This summer, I had the incredible opportunity of taking a geology class in the Southwest United States taught by Professors Malinconico and Sunderlin. Being a civil engineering major, I could not think of a better interim class to take, since geology plays a major role in the civil engineering field. What I would soon learn was that this was not any ordinary geology class, with ordinary lectures, professors, and classmates. This class would turn into an "extreme" geology excursion filled with many adventures and memories that would last a lifetime.
The course started with two full days of class at Lafayette where we learned the basics of geology. After grasping concepts such as plate tectonics, depositional environments, and rock identification, we headed to Las Vegas, N.V., to begin our adventure. We merely drove through Sin City in order to catch the sunset on the South Rim of the Grand Canyon, which was only a preview of the beauty we would experience later on the trip.
The next day, we hiked down the South Kaibab Trail where we learned about some of the depositional environments and rock formations of the canyon. We stopped at Cedar Ridge overlook for a lunch break before heading back to the top, where we enjoyed a leisurely walk around the south rim. This hike was only a warm-up for what was to come.
The following day we headed to Page, Ariz., making several highway stops along the way to discuss the geological features of the region. Once in Page, we made sure we got enough sleep for the following day when we would depart for our three-day whitewater rafting excursion on the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon. As we descended into the canyon, we began to see older and older rock formations. We camped out for three nights under the stars, taking multiple side hikes and relaxing on the rafts throughout the day. This was a great way to start off the trip because we were able to bond as a group while enjoying campfire stories, delicious food, and beautiful scenery.
As the rafting trip ended near Phantom Ranch, it was time to hike out of the canyon up the Bright Angel Trail. At 10 miles with a 5,000-feet-plus change in elevation, this hike proved to be the most challenging of the trip. Making several stops for water and food along the way, we finally made it to the top which was an extreme accomplishment for the class. We spent the night celebrating our success in Page and then headed to Zion, making several stops along the way to admire cross-bedding and see the Glen Canyon Dam and Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park.
Once in Zion, we learned about blind arches and the checkerboard mesa, and saw some of the most spectacular views of the trip. Our first hike in Zion was through the Narrows, a gorge up the north fork of the Virgin River. Hiking up the river was beautiful and enjoyable, even at points where the water was chest deep. The next day, we hiked up to Angel's Landing. After climbing up about 20 switchbacks, we were faced with a different type of challenge. The next part of the hike was a scramble, where we used chains to guide us to the top. Although I was unsure how I was going to get down, it was worth the effort to experience the spectacular views at the top.
From Zion, we made our way to Bryce, where we stayed in the famous Ruby's Inn. We hiked down to the bottom of the canyon through the hoodoos, which were formed through headward and slope wash erosion, a geological formation Bryce is famous for.
The next day we spent on the road stopping for a hike at Escalante State Park where we learned about petrified wood. The next stop of the day was one that I will remember forever. After traveling miles on a dirt road through the desert, we finally arrived at Spooky and Peek-a-boo Slot canyons. Hiking through these canyons required squeezing through small spaces and wading through puddles of knee-deep mud water. In order to exit Peek-a-Boo Canyon, we worked as a team as we climbed down a 30-foot wall into a large pond of mud at the bottom. We then hiked back to the cars through the desert, changed clothes, and made our way to Capitol Reef National