Category Archives: Nature

Grand Canyon

Arizona, Nature

 

There is no doubt that the Grand Canyon is exactly that—grand.  That word is used too often to describe features that are far from grand. But in this case the description not only fits—it is an understatement.  As Heidinger said, “Some of nature’s finest work is here on display, created by her artists: water, wind, and time.”

 

John Muir, one of my heroes, said that this about the Grand Canyon

 

“It seems a gigantic statement for even nature to make, all in one mighty stone word, apprehended at once like a burst of light…coming in glory to mind and heart as to a home prepared for its from the very beginning.

Wildness so godful, cosmic, primeval, bestows a new sense of earth’s beauty and size.  Not even from high mountains does the world seem so wide, so like a star in the glory of light on its way through the heavens.

…Here, for a few moments at least, there is silence, and all are in dead earnest, as if awed and hushed by an earthquake.”

President Theodore Roosevelt said that it was “the one great sight which every American should see.” Elizabeth Browning’s brief but profound remark, “Earth is crammed with heavens.”

 

Each year I have gone to Arizona I have tried to learn a little more about geology. There is no better place to learn about geology. The Grand Canyon is that deep gash  which an  early runner of the river called a “dark and mysterious cleaving, actually stretches from 600 feet to 18 miles depending on where you find yourself.  And that gash exposes nearly two billion years of the earth’s history visible in its distinct layers.   Juanita Brookes quipped about the gash, “What God hath put asunder let no man join together.” The natural forces of running water, heat, frost, gravity, abrasion,upliftand faulting all worked together at different times to carve this astounding chasm.  As one looks down into that canyon one looks at nearly 2 billion years of the earth’s history written out in a colorful palette of different colors each representing a different age. John Muir called it a“grand geological library, a collection of stone bookscovering … tier on tier conveniently arranged for the student.”

Its “layer cake geology” reveals years of stratified rock in chronological sequence. The younger rocks are above and the older ones lower. In the upper layers one can find evidence of ancient rich marine life.  Deeper and hence older layers of Vishnu Shist do not reveal any former life at all. Marine deposits were laid down over 45 million years ago when a clear sea formed resistant Redwall limestone . Muav limestone in front of the redwall formed in shallower seas and late eroded in gentle patterns of cliff and shapes and ledges.

At the bottom of the canyon there are remnants of Precambrian rocks that are nearly 2 billion years old. The processes that triggered the immense canyon started about 1.68 to 1.840 billion years ago. At that time enormous continental tectonic plates moved slowly across the surface of the earth. Then a plate that carried island arcs and the plate that became North America collided. Heat and pressure from this process changed the existing rocks into dark metamorphic rock that can now be seen in the basement of the canyon. The oldest rocks are at the bottom.Molten rock then squeezed into cracks and hardened as light bands of granite.

 

About 70 million years ago the Rocky Mountains began to form, and the Colorado Plateau rose up as the North American plate pushed up the Rockies Mountains and the plateau when that plate overrode the Pacific Plate underneath it.  In the process a large part of what is now Utah, northern Arizona, western Colorado and a corner of northwestern New Mexico slowly rose up from the sea level to elevations of thousands of feet. The Plateau is about 130,000 sq. miles in size. That is how the ocean floor close to modern day California ended up so high!  These powerful geological forces created both the Rockies and the Colorado Plateau. This was how the Colorado Plateau was created. This rising up occurred with very little tilting or deformation of the sedimentary layers.

But the sculpting of this natural work of art was not done. After that the Grand Canyon was carved. About 5 or 6 million years ago, the Colorado Riverflowed across the Colorado Plateau on its way to the Rocky Mountains and ultimately to the Gulf of California. Each rain washed sparsely vegetated desert soils into the river. There was little to hold the soil together. A steep gradient and heavy sediment loads created a powerful tool for erosion.

The process of erosion was assisted by rain, snowmelt, and tributary streams that entered the canyon throughout its length. Windwas also influential. That wind has been called the greatest sandblasting machine on earth. The volume of the Colorado River varied greatly from year to year. When the last Ice Age ended some 12,000 years ago, the Colorado River may have had a flow 10 times what it is today! As the river cut down into the canyon the canyon deepened.

