Arches National Park

Tuesday, September 2, 2014

http://www.nps.gov/arch/index.htm

This vast area was once covered by extensive sand dunes. Some 200 million years ago, winds from the northwest carried tons of fine-grained sand onto this area, creating an immense desert. Over time, the sand drifts were covered by other layers of sediment, compressed and cemented by quartz and calcite into Navajo Sandstone.

                                                                   Balancing Rock       

 Total height: 39 metres (128 feet)   Boulder weight: over 3 million kg (3,500 tons) 

 Sandstone gets its red color from  the rusting of the  iron.  Bands of white occur where water has removed the iron.

Windows Loop Trail

                                                                North and South Window

                                            These rock cairns are trail markers in the desert.

Mother Nature and I were enjoying some quiet time together, when an enthusiastic horde of explorers appeared from around a rocky corner. Their fearless leader was guiding a path with a bright yellow flag. Later, I saw a matching bus at the trailhead.                                    

Thousands of feet of salt from an ancient seabed were pushed up to the surface by harder rocks. When the salt reached the surface, water dissolved the salt creating cracks and a depression in the soil making a valley.  

                                                               Sand Dune Arch Trail

                                                                    Lizard Tracks

                                                                         Utah Daisy 

Broken Arch 

                                         Can you spot Jonathan? He is climbing to the arch.

Broken Arch supports Jonathan 

Sacred Datura

                                                           Devil's Garden Trail 

 Landscape Arch

A portion of it broke on September 1, 1991. Some hikers were sitting under it when a loud, cracking and popping noise was heard from overheard. They fled as small rocks tumbled and then a 50 foot long slab peeled away from the arches' right side. 180 tons of fresh rock fell. It is believed heavy rains filled the pore spaces within the sandstone. The added weight probably caused the collapse. People can no longer walk under the arch. 

This is the main trail. There are steep drop-offs on the left and right.

                                                        A view of the canyon below

This is where my fear of heights became overwhelming. Twelve feet drop- off on one side and infinity on the other.  The trail continued from this overhanging cliff.  I abandoned this marked portion of the trail and clambered down to the ground on my left, about a twelve feet descent. We thought we wouldn't have to return on this trail, but it became more harrowing ahead. 

                                                                     Double O Arch
 Jonathan photographed this arch, while I tried to regain my equilibrium. We met two hikers who helped guide us back to this cliff trail. I walked parallel to the cliff overhang before they helped me clamber over it to return to the trail.  

Natasha who helped guide us back to terra firma. We shared the remainder of the trail until the parking lot. Together, we oohed & aahed at the magnificence of the sights, and shared some life stories.

First paralyzing fear, then the guidance of two kind souls, then the therapy of these views. (No death defying drop offs,  the main trail was sheltered from cliff overhangs!)

"Some exposure to heights" is noted in the park map. For all my next hikes, no second hand accounts from hikers or interpretations from maps, my first destination is the Visitor's Center!

I thought I would not have to face this climb again!  For down... I stayed to the middle, looked straight ahead and crab legged it down keeping my center of gravity *low* to the rock.