Grand Canyon Trail of Time

The Grand Canyon is an jaw-dropping sight. After I've enjoyed the beauty and colors of the different rock formations, the way cloud shadows change the scenery, and the size of the canyon, I start wondering just how long it took the Colorado River to carve the chasm. To find answers to my questions, I follow the 1.2 mile easy paved walk, Trail of Time..

Along this timeline trail, I watch for round markers. The first one is at a view point where I can see the Colorado River deep in the canyon. I learn that the canyon is only 6 million years old. That's just the blink of an eye in geologic time. The river cut down through some very old rock to form this amazing gorge.

The second marker identifies the Upper Flat Layers that were laid down in 270-315 million years ago. I'm standing on the light colored Kaibab Formation. This is the youngest layer and is composed of limestone. It contains fossils of coral, shells and sponges.

Marker number 3 provides a view down on the 525 million year old Tapeats Sandstone. Pronounced "ta-PEETS," this is the oldest horizontal layer and is 525 million years old, but isn't the oldest rock in the canyon.

The Grand Canyon Supergroup is featured at the next stop. I can pick out the bright orange Hakatai (HACK-a-tie) Shale 642-1244 million years old.

The last stop showcases the oldest rocks in the canyon, the Basement Rock. These are among the oldest rocks in the Southwest at 1.66 to 1.84 BILLION years old.

All this age, beauty and spectacular scenery is why they call it the GRAND Canyon.

Janet

Grand Canyon, North Rim Camping

A few years back, my husband and I made the mistake of arriving at the North Rim of the Grand Canyon without a reservation for lodging. There was no room in the campgrounds or cabins. My 4WD truck was equiped for sleeping. We always carry water and I had everything necessary to survive a few nights without a bed, in my truck. It was dark by the time we found a service road and parked behind a pile of gravel, crawled in the back of the truck and went to sleep.
But not for long. At the count of 3, the Park Rangers jarred us awake with flood lights surrounding us. Why we didn't wake up when they circled our truck is still a mystery. In my shaken condition, I thought they were going to drag us outside, line us up against the truck and shoot us. It was a nightmare.
So this time I started two weeks ahead of our arrival date and worked on getting camping reservations. There was nothing open. Now here is how it works. If you have a 21 foot trailer or smaller, they have more sites avaialable than for a 27 foot trailer. As the size goes up in traveling units, the numbers of available spaces goes down. We have a 22 foot trailer and were able to get a site for one night, due to a cancellation. We planned on four nights.
Kaibab National Forest boarders Grand Canyon National Park on the north. You can camp anywhere in the National Forest as long as you are off the main highway #67, by a mile. Being self contained helps make your camping experience enjoyable. Finging water is a problem anywhere in that part of the state. Water has to be trucked in at Jacob's Lake. We found a site at the National Forest De Motte Campgrounds. This is a first come, first serve campgrounds with drinking water for camping needs only. You can't fill your trailers water tank. The towlets are very clean. The morning sunrise was a spiritual experience. We took our chairs and sat at the edge of tree line, taking in the meadow that exposes all the wildlife of the area. Buffalo herds stopped traffic at the gate entrance. Deer hopped in and out of the trees while turkey families focused on their quest for food. This delightful campgrounds is only 25 miles from the Grand Canyon Lodge on the North Rim. Our Golden Age Passport got us settled in and smiling, for half the price.

Discover Arizona History in Prescott

Prescott, AZ has evolved from a gold mining camp to honors like "One of the 100 Best Art Towns" in America. Not THAT hot in the summer or THAT cold in the winter, and with plenty of forests, lakes and hiking trails, it has been named "One of the Best Places to Retire."

The imposing courthouse, built in 1918 in neo-classical style from locally quarried granite,still serves as the county courthouse and anchors the historical district. Over 600 buildings are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Infamous Whiskey Row is strung along the west side of Courthouse Square. Antique shops and boutiques offer hours of shopping fun.

Prescott's historical gem is the Sharlot Hall Museum on the site of the first Arizona Territorial capital. The Governor's Mansion, original to the site, along with the John C. Fremont Home and other buildings that have been moved to the location are surrounded by lawns and rose gardens. Displays range from prehistoric Native American artifacts, early American memorabilia, an extensive libary and archives, historical theatre and living history programs.

