| Tucked away to one side of US 50 is the Black Canyon of the
Gunnison, one of the lesser known national parks. It features a road along
part of the rim with spectacular views of the mountain plateau and over
the valley leading towards Utah. |  |
 | This
canyon is the deepest in North America. It is impossible to portray the
full impact of this natural wonder with photographs. Neither is it
possible to comprehend the power of water which over the millennia has cut
through this rock. At times the canyon rims seem close enough to bridge
but you have to travel 80 miles to get to points you could hold a
conversation between. |
| And the rock is so dark in colour and the ravine so deep and
narrow. You begin to run out of descriptive words. In most places you
can't see the river since it is hidden by the folds of cliff far below,
and you can barely hear it. Yet it has rapids which tax the most ardent
white water enthusiasts. It was over 100 years between being found and the
first people making their way through the canyon bottom. |  |
 | This
shot (showing how much the telephoto lens can give a misleading idea of
scale) shows one of the few places you can see the water which flows
fiercely through. |
| There is a two mile walk at the end of the road to a viewpoint
where you can see the plain beyond the canyon. You can see the mountains
in the distance but you would drive much of the day to reach them. |  |
 | I
also found an angle to show both the canyon and the river. It seems just
like a tiny stream in the bottom but remember that telephoto lens! |
| Finally you can see the canyon and the valley beyond. To someone
brought up on English landscapes this is beyond my comprehension.
Just AWESOME! |  |
|