The Black Canyon

The Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park

Montrose, Colorado

July 30, 2015

To me, all of our national parks hold something unique and beautiful.  The steep walls of the Black Canyon range in depth from 2,700 feet north of Warner Point to 1,750 feet at the Narrows.  The Gunnison has a very steep gradient as it flows through the canyon with an average fall of 95 feet per mile.  This gives the river the energy needed to cut downward faster than other kinds of erosion.

Our first stop is Tomichi Point looking southeasterly.  The canyon seems to go on forever.

_DSC8779_80_81_2015-07-30-Black-Canyon-Gunnison-NP-Tomichi-PtA view into the Chasm can make one a little uneasy.  Standing here it is hard to image anyone trying to cross the canyon or navigate it’s waters.

_DSC8839_40_41_2015-07-30-Black-Canyon-Gunnison-NP-ChasmMy favorite is the Painted Wall with it’s amazing fissures.  This is just the top.  It goes down to the bottom of the canyon.

_DSC8883_4_5_2015-07-30-Black-Canyon-Gunnison-NP-Painted-Wall-ortnAn early surveyor, H.C. Wright was a member of the 1882 Byron Bryant railroad survey.  He said “Hereto was unfolded view after view of the most wonderful, the most thrilling of rock exposures, one vanishing from view only to be replaced by another still more imposing.  A view which could easily be made into a Scottish Feudal Castle would be followed by another suggesting the wildest parts of imposing height and majestic proportions…”

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