Arches National Park - Moab, UT September 17, 18

September 17th - Went into Moab for coffee and tea and to check out the town.  We had a 1:00 timed entry for Arches, so had some time.  When we got back to the trailer the weather was very windy.  We looked and the forecast was 25-35 mile an hour winds with gusts up to 40-45.  It was sandy where we were and it was bugging Dave’s eye, so we figured it would be worse in the park being all open.  So we ended up playing a game and having a somewhat lazy day.

We saw the moon rising when we were walking the campground in the evening.  It was huge.  Turns out it was a super moon.  We also found out there was a partial lunar eclipse tonight, so we went back out a little later and saw that.  It was just a little bit at the top.  We sat on a picnic table and in front of us was the moon and if you laid back you saw lots of stars.  I am sure we would have seen lots more stars had the moon not been so super.

The moon actually looked white and we were not able to get any picks of the lunar eclipse.

I also wanted to share a picture of what our view was from the campground.

September 18th we were able to get a 9am timed entry for Arches.  We were very happy about that and headed to Delicate Arch to hike.  It’s a little over 3 miles to the arch, mostly up, but boy is it worth it.  We sat up there for quite a while just enjoying the peacefulness and beauty.  I also watched a little chipmunk scurrying around a bit. 

Dave is walking away from the side of the arch

Notice the people at the base of the arch and how small they are

The scurrying chipmunk

The hike down was much easier and we detoured passed the petroglyphs on the way down.  The sign told us that the style of the markings helps to date them.  In this petroglyph there are people on horses.  History tells us that Ute acquired horses from Spanish traders as early as the 1580s.  

Dave likes to ask why isn’t it considered graffiti.  I think because it was trying to tell a story as opposed to just putting initials showing you were there, but I can also see his side as you are defacing nature.  

After Delicate Arch we went out to an area that had Tunnel Arch, Pine Tree Arch and Landscape Arch.  

Today’s geology lesson on how arches form:

1. upward pressure causes cracks in the sandstone
2. Rainwater erodes the sandstone. Cracks deepen and widen until fins form.
3. Sometimes erosion scoops out the sides of fins until an arch forms
4. Erosion expands the opening until the arch finally falls

Tunnel Arch - note there are two arches here on in the upper left and the obvious one.

Landscape Arch.  You can see that this one is much closer to eroding away

Pinetree Arch - we figure named for the pine trees growing under it.  It really made a nice frame for view

Pine tree arch

Just a view of the massive stone formations

This is an example of an arch in the making

These are I spoke of in the geology lesson

After this hike we headed back to the campground to relax.

Til next time…