Sandstone Wonderland - Sep '11

White House campground – a few miles south from 20 Milestone on US 89 in UT.

Bingo for Wave at Paria Contact Station just south from 20 Milestone on US 89 in UT. 10 walk-in hikers are allowed to go in Wave per day. For 4 days my name wasn’t selected out of 42, 44, 45, and 42 interested hikers. Something similar happened to me in 2005 in my attempt to climb Mt Whitney, but that was for one drawing only. I found solution and went to Mt Whitney (14,497ft or 4.419m) in winter conditions (permit not required) on skis. After that I went on skis on many 14-ners, Elbrus (18,510ft or 5.642m) and McKinley (20,320ft or 6.194m). How to go around lottery for Wave – I don’t have idea… yet (paragliding?!?)

The Toadstools – Red Hoodoos. Just north from 19 Milestone on US 89 in UT.

A toadstool is a formation which has a boulder perched on a rock column, like a mushroom, or “toadstool”. It is formed over millions of years when the softer rock under the boulder erodes away, leaving only the rock pedestal supporting a capstone.

Lake Powell – excursion to Rainbow Bridge

49 miles one way …

Amazing sceneries…

Approaching Rainbow Bridge…

Rainbow Bridge is the world's largest known natural bridge.

It is 290ft (more than 88m) from its base to the top and spans 275ft (almost 84m) across the river. The top of the bridge measures 42ft (almost 13m) thick and 33ft (more than 10m) wide.

Wahweap Hoodoos – White Hoodoos.

The towering white columns of Entrada sandstone have brown cups of Dakota Sandstone.

A couple of miles driving north of Big Water on US 89 in UT and 4 miles hiking will bring you there…

Remarkable erosion …

Impressive one…

Glen Canyon Dam is a concrete arch dam on the Colorado River in northern Arizona, just north of Page. The dam was built in 10 years (1956 – 1966) forming Lake Powell - the second largest artificial lake in US.

Some parameters: Height 710ft (220m) Length 1,560ft (480m) Crest width 25ft (7.6m) Base width 300ft (91m) Crest elevation 3,715ft (1,132m)

8 turbines inside: 5x 165 MW, 3x 157 MW Installed capacity: 1,296 MW (still less than one unit at Palo Verde Nuclear Generation Station 50 miles from Phoenix, AZ) Annual generation: 4.5 TWh

Lake Powell Surface area: 161,390 acres (65,310 ha) Max. water depth: 583ft (178m)

Lake Powell Capacity: 24,320,000 acre•ft (30.00 km3) Catchment area (Drainage basin): 108,335 sq mi (280,590 km2)

Smoothwater float trip (about 5 hrs) on Colorado River from Glen Canyon dam to Lee's Ferry.

Height of surrounding canyon rocks is above 700ft.

Glen Canyon is considered one of the jewels along the entire length of the mighty Colorado River …

…because of its high, colorful sandstone walls …

…and clear, flat, blue-green waters.

Ancient petroglyphs left by Ancestral Puebloan people…

Towards the end of trip surrounding canyon rocks are more than 1,000ft above us.

At Lee’s Ferry preparation for new adventures: Motorized boat for a couple of weeks rafting (left one), and Paddle boats for a few weeks of paddling downstream the Colorado River.

Horseshoe Band - the tremendous curve in the Colorado River. Unfortunately – I didn’t have wide-angle lens camera.

Extraordinary scenery – looking down 1,000ft (305m) of the sandstone to the river …

…attracts a lot of people.

Wupatki Pueblo ruins, located about 15 miles north of Flagstaff, AZ.

Here also – the nature is great artist.

Sunset Crater Volcano, just a few miles from the Park entrance…

Trees are fighting to survive in severe conditions…

Flower field towards Flagstaff, AZ