The fact is of course that the rocks of the Grand Canyon are not unique, but the clarity of the exposure geological record is unique. So it possible to read that history in the rocks. It was a fantastic example of what Chris and first heard in Grosse Morne National Park in Newfoundland—there is a lot of history to be learned from rocks.  As my guidebook said,

“Grand Canyon’s mulitcolored layers of rock provide the best record of the Earth’s formation of anywhere in the world.  Each stratum of rock reveals a different period in the Earth’s geological historybeginning with the earliest, the Precambrian Era which covers geological time up to 570 million years ago. Almost 2 billion years of history have been recorded in the canyon, although the most dramatic changes took place relatively recently, five to six million years ago,when the Colorado River began to carve its path through the canyon walls. The sloping nature of the Kaibab Plateau has led to increased erosion in some parts of the canyon.”

 

Ultimately that is what the Grand Canyon experience is all about—an appreciation of immense amounts of time. Geology is the science that deals with immense time. James Hutton considered by some to be the founder of modern geology wrote a grand opus on the topic. His main theses were very controversial at the time, though they are universally accepted now. The first was that the Earth’s surface is constantly being eroded by water, ice, wind which together grind old rock rock into smaller chunks, pebbles and fine sediment.  These are then carried down stream by rivers and eventually are deposited in the bottom of the sea.  Then those sea bottoms are transmogrified slowly by pressure and heat from below and then become stratified into layers of new rock. That heat also causes uplift of those strata and of the magmas of molten rock beneath them that eventually form jagged mountains, domed plateaus, and grantic knobs, great rifts, warpings, and exposures and juxtapositions of variously tilted strata. Those of course are then eroded all over again.  As David Quammen explained it,

 

“in short, mountains become silt which becomes sedimentary rock which becomes mountains, with erosian driving the process from above and subeterranean heat driving it from below,in a repeating cyclethat seems to go on indefinately, ‘showing no vestigage of beginning,–no prospect of an end.’

As John Muir said, the world, though made, is yet being made.  That this is still the morning of creation.  That mountains, long conceived, are now being born, brought to light by the glaciers, channels traced for rivers, basins hollowed for lakes. ”

He also said,

“Everybody needs beauty as well as bread, places to play in and pray in, where Nature may heal and cheer and give strength to body and soul and alike.”

 

After all, J.B. Priestly had said this about the Grand Canyon in Harper’s Magazine,

“There is of course no sense at all in tyring to describe the Grand Canyon.  Those who have not seen it will not believe any possible description. Those who have seen it know that it cannot be described… It is not a show place, a beauty spot, but a revelation.  The Colorado River made it; but you feel when you are there that God gave the Colorado River its instructions.  The thing is Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony in stone and magic light.   I heard rumors of visitors who were disappointed. The same people will be disappointed at the Day of Judgment.”

 

 

Sedona

Arizona, Nature, Sedona

 

There are many spectacular places in Arizona.Sedona is certainly one of them. Chris and I have been here many  times. This year we actually did not go there. These photos are from previous years.

One of the most photographed places in Arizona is Cathedral Rock. It is spectacular.

 

 

This is a panorama taken from above the city by the airport where there are great views.Every where you look there is spectacular scenery.

 

It does not matter how often I go to Sedona. I never get enough of it.

 

This is called Bell Rock.

 

Another view of Cathedral Rock

 

Wild, Wild Horses

2017 Trip to Southwest USA, History, Nature

 

On a exploration of the Tonto National Forest by car, we stopped at Butcher Jones Road where we were surprised by a herd of wild horses walking through the picnic area and beach. Many, including us, ambled up to them trying to take photographs. I counted 13 horses in the herd. It is amazing to see wild horses. One onlooker explained to me that this was the only place the horses could access water so they came almost every day for a drink. We watched carefully to make sure we were not trampled. Apparently no one has ever got hurt by them though he recommended standing close to a tree since they never ran into trees.

Another photographer explained to me that he was part of a conservation group that successfully pleaded with the governor to halt efforts to send them to a glue factory. For now at least their tenure is secure. I applauded him for his efforts. We took many photographs of them today. How could we not?

The  volunteer group called the Salt River Wild Horse Management Group (‘SRWHMG”) has made the protection of these wild horses their mandate. They believe that the horses and their ancestors have been roaming free along the lower Salt River in Arizona, for centuries. Arizona’s State Archives hold historic evidence of their existence in the Salt River Valley, dating all the way back to the 1800’s when they were already referred to as “native stock”.  But in 2015 they were threatened with total removal.

SRWHMG monitors daily the horses and keeps records of them. Sometimes they rescue and rehabilitate suffering and injured Salt River wild horses. Part of the problem is that the horses wander onto highways. As a result this group maintains and repairs miles of fencing along Bush Highway and recreation areas. They want to keep a small piece of “wild” for future generations to come.

