Arches National Park - October 2008
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South Window at dawn of my first day in Arches National Park. Notice the hiker in the lower left corner of the window...

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Landscape Arch. With a span of 290 feet, it is considered the longest arch in the world. It had been 12' thick at its thinest point; but after sections fell a few years ago, it is now only 7 feet thick.

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The debris from the recent thinning of Landscape Arch

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Dead Horse Point - the Colorado River meandering through canyons

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Newspaper rock - recording petroglyphs over a 2,000 year period

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Details within a small section of Newspaper Rock

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Jug Handle Arch

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Or a menacing bird?

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Or consuming the moon?

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An area known as the "Firey Furance" - the paths within form a maze that require a guide to explore

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The Firey Furnance, up close

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Double Arch - notice the tiny people.A bridal party was shooting pictures under this arch, in Tux and white gown, an hour earlier.

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The largest span of the two arches at Double Arch

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Double Arch

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A plateau at the Island in the Sky district within Canyonland National Park

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Fisher Towers approaching dusk

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Mesa Arch at sunrise. The glow is caused by the early sun striking the 45 degree cliff immediately below the arch and reflecting upward.

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The "washer women" at Mesa Arch

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Looking at the "needles" of the Needles District of Canyonland National Park

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Cottonwood Tree in the Needles District of Canyonland

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The living soil - cryptobiotic soil - composed of cyanobacteria, lichen, algae, and fungi.

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Life spouts from the cryptobiotic soil

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Cottonwood tree at the base of Elephant Hill within Canyonland NP

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Petrified Dunes, framed by the La Sal Mountains

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Rock face, "guarding" the entrance to the Devil's Garden

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The path to Wall Arch - up the top of one of the formations leading deeper into the Devil's Garden

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The arch formerly known as Wall Arch - it collapsed 2 1/2 months prior to this image

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Rock formations within the Primative Trail of the Devil's Garden

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Life grows wherever there is a spot of earth and occassional water

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"Submarine rock"

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Double O Arch, deep within the Devil's Garden

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Petroglyphs

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The Bear petroglyph

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"Park Avenue"

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Balanced Rock

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Sunrise at South Window on my last day at Arches NP

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Delicate Arch

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Contemplating the scale of Delicate Arch

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North Window area dusk

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Sunset