Utah 3d - Not a Canyon After All
Jun 2, 2017 17:37:27 GMT -5
drocknut, grizman, and 3 more like this
Post by 150FromFundy on Jun 2, 2017 17:37:27 GMT -5
Day 3 of our road trip ended up with a drive to Bryce Canyon National Park. We arrived mid-afternoon, so the crowds were diminishing and we were able to find parking at all the viewpoints.
Bryce Canyon National Park, Utah
For starters, Bryce Canyon is not actually a canyon at all. Bryce Canyon is actually an amphitheatre. Technically, to be a canyon a river should be present and responsible for cutting the canyon down. There is no river in Bryce canyon and the erosion features are the result of water seepage, over 200 freeze/thaw cycles per year, chemical attack, wind and blowing sand.
Bryce Point
The rock is from the Caron formation. The softer rock is mudstone and siltstone. The harder rock is limestone. In geological terms, this rock is fairly young at only 40 million years.
Bryce Point
Agua Canyon
Even during the second week of May, there was still a little snow lingering due to elevation at 8,800 feet.
Agua Canyon
Natural Bridge
Natural Bridge
Rainbow Point
Being from the east coast, we get excited when we can see for a few miles before the fog rolls in. Due to the elevation above the smog layer, we could see the distant Paunsaugunt Plateau (30 miles) and Navajo Mountain (out of frame) that was about 80 miles away.
Rainbow Point
Sunset Point
Bryce Canyon claims to have the largest collection of hoodoos in the world! I lost count after a while. Probably the thin air.
Sunset Point
In general, harder layers of rock resist erosion and for shear vertical cliffs. Softer layers of rock erode more easily and form steep slopes.
Sunset Point
When water freezes, it expands by about 10%. When water seeps into cracks in the rock, it freezes, expands and over time pops out rock forming a pothole. Bryce Canyon may experience 200 freeze thaw cycles each year, so “frost wedging” is the primary erosion force.
Sunset Point
Acid rain will slowly dissolve even the hardest limestone. Acid rain tends to carve and sculpt the limestone caps on may of the hoodoos.
Darryl.
Bryce Canyon National Park, Utah
For starters, Bryce Canyon is not actually a canyon at all. Bryce Canyon is actually an amphitheatre. Technically, to be a canyon a river should be present and responsible for cutting the canyon down. There is no river in Bryce canyon and the erosion features are the result of water seepage, over 200 freeze/thaw cycles per year, chemical attack, wind and blowing sand.
Bryce Point
The rock is from the Caron formation. The softer rock is mudstone and siltstone. The harder rock is limestone. In geological terms, this rock is fairly young at only 40 million years.
Bryce Point
Agua Canyon
Even during the second week of May, there was still a little snow lingering due to elevation at 8,800 feet.
Agua Canyon
Natural Bridge
Natural Bridge
Rainbow Point
Being from the east coast, we get excited when we can see for a few miles before the fog rolls in. Due to the elevation above the smog layer, we could see the distant Paunsaugunt Plateau (30 miles) and Navajo Mountain (out of frame) that was about 80 miles away.
Rainbow Point
Sunset Point
Bryce Canyon claims to have the largest collection of hoodoos in the world! I lost count after a while. Probably the thin air.
Sunset Point
In general, harder layers of rock resist erosion and for shear vertical cliffs. Softer layers of rock erode more easily and form steep slopes.
Sunset Point
When water freezes, it expands by about 10%. When water seeps into cracks in the rock, it freezes, expands and over time pops out rock forming a pothole. Bryce Canyon may experience 200 freeze thaw cycles each year, so “frost wedging” is the primary erosion force.
Sunset Point
Acid rain will slowly dissolve even the hardest limestone. Acid rain tends to carve and sculpt the limestone caps on may of the hoodoos.
Darryl.
