Driving through the canyon I saw sandstone.This sandstone though isn’t just one rock but instead multiple different varieties, which is something I learned today. The light sandstone is called Navajo sandstone and the red one Entrada sandstone. Entrada sandstone is the kind that forms arches. The whole park used to be a seabed, long, long ago. Looking at all the unique rock features, I am able to imagine that this was once the floor of the ocean. Balanced Rock, one of the popular characteristics in Arches National Park, is made from mud and the Entrada sandstone. It is a skinny rock tower with a 3,577 ton rock chunk balanced on top. Looking at it, you think that it is definitely going to fall before you take your eyes off. And it could, but it also might stay standing for several more years (as in thousands, who knows?). The arches are breathtaking; they stand beautiful and tall.
Formed by time and water, they make us look simple.
Today was so different than yesterday and both were equally interesting. Yesterday, I got to climb multi pitch for the first time. Multi pitch climbing is where you are more than one rope length off the ground and are able to climb taller than you normally can. With James, I climbed up to the top of the Looking Glass Arch to set up a big rope swing. While we were climbing I first belayed James and then, from above, James would belay me. At the top, we anchored in and then repelled through a small opening into the big cave. James went first and, once he touched the ground, I was ready to go. I sat down into the rope and slowly lowered myself. It was a little scary at first, but it was such a neat experience lowering myself (which is what repelling is). From far up, I saw the mountains in the distance – a beautiful panorama untouched by human hands.
–Gisela Victoria Geyer