Sharlot Hall arrived in Arizona in 1882 at the age of 12. Mostly self-educated, she became a writer and poet. In 1909, Hall was named Territorial Historian and was the first woman to hold territorial office. Never married and very independent, she was ahead of her time, traveling the state gathering her collections. Because of her efforts, we have the beautiful Sharlot Hall Museum to enjoy.

Sharlot Hall Museum
116 S. McCormick St
Prescott
www.sharlot.org

Peter French's Round Barn???

While I was in Oregon, a friend said, "If you're going home through southeast Oregon, stop and see Peter French's Round Barn." I had been enjoying the scenery and birds at Malheur National Wildlife Refuge, when I spotted a sign to Pete French's Round Barn, so I made a detour and I'm glad I did.

Peter French left northern California in 1872, driving 1200 head of shorthorn cattle with the help of a few vaqueros. French eventually became an important cattle baron owning the "P" Ranch. With several thousand head of horses, French had more than 300 colts born each year. He built three Round Barns as places to train and exercise these colts during Oregon's cold winters. Only one of the barns remain.

Placed on higher ground for better drainage, the round barn resembles a very large Chinese umbrella. The conical roof enclosess a 100-ft diameter stone corral and an indoor track. Made from lava stone and juniper trees. Twelve juniper trees that were unusually tall support the roof with the center pole being 35-feet high. It took 50,000 shingles to cover the roof.

In 1897, Peter French was shot and killed by a local homesteader in a land dispute. Thomas and Richard Jenskins donated the Round Barn to the state of Oregon for preservation.

The Jenkins family has also built the Round Barn Visitor Center that mirrors the architecture of the Round Barn. It houses family antiques as well as paintings by local artists and other items for sale. Through the visitors center, the Jenkins offer tours that focus on ranch heritage and on the Steens Mountains. A gourmet lunch comes with the tour.

The Round Barn is located about 50 miles from Burns, Oregon at
51955 Lava Bed Rd. Diamond, OR 97722; 888-493-2420; www.roundbarn.net

Arizona Monsoon Season

Summer in Arizona can be brutal. High temperatures of 115 or 117 degress are common. In southern Arizona's Sonoran Desert, wildlife retreats to shade or underground burrows to wait for sunset and relief from the heat. But, when you think, you can't stand the heat anymore, Arizona monsoons start to roll in.

Rain clouds build up in Mexico and either roll directly up through Tucson to Phoenix or storms form in the White Mountains and along the Mogollon Rim and in the late afternoon slip down into the Valley.

These storms have an awe-inspiring ferocity. Lighting streaks the sky and thunder crashes echoing among the cliffs of the Superstition Mounains. Sometimes the storm is preceeded by a terrible sandstorm called a "haboob" a roiling, rolling wall of dirt that closes freeways and airports and sends residents running for cover.

When the rain does start to fall, the drops are large and fierce, splattering on the sidewalks and quickly forming tiny rivulets that merge to fill washes and arroyos. Because the water falls so quickly, most of it runs off causing flash floods that roar down usually dry waterways.

After the rain stops, waterfalls can be seen pouring off rock ledges. Some of the most spectacular are in Devil's Canyon east of Superior and in the Huachuca Mountains south of Sierra Vista. I've seen several rainbows at once in Salt River Canyon east of Globe. Witnessess a thunder and lighning show while camped down in the bottom of the Grand Canyon is memorable.

Wet creosote bushes let off a scent that anyone who has smelled it, cannot forget. It is the smell of rain, desert,dust, moisture, new life and cooling air. The Saguaro cactus that grows only in the Sonoran Desert, quickly sucks up as much water as it can hold, its pleated stalk expanding to hold the precisous moisture.

The monsoons are Arizona's summer lifeblood. Cattle tanks fill from running washes, pot holes in rocks hold water for days, a blessing to small desert animals. Roosevelt Lake, Lake Powell and Lake Mead store water to prevent flooding, and for use as irrigation.

