Post by Admin on Jul 25, 2022 20:53:53 GMT -7
This is one of my favorite images of Upheaval Dome. Just how big was it? I believe it was over 5 miles in diameter before it began eroding.
The Park Service marked the trails in red here.
The Trail Starts HERE:
Millions of Scuff Marks placed by the Park service have made the trail visible. It is also lined with stones.
LOOK AT THAT UNDULATING NAVAJO SANDSTONE! If this was a salt dome that rock would have broken into chunks.
Instead it was shock fluidized into it's present scalloped shape.
In 1988 I was 53 years old. I decided I wanted to see it from inside the crater, so I started the trip down.
Some photos from my 1988 trip:
Driving on 313 from Moab I saw how geologic layers had frozen waves from the moment of impact. The flat layers on top came later. The impact is what made our Natural Arches (about 30 miles away) possible.
A closer look at the waves.
As I started down the trail these shock compressed "ribs" caught my eye.
Reaching a fairly level aria again I was thrilled to see volcanic ash - Chinle ash! Here was the dividing line between Jurassic and Triassic time! There is a lower red X marking that division on a later image.
Along here I picked up a heavy black rock I thought might have been part of the asteroid.
I wanted to have it tested but SUU insists it is just black silica petrified wood.
(Photo coming)
When I finally reached the crater entrance I realized I was never going to be able to make that climb!
So I decided to see the Green River while I was at the junction. Bad decision!
Suddenly it started getting dark down in the canyon.
I turned around and started getting gone back the way I had come.
It was dark when I reached the switch-back area, and I climbed by starlight. The rocks made it easy to stay on the trail, BUT I was getting tuckered. At 2:00AM, somewhere near the upper red X I laid down on the trail and went to sleep.
I woke cold at early dawn and made it back to my car - the ONLY vehicle there!
Now that you know where to look, you can pick out the trail.
The Park Service marked the trails in red here.
The Trail Starts HERE:
Millions of Scuff Marks placed by the Park service have made the trail visible. It is also lined with stones.
LOOK AT THAT UNDULATING NAVAJO SANDSTONE! If this was a salt dome that rock would have broken into chunks.
Instead it was shock fluidized into it's present scalloped shape.
In 1988 I was 53 years old. I decided I wanted to see it from inside the crater, so I started the trip down.
Some photos from my 1988 trip:
Driving on 313 from Moab I saw how geologic layers had frozen waves from the moment of impact. The flat layers on top came later. The impact is what made our Natural Arches (about 30 miles away) possible.
A closer look at the waves.
As I started down the trail these shock compressed "ribs" caught my eye.
This is where the trail started dropping rapidly.
The "DOME" once had a shock smoothed finish all over.
Near to impact shock imposed waves.
Getting quite steep now.
As we double-backed on the trail I was amazed to see STALACTITES on the walls overhead.
Reaching a fairly level aria again I was thrilled to see volcanic ash - Chinle ash! Here was the dividing line between Jurassic and Triassic time! There is a lower red X marking that division on a later image.
Along here I picked up a heavy black rock I thought might have been part of the asteroid.
I wanted to have it tested but SUU insists it is just black silica petrified wood.
(Photo coming)
When I finally reached the crater entrance I realized I was never going to be able to make that climb!
So I decided to see the Green River while I was at the junction. Bad decision!
Suddenly it started getting dark down in the canyon.
I turned around and started getting gone back the way I had come.It was dark when I reached the switch-back area, and I climbed by starlight. The rocks made it easy to stay on the trail, BUT I was getting tuckered. At 2:00AM, somewhere near the upper red X I laid down on the trail and went to sleep.
I woke cold at early dawn and made it back to my car - the ONLY vehicle there!
Now that you know where to look, you can pick out the trail.