San Rafael Swell Again, Part 1 - April 24, 2007 (Re-run)

 

 Having described the San Rafael Swell in an earlier post, I invite you to look back and refresh your mental image of this unique area (Here). The San Rafael Reef is a thirty mile long anticline within the swell, where the earth's crust was lifted to the point of breaking.  The jagged edges of the broken crust have been eroded to form numerous canyons and rock formations.  Interstate 70 runs through the reef, giving travelers a special view of this incredible landscape.  A rest area sign above Black Dragon Canyon gives a little more information about the geology of the area, while another at Spotted Wolf Canyon provides insight into the highway's construction.

Moab, Utah, Part 7 - April 23, 2007 (Re-run)

 It was mentioned earlier that Moab attracts many rock climbers from all over the world.  We had the opportunity to watch some of this action, right by the road side.  I'm sure a lot more of this activity occurs in the more remote areas.  In the first photo, there is a tiny dot in the center that is a climber going up a sheer cliff.  The second photo is a slightly closer view of the same climber.

 

The Ancestral Puebloans were also good climbers, often building their homes in hard to reach places.  One example of this was a natural "chimney" in the sandstone, where a ladder was required to access the area above the chimney where the rock structures were built.  The homes could not be seen from below, and the ladder could be pulled up to prevent enemies from gaining access.

Here are a few of the iconic rock formations that haven't been shown thus far.  You might be able to identify Wall Street, the Sleeping Sheep and the Three Gossips.

Our last day in Moab (on this trip) was marked by an unusual rain storm.  We drove along the river to witness the effects of the downpour.  There were impromptu waterfalls everywhere as the water cascaded over the cliffs.  Eventually, there was a rainbow to signal the end of the storm.

Moab, Utah, Part 6 - April 22, 2007 (Re-run)

 I went back into Arches N P for a hike through the Fiery Furnace, a complex maze of fins, arches and narrow slot canyons that can be visited only by permit.  First timers are required to go as part of a Ranger led group so they don't get lost.  I would not go by myself even after going with a Ranger.  I was amazed at the amount of plant life thriving in such a place.