If you want to learn more about the Sonoran Desert and its seasons visit the Arizona Sonora Desert Museum in Tucson.
Janet

Antelope Canyon, Page, AZ

Peolpe from all over the world come to Page, Arizona, just to get an image of Antelope Canyon in their camera. In the past I've entered the slot canyon at high noon in the middle of June and was rewarded with great images. This time I didn't make reservations so we had to take what we could and go with it. The only slot available was at 5:00 P.M. It was the middle of August and cloudy to boot. We went. Our guide, Tammy, gave camera settings before we even entered the canyon. Her presentation included where to get the best shots for light, color and shapes. Her goal was to give all her customers the opportunity to get at least one great shot to take home with them. Most homes were across the ocean.
The Navajo Nation Department of Tourism is doing a wonderful job of selling their natural beauty sites and giving their customers what they came for. A vacation to be remembered, both in their cameras and in their hearts. Bernadette

Grand Canyon, North Rim, Transept Trail

The Grand Canyon, National Park Service handout given at the entrance gate, has the trail Transept as a dotted line but it's not named, on the map. Walking to the canyon end of the campgrounds will get you on the trail, or leaving the Lodge via the back door and down the steps, heading north, will also get you on this trail with elegant views of "The Transept" canyon. Benches are available so relax and enjoy your cup of juice or coffee. The trail has a few dips and climbs but is classified as "easy" in my book. It is not as crowded as Bright Angle Point and offers similar views. This is one of the North Rims best kept secret.

Grand Canyon, North Rim, Widforss Trail continued

One phone call yesterday, to the Grand Canyon Backcountry Office, 928-638-7875, told me what I needed to know. Today I'm planning a two night backpacking trip on the Widforss Trail in September. The Widforss Trail is on the Point Sublime 4WD road. There is a parking lot on the south side of the road, before the road narrows and splits off, with the Arizona Trail going north and the Point Sublime road going west.
The Widforss Trail is just another example of what's available in this very popular Grand Canyon National Park, that few people know about. Tomorrow I'll talk about another surprise trail that is a joy to experience, on the north rim of the Grand Canyon. Bernadette

Grand Canyon NP. North Rim, Widforss Trail

Just when I think that every trail there is in the Grand Canyon, has been covered by my boot prints, I find one that hasn't. The Widforss Trail and parking lot was just a wide spot in the road that I use to fly by on my way to Point Sublime. This very well traveled trail is only 5 miles long and on fairly level terrain. The shaded scenic portion follows the rim for the first 2 and 1/2 miles. By hiking the total 5 miles, the second 2 and 1/2 miles in forest, you arrive out in the canyon at Wilforss Point. The tour guide printout, that you can buy for 25 cents at the trail head, lists all the wildlife one can see on this trail. We were looking for the mountain lion or bobcat but all I saw was the Kaibab squirrel.
According to a couple of backpackers, you can get a backpacking permit to spend the night out on Wilforss Point. There is no water or restrooms. They said it was magnificent so I'm going to try it, in September. Bernadette Heath

From war to bison

The Rocky Mountain Arnsenal National Wildlife Refuge is only 10 minutes from downtown Denver but at 17,000 acres it is one of the largest urban wildlife refuges in the country. With wetlands, open lakes, prairie grasslands and woodlands, visiors come to fish, view wildlife, take photographs, learn and just to plain enjoy the outdoors. The refuge contains a wide variety of birds and 330 species of wildlife including a herd of wild bison.

In 1942, at the beginning of World War II, the Army bought 17,000 acres of farmland near Denver. For 50 years the plant produced chemical munitions, including mustard gas, napalm, whie phosphorous, and even held a stockpile of Sarin gas (aka nerve agent GB.)In 1969 it changed purpose and became a demilitarization site to destroy munitons and chemically related items. In 1984, the Army began an investigation into contamination of the area and a Superfund clean-up followed.

The Rocky Mountain Arsenal Wildlife Refuge is a sucees story showing that contaminated land can be reclaimed and put to new use. We need more of these success stories. Go visit the refuge and enjoy the wildlife. There is new, and very nice, Visitors Center that explains the history of the site and what it took to change it into a great wildlife area.
Janet

Lions, Tigers and Wolves

I'm getting frustrated with cyberspace. I've written twice about the wonderful time at I had The Wild Animal Sanctuary in Denver and the blog has disappeared into cyberspace. I hope someone sees it.

As I was saying, Denver's Wild Animal Sanctuary is a great place to visit, especially for families. When I was there two weeks ago, the hair stood up on the back of my neck. Wolves were pointing their noses skyward, howling and yipping at each other. Male lions were roaring and making low grunts and the tigers were following me with their eyes, and, I swear, they were licking their lips. I wasn't in any danger because I was either outside or walking above the animal habitats. To experience these animals up so close was exciting.

