I place my hands on my hips and breathe deeply from the last stretch of the hike. I take in my view. The canyon valley and ridges loom over me. I have traveled through most of the continental United States, but all of the mountains and rivers disappear as soon as I see the multicolored rock glowing hues of red and purple in the setting sun. The Grand Canyon is my sanctuary. Through all of my struggles and triumphs, I always remember to take time to visit my favorite ridge, whether it be in person or through memories or fantasies. My first memory of the Grand Canyon does not do my sanctuary justice. At five years old, I was filled with curiosity and wonder at how something as large as the ridges and valleys below me could exist. The only word running through my mind was unfathomable. Although it was such a big word for a small kid, I said it with confidence. I enjoyed learning and the Grand Canyon piqued an interest in me that grows to this day. …show more content…
People fight and parents fight more than they should. To escape, I created my happy place. I always imagine myself looking over the edge of the ridge contemplating what would happen if I hiked down one of the trails. What would happen if I walked through my happy place forever? Would I be content, or would I be faced with an external conflict rather than an internal one? In times of struggle, for example, when my parents contemplated divorce, I picture myself hiking down the rocky trails and creating a new life far away from all of the drama and
It was simply amazing hiking out there, the mountains covered in tall trees that dug into the rocky soil, the beautiful sky, when visible. Even in the midst of strenuous exercise I still en...
Zig-zag, back and forth, down, down, down, Jonathon, Dad, and I went into a mysterious new world. Now that I have gone into this hot, dry canyon surrounded by monstrous hoodoos, I have seen what it is really like to leave the small town of Seymour, and emerge into the greatness of this world. I have now seen several other National Parks on one of the most renowned places on earth for mysterious creations, the Colorado Plateau. Of all the beautiful places on it, even the Grand Canyon, I have found my favorite one. Bryce Canyon National Park. I thought it was amazing, because it was the most diverse to anything I have ever seen before. We hiked down into it and I felt like I was surrounded by skyscrapers. We trekked around a little, but we didn’t
Everyone’s experience is not all the same similarly to the Grand Canyon situation that is mentioned by Percy. The individual needs to be taken into consideration. Like with me, I went to many tourists spots, such as the Valley of Ten Peaks, that are talked among many people that and have been influenced by the media, but when I got their I was left speechless by the sight of the of the Peaks. This experience is a counter point Percy’s idea, that prejudges of situations can skew the perspective of people. Percy states “[a tourist] Does not one see the same sight from the Bright Angel Lodge that Cardenas saw” (Percy 464). This quote explains how people cannot see the true beauty of a sight with these expectations that block it for us. Most of the time I have had my expectations of a sight given to me by media or other people lessen my experiences in life. This occurs because how much someone is willing to let so...
As my father and I finally fit the statue of the little Virgin Mary in the back of the car, it was time to get on the road. I could already taste the guavas from my great grandfather’s ranch. Feeling the warmth of the sun on my skin. The smell of my aunt’s cooking. Hearing the excitement of my great grandmother’s voice. I wanted to be there already, be in the beautiful country of Mexico. My thoughts wandered as we left my house. How much welcome, love, and the sadness of leaving was going to happen. It was too soon to find out.
Secondly, upon arrival at Palo Duro Canyon, the magnificent view up the hills or down below are vivid examples of how nature works placing each item where it needs to be. When a mental picture is taken it becomes unforgettable experiences, Once upon the hills, it is easy to appreciate
My youth pastor pulled out of our church parking lot at three am in the morning loaded down with a bus full of twenty four teenagers including me. We were off at last head to Colorado Spring Colorado, little did I know, our bus was going to fall apart this very day.
On the winding, mountainous seven-mile drive, my ears crackled and popped as we ascended through the mountains. Suddenly, a mother black bear emerged alongside the road with her three little cubs wandering closing behind her, so I quickly grabbed my camera to capture the image of these striking animals. Approaching Clingmans Dome, I observed numerous dying trees and areas of bareness towering the Spruce-fir forest. Finally, I arrived at the Forney Ridge Parking Area below the summit and began the short, steep one-half mile hike on the paved spiral concrete ramp leading to the observation tower. The sun filtered through the misty-fog as I climbed higher, the mountain air had a fresh scent, and the breeze was slightly chilly. As I reached the top of the observation tower, I experienced some shortness of breath from the 6,643 feet of high elevation, so I took a moment to rest before enjoying the view. The concrete circular platform surrounding the tower provided an awe- inspiring panoramic view of the scenery for miles. The incredible scenery looked like an artist’s palette with vivid hues of green, shades of brown, and touches of yellow speckled throughout the landscape. The natural wonders in sight were breathtaking, just inspirational beauty. As I peered upward, I felt a sense of floating in a sea of clouds as they rolled in and out
A couple of years ago during one of those, on a whim after spending a few days in Arches National Park, my wife and I detoured to the snowy, icy south rim of the Grand Canyon. We journeyed toward it from the east side but got turned back at the National Parks’ gate; the road was snowed under from there on up. After retracing our steps, we traveled down to Flagstaff and spent the night, driving in my four by four truck up to the South Rim the next day. It was an eerie experience to stand on the edge of the South Rim and see only cloud; fog shrouded the canyon’s great gap, leaving us with visual doubts that anything was really there. Defeated, we hit the Visitor’s Center and gathered information so we could go back sometime in the spring or fall with weather more to our liking.
