Colorado River (Colo.-Mexico); Grand Canyon (Ariz.); United States -- Discovery and exploration
An hour or two before sunset I cross to the mainland and climb a point
of rocks where I can overlook the park and its surroundings. On the
east it is bounded by a high mountain ridge. A semicircle of naked hills
bounds it on the north, west, and south.
The broad, deep river meanders through the park, interrupted by many
wooded islands; so I name it Island Park, and decide to call the canyon
above, Whirlpool Canyon.
June 23.--We remain in camp to-day to repair our boats, which have had
hard knocks and are leaking. Two of the men go out with the barometer to
climb the cliff at the foot of Whirlpool Canyon and measure the walls;
another goes on the mountain to hunt; and Bradley and I spend the day
among the rocks, studying an interesting geologic fold and collecting
fossils. Late in the afternoon the hunter returns and brings with him a
fine, fat deer; so we give his name to the mountain--Mount Hawkins. Just
before night we move camp to the lower end of the park, floating down
the river about four miles.
PROM ECHO PAEK TO THE MOUTH OF UINTA KIVEK.
177
June 24.--Bradley and I start early to climb the mountain ridge to the
east, and find its summit to be nearly 3,000 feet above camp. It has
required some labor to scale it; but on its top, what a view! There is a
long spur running out from the Uinta Mountains toward the south, and
the river runs lengthwise through it. Coming down Lodore
powell-canyons-120.jpg
VIEW OF SIIUMOPAVI.
and Whirlpool canyons, we cut through the southern slope of the Uinta
Mountains; and the lower end of this latter canyon runs into the spur,
but, instead of splitting it the whole length, the river wheels to the
right at the foot of Whirlpool Canyon in a great curve to the northwest
through Island Park. At the lower end of the park, the river
178
CANYONS OF THE COLORADO. powell-canyons-121.jpg
RUINS.
turns again to the southeast and cuts into the mountain to its center
and then makes a detour to the southwest, splitting the mountain ridge
for a distance of six miles nearly to its foot, and then turns out of it
to the left. All this we can see where we stand on the summit of Mount
Hawkins, and so we name the gorge below, Split Mountain Canyon.
We are standing 3,000 feet above the waters, which are troubled with
billows and are white with foam. The walls are set with crags and peaks
and buttressed towers and overhanging domes. Turning to the right, the
park is below us, its island groves reflected by the deep, quiet waters.
Rich meadows stretch out on either hand to the verge of a sloping plain
that comes down from the distant mountains. These plains are of almost
naked rock, in strange contrast to the meadows,--blue and lilac colored
rocks, buff and pink, vermilion and brown,
FROM ECHO PARK TO THE MOUTH OF UINTA RIVER.
179
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account