You might be thinking, "Haven't I seen this one before?" No, not quite. Yes, I was in Utah and Arizona in January 2021 and posted a Gulliver's Travels of that trip. But there is so much to see in Utah and Arizona that I thought it warranted another trip, so here it is.
It will be presented in three parts, each appearing in separate postings. This first part will be of Utah, and it will have two sections, the first of Peek-a-Boo Slot Canyon and the second of Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument
A so-called slot canyon is a narrow channel cut through rock by a river. The river channel is usually devoid of water, only wet after rains. Utah and Arizona have many slot canyons of varying lengths and depths. They invariably twist and turn due to the tremendous force of the rushing water and accompanying rocks and other debris that transform the relatively soft sandstone into intricate and beautiful formations. As they are always narrow and steep sided, they are deadly when flash floods occur.
This area is part of the huge Colorado Plateau, sandstone formations created over a 90-million year period in shallow seas. Tectonic forces forced it to rise up to two miles in height 15-20 million years ago. The Grand Staircase refers to a series of five smaller plateaus, each higher than the next, the first one being in northern Arizona and the fifth one being the Paunsaugunt Plateau, which contains Bryce Canyon National Park in southern Utah.
Part 2 and 3 of Utah and Arizona will follow in subsequent weeks--so hold your horses.