the dunes may drift up to fifty feet each year.
I Can See for Miles and Miles
At mid-morning, it was already starting to go from warm to hot. Distances are a little tough to judge and you sometimes wonder if hiking up to the next ridge is really worth it.
Taking Advice
I was advised that hiking up to the next ridge was really worth it. To be honest with you, the next ridge looks a whole lot like the previous ridge. You simply have more sand in your boots for the walk back.
Ants in Your Pants
We didn’t see a lot of critters in the heat of the day. However, I did seem to park myself in close proximity to a number of ant colonies along the way.
Darryl.