The Sanctuary is home to over 200 carnivores including bears. Most were confiscated by law enforcement agencies after they were found being kept illegally. The newest residents are 25 lions rescued from a circus in Bolivia. Game show host, Bob Barker, was instrumental in getting the lions transported and a new buildings and roaming area are being built.

This is not a breeding facility and all animals are neutered and will live out their lives here. Check our the Sanctuary at www.WildAnimalSanctuary.org.

See you tomorrow, Janet

Denver is Divine

This is Janet and I'm just back from a week in Denver.  I had not been there in 10 years and I was VERY imprressed by the changes to the downtown area.  They've kept many of the wonderful old buildings and turned them into lofts upstairs and added restaurants, offices, bakeries, and boutiques to the street level rooms.  They have blocked off traffic for a mile of the downtown area, added seating and flower beds making it lovely for walking.  No cars are allowed , but  hybrid buses  run every 90 SECONDS.
They are clean, stop at every corner and best of all they are FREE.  Catch a bus from in front of your hotel, ride a few blocks, get off for lunch, catch the next bus, and get off at the bakery, etc.  Makes for a great day of shopping.  Denver can be proud of their new/old downtown.  Tomorrow, I'll be writing about some of the great things to see in an area of our country that is doing its best to be green.

Photographing The Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park

Just that word "black" indicates that this place is a challenge to photograph. The canyon not only has dark colored walls, but they are deep and steep, close together with just a ribbon of water running between them.
The most popular image of the Black Canyon is taken at the Painted Wall view overlook. It's an impressive wall of color but very little tone difference.  If you watch closely as you drive the South Rim Road, you can find others as nicely colored. 
If the sun is full force, go for outlines of rock formations.  On cloud covered days, you can get better color and layout of the canyon but remember to catch some shadows of the rock layers for depth. Waiting is the key, until you see what you want.
Like always, forground is very important.  I've had my best luck with some snow in the forground.  The North Rim road with it's overlooks and some trails, including the new Pioneer Trail, can give you a fresh approach to a frustrating photo shoot. This road is best on a partly cloudy day because you are looking south most of the time. A half tone filter helps put the brighter sky in line with the amount of light bouncing off those "black" walls.  This filter is a serious help for sunrise and sunset shots. 
Bernadette Heath

National Parks are working hard to entertain visitors

At the entrance booth of the Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park, along with the usual maps and park news paper, I was given a handout on special events for the day.  There were activities for kids like building a pocket solar system or making moon craters.  Some of the activities were presented by volunteers like the one I attended, Hydrogen Alpha solar telescope.  Being able to look at the sun in the middle of the day to see it's flares and sunspots was exciting.  There was a Ranger talk on  Ute life and culture and another lecture on raptors.  When the sun went down and the stars came out so did another Ranger to converse about the Milky Way.  For all those who were camping in the South Rim Campgrounds at the Black Canyon that night, an invitation was extended, to attend a learning experience on humanity's presence in the Universe given by Tom Sarko, Solar System Ambassador.  It was a full day.
Bernadette Heath

Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park, CO

Of the six or eight times I have visited the Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park, this is the first time I've ever been able to travel on the East Portal Road down to the Gunnison Divirsion Dam and the Crystal Dam. The road is a 16% grade, with sharp turns.  It seemed longer going down than coming up.  There are picnic tables and shade trees by the Divirsion Dam.  The distance between the two dams is relatively flat with wide spots on the road for pull over investigations.  The Gunnison River is fast flowing at this point with no shore line.  Fishermen line the little accessible edge that there is.
Canyon walls line this sliver of an access road, shooting up thousands of feet.  What a beautiful place to have lunch.
Bernadette Heath

Cimarron, Colorado the Train Stop

The train was gone.  Just 20 miles east of Montrose, CO off Hwy #50, is a wide spot in the road called Cimarron.  The signage along Hwy 50 addresses the Visitor Center and the Train.  We took the road north to a parking lot, information booth and the Mesa Creek Trail Head but no train. 
In between the Curecanti National Recreation Area and the Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park lies this jewel of a rest stop.  The Mesa Creek Trail has a walking bridge across the mighty Gunnison River that my grandsons just love dropping as big a boulder as is possible for them to carry over the edge. The trail winds and climbs up and down along the north side of the river for maybe a half mile.  There are side short trails to waterfalls, tree shade and one picnic table.
The train will be back sometime in 2012.  It is being restored to its original condition using materials that date back to it's creation.  Something to look forward to.   Bernadette Heath