The mustangs may be descendants of Spanish or Iberian horses that were brought to the Americas by the Spaniards in the 16th century. The name “mustang” was derived from the Spanish word mustengo, which means “ownerless beast.” Today the word “mustang” and “wild horse” are used interchangeably.

In 1687 one of the first European explorers of the region, Missionary Father Eusebio Keno journeyed to Southern Arizona (then part of the Mexican Sonora). Due to his efforts, missions and stockyards were developed. He reportedly left hundreds of horses and cattle at each mission. His many expeditions on horseback covered over 50,000 square miles. He had 6 successful missions in Arizona including in Phoenix and Tubac.

By the 1800s wild horse herds were found all over the western plains and were noticed by many settlers and explorers. For example, Meriweather Lewis and William Clark saw them on their historic exploratory expedition from 1804-1806. Sadly, the horses were treated like the bison. Mass extermination started around 1850 because wild horses were considered competition for cattle. Many were shot or poisoned. The United States Forest Services (“USFS “) and ranchers organized roundups to shoot them. Even as late as 1908 the Forest Service put out a standing order to kill every wild horse on sight in Lander County. The wonderful animals were considered “worthless.” In the Phoenix area they were slaughtered in the thousands. The Bureau of Land Management now believes that there are about 500 left in Arizona.

The USFS  believes that they are not wild, but are escaped “livestock.” They did not want to be responsible for their management. They were not able to find any wild horses when they went looking, but  SRWHMG today believes they did not look very hard. SRWHMG suggests that they based their analysis on only one faulty outing. Yet as a result the USFS said they intended to sell the horses unless someone claimed them. In 2015 they issued a “notice to impound” to the public, but no one came to claim ownership. Even the Native American tribes did not claim them. The SRWHMG therefore takes the position that they are not truly feral or stray livestock. What is clear is that the horses are indeed wild and unowned. The SRWHMG believes that they are part of Arizona history and ought to be preserved. As a result they are doing their best to protect them from possible destruction by the USFS. For the time being it appears that they are safe, but this protected status is fragile. Ironically, the wild horses now rely on the advocacy efforts of humans, their long time foes. In the world of wild life conservation this is a frequent anomaly. Life is strange.

 

Birds of Arizona

Arizona, Birds, Nature

This has not been a great year for wild flowers. In fact it has been a rotten year for wild flowers.  However, the birds have come and presented themselves. I captured a few images. If anyone notices that I have misidentified any birds please tell. I know I am an incompetent birder.

Pyrrhuloxia

Black-crowned Night Heron

 

 

Western Tanager

 

American Avocet

 

Black-Necked Stilt

 

Great Egret

 

Northern Cardinal

 

The cardinal broke a cardinal rule. That rule is that birds will only come close to me when I am a long way from my camera.  This time, we were sitting down for lunch and this guy showed up very close by.  Very obliging.  The stilt and the avocet were photographed last year.

The Desert in Bloom

Nature, Wild Flowers, Wild Flowers of Southwest USA,

Through the wonders of irrigation, even in a year of drought, like this one, the desert can bloom. At the Desert Museum in Tucson, one of my favourite places, , that has been shown.

 

 

Flowers can bloom in the desert if they are given a boost of water.

 

The Museum is different from most. Almost everything in it is found outdoors. It is located right next to Saguaro National Park, dedicated to the Saguaro cactus found only in the Sonoran Desert.

The Century Plant is highly unusual, but beautiful in its own way.

In fact with care the desert can even bloom Hoepners. Of course it can’t make Don smile. That would be asking for too much.

 

 

There is no justice

Nature, Wild Flowers

Fairy Duster

There is no justice. One of the things that I loved about the Sonoran desert is wild flowers. Usually the sprinkle the desert in the spring. But not this year.This is the worst year for wild flowers in a long time. That is because it was the 4th driest year in Arizona more than a century. In particular the critical time for wild flowers here is Oct to December. If there is little rain then the plants will not produce flowers as they have to expend all of their energy on survival and have little left over for reproduction. Reproduction is of course the job of flowers.

Desert Globe Mallow

As a result I have been depressed at the startling lack of wild flowers. There have been some flowers, but very few. The worst wild flower season I have experienced in the desert.

