Seven
Natural Wonders of the World:
Grand Canyon
The Grand Canyon
is a steep-sided gorge carved by the Colorado River in the United
States state of Arizona. It is largely contained within the Grand
Canyon National Park - one of the first national parks in
the United States. President Theodore Roosevelt was a
major proponent of preservation of the Grand Canyon area.
Longstanding scientific consensus has been that the canyon was
created by the Colorado River over a six million year period. The
canyon is 277 miles long, ranges in width from 4 to 18 miles and
attains a depth of over a mile (1.83 km). Nearly two billion years
of the Earth's history have been exposed as the Colorado River and
its tributaries cut their channels through layer after layer of
rock while the Colorado Plateau was uplifted.
Geography
and Geology
The Grand Canyon
is a massive rift in the Colorado Plateau that exposes uplifted
Proterozoic and Paleozoic strata and is also one of the six
distinct physiographic sections of the Colorado Plateau province.
The Grand Canyon is unmatched throughout the world for the vistas
it offers to visitors on the rim. It is not the deepest
canyon in the world - but Grand Canyon is known for its
overwhelming size and its intricate and colorful landscape.
Geologically it is significant because of the thick sequence of
ancient rocks that are beautifully preserved and exposed in the
walls of the canyon. These rock layers record much of the early
geologic history of the North American continent.
The principal consensus among geologists is that the Colorado River
basin has developed in the past 40 million years. A recent study
places the origins of the canyon beginning some 17 million years
ago. Previous estimates had placed the age of the canyon at 5 to 6
million years. The result of all this erosion is one of the most
complete geologic columns on the planet.
Weather
Weather in the
Grand Canyon varies according to elevation. Temperatures vary
wildly throughout the year, with summer highs within the Inner
Gorge commonly exceeding 100 F (37.8 C) and winter minimum
temperatures sometimes falling below zero degrees Fahrenheit (-17.8
C) along the canyon's rims. Visitors are often surprised by these
potentially extreme conditions, and this, along with the high
altitude of the canyon's rims, can lead to unpleasant side effects
such as dehydration, sunburn, and hypothermia.
Tourism
Grand
Canyon National Park is one of the world's premier natural
attractions, attracting about five million visitors per
year. Overall, 83 per cent were from the United States,
while seventeen per cent of visitors were from outside the United
States; the most prominently represented nations were the United
Kingdom, Canada, Japan, Germany and The Netherlands.
Perhaps the most heart-stopping view of the canyon is had from the
Toroweap Overlook situated 3000 vertical feet above the Colorado
River. This region - "One of the most remote in the United
States" according to the National Park Service - is
reached only by one of three lengthy dirt tracks, that start from
St. George, Utah, Colorado City or near Pipe Spring National
Monument. A visit to this area can be challenging, but rewarding.
The Park Service manages the area for its primitive values and,
therefore, improvements and services are minimal.
To the left is a picture of my Mom and I at the Grand Canyon, taken
about five years ago. I must say, the site itself is really
something to see. If you're into nature, the Grand Canyon is
definitely worth a trip!
Reference / Image
Credits:
Wikipedia
1.
Wikimedia
2. Wikimedia
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