Canyonlands National Park, immense amounts of wilderness and rock, is located at the heart of the Colorado Plateau (Canyonlands National Park-Geology). Millions of years have formed specific features to the rock and surrounding wilderness that make it so special. Throughout the park, you will find that the sedimentary rock has formed many features such as hundreds of colorful canyons, mesas, buttes, fins, arches, and spires. The Green and Colorado rivers have played a major role in the formation of many of these features. These rivers cut through the park forming two massive canyons. This further splits the park into three distinct zones. “Island in the Sky” sits to the north while “The Maze” sits off to the west and “The Needles” to the east (Canyonlands National Park Information Guide). “Island in the Sky” serves as Canyonlands’ observation tower; it allows tourists to see overwhelming vistas of the rest of the land. “The Maze,” as hinted at by the name has been described as a “30 square mile puzzle in sandstone” (NPS: Nature & Science» Geology Resources Division). This section of the park often ranks as one of the most remote and inaccessible areas of the United States. Lastly, “The Needles” is known for its diversity in rock features. Throughout this land, features such as sculptured rock spires, arches, canyons, grabens, and potholes can be seen. The varying names hint at the diversity of the land as a whole. As said by The National Park Service’s Geology Resources Division, “Traces of the Anasazi can be found in almost every canyon in the Needles. Many of their stone and mud dwellings and storehouses are remarkably well-preserved. Tower Ruins, built high on a cliff ledge in a side canyon of Horse Canyon, is an outstanding ex...
In the article, “The Grand Canyon: A Whole New World”, the author is overcome by his awe for nature. For a moment he feels free from the stress and worry of his hectic life. He states “Where should I focus my vision? No idea. What direction should I face? No clue.” This shows how in everyday life he is more comfortable with knowing where to go and what to do. Seeing this huge example of nature’s expanse gives him the freedom that he can’t find in his life. The sheer size of the Grand Canyon makes him feel small and dwarfs his view of his own
Have you ever looked off a gigantic cliff? Now imagine traveling 30 miles per hour on a bike with curvy roads with enormous cliffs on your side with no rails. This is exactly what I did with my family when we went to Colorado. From the hotel we drove to a bike tour place to take us to the summit of Pikes Peak. After we arrived at the building we saw pictures of how massive the cliffs were, but what terrified me was the fact they had no side rails. This observation was thrilling as well as terrifying. It was an odd mix of emotions, but I loved the adrenaline rush it gave me. My dad whispered to me, “ This will be absolutely horrifying”.
Imagine a cut in the earth 277 miles long and a mile deep, the grand canyon is a huge place thats probably larger than you thought. It was formed in Northern Arizona, the Grand Canyon National Park is one of the most interesting places on the earth as far as discovery gose. There are many different landscapes in this wonderful place. People have been visiting the canyon since about the year 1540 as far as our records show, there could have been people earlier than this but the first records kept were only for this time period. Many people visit for the sights of the canyon in itself, but many people go for the adventures as well. The canyon is full of trails to hike, walls to climb, and
During the summer before third grade, my parents took my sister and me on a trip to Yellowstone National Park. As our plane waited to land, it circled Jackson Hole, Wyoming, showing me my first glimpse of the Grand Tetons, a spectacular sight that I remember very clearly. This view, and the thrill of flying for the first time, sparked a strong
“Hey!” My brother, Srikar, exclaimed one fine morning, “We should partake in a road trip to Niagara Falls, then from there, we can include a self-guided tour of Washington D. C.” I supported that idea because I portrayed it as the best, most logical, but my parents, good lord, they had different ideas.
One of the most enjoyable things in life are road trips, particularly to the Colorado mountains. Getting to spend time with your family and friends, while being in a beautiful place, is irreplaceable. The fifteen-hour road trip may feel never-ending, but gazing at the mountains from afar makes life’s problems seem a little smaller and causes worries to become a thing of the past. Coming in contact with nature, untouched, is a surreal experience. My family trip to the Colorado mountains last summer was inspiring.