 

Thank goodness there is one exception–cactuses. They are tough enough and resilient enough to survive and produce flowers even in a bad drought like this year. The only problem is that they have been slow in producing flowers. At least we have some. You just have to dance with the girl you brung. Of course in a bad year like this one, we must learn to cheat. Go to a place that waters their wild flowers. Are they still wild?

 

Strawberry Hedgehog Cactus

Hedgehog cactus is one of my favourites.  They have just recently started to bloom in the Sonoran Desert. Just as we were getting ready to leave.  Sometimes life sucks.  William Faulkner was right, “You can never catch up with injustice.”

 

Blue Desert Skies

Arizona, Arizona Photos, Nature

 

As a wanna be photographer I love blue skies. A few happy little white clouds add a lot, but I love the deep cobalt blue.

 

 

First it is true the skies in the desert are blue–really blue. Not puny blue like back home. This is real blue.

There is a reason that the skies are so blue in the desert. In all skies the sky appears to be blue. It is not really blue. The sky appears to be blue because of the way that sunlight interacts with air. Most ordinary visible light passes through the atmosphere with relatively little disturbance. However once in a while, a tiny particle of light–a photon— collides with an air molecule and bounces off it. This process is called scattering. The light we see in the sky is sunlight that has been scattered off air molecules. Yet the question remains why is blue instead of white?

Since the time of Isaac Newton that great British scientist, we have realized that ordinary white light is a mixture of all of the colours of the rainbow from red all the way through violet. Two other scientists Tyndall and Rayleigh showed that how strongly light is scattered by air molecules depends on the wavelength of the light. Light from the blue/violet end of the spectrum is much more likely to bounce off the air molecules than is light from the red/orange end of the spectrum. As a result of that most reddish light travels through the atmosphere more or less unimpeded by air molecules. However, enough of the light from the blue/violet end of the spectrum is scattered into our eyes to make the sky appear blue to us. So the sky appears to be blue, because we see more of that light than from the other end of the spectrum.

Of course ultra violet light, which is even farther beyond the blue/violet end of the spectrum, is scattered even more than the blue or violet light but that light is invisible to us. Some animals like hummingbirds and bees can see it but we can’t.

 

As David Wentworth Lazaroff said,

Sonoran Desert skies are such a deep blue (to human eyes) because desert air is unusually pure, that is, compared to the air above many other places on the planet; its relatively free of the tiny floating particles and droplets called aerosols. Aerosols come in a wide range of sizes, and the larger ones reduce the blueness of he sky. Unlike air molecules, they scatter light of all colors about equally. As a result, they seem to fill the sky with white light, diluting the blue.

Desert air has so few of these large aerosols partly because it’s so dry. In more humid climates water vapor condenses on microscopic airborne particles, forming tiny droplets that we see as hazes and fogs. This is especially true in coastal areas, where tiny salt crystals from evaporating ocean spray are especially good at capturing water vapor and creating water droplets. In fact morning fog is a routine occurrence in parts of the Sonoran Desert along the western coast of Baja, California. [1]

[1] David Wentworth Lazaroff, “Desert Air and Light,” in A Natural History of the Sonoran Desert, edited by Steven J. Phillips & Patricia Wentworth Comus (2000) p.55-56

Miracle Spring Water

Birds, Nature

Ring-necked Duck in “Reclaimed water”

Watching television I was stunned by a TV ad. The ad was from  television evangelist Peter Popoff  who did not ask for money. In fact he offered to give something away for free. There was a miracle right there. The product was “Miracle Spring Water.” “God’s plan for us has always been to be in health and prosper. He’s using the Miracle Spring Water to do just that.” A woman on the ad claimed, 2 days after she tried it she received $2,500 and then 2 days later $30,000! One young man said it changed his whole life. Another person said right after drinking it he got a new car! Another said that her relationship with her mother remarkably changed after imbibing the elixir. He asked people to call for a free bottle with absolutely no obligation. “You are next in line for a miracle.”

I didn’t call. Of course, I suspect that callers will be contacted eventually to buy something. After all people who believe in miracle spring water will believe anything. It is like wearing a sign “Gullible” on your forehead.

Canadian Singer/Songwriter Roy Forbes (formerly Bim) said if you don’t believe in miracles you may be taking bad advice.” Do you believe in miracles? Then I remembered I had seen miracle spring water that day–at Veterans Oasis Park in Chandler Arizona where spoiled wastewater has been recharged into creeks and a lake that lures birds from all across the state while providing a recreational for many people . Birders (Chris says we are bird brains)  like me. Fathers fishing with their children. Families enjoying a picnic beside the pond. That is miraculous spring water.