We traveled 800-miles to see one of the most spectacular geological formations our country has to offer. See below for our first view of the Grand Canyon, which shows only part of the 277-mile expanse. On day 3, the group took a hike on Cedar Ridge Trail down into the canyon, which can get up to 1-mile deep—that’s 6,000-feet! We didn’t get that far down, but we did get far enough to see the many different rock layers that make the canyon’s walls . We saw compressed layers of shale, limestone, and other iron-rich rock that gives the canyon its distinctive horizontal striations that you can see clearly in the picture below. These rocks are also responsible for the rich reds and blues that become most vibrant later in the day when the sun is beginning to set. It’s taken 17-million years for the Grand Canyon to become the formation that we know today, and it is ever changing.
Some highlights of the trip were seeing a California Condor, an endangered bird with a 10-foot wingspan, two peregrine falcons, and last but not least our visit to the Hualapai reservation on the West Rim of the Grand Canyon. There, we ironically learned how to be cowboys; we practiced lassoing, (fake) gun-slinging, and archery.
Student perspectives of this trip will be posted in two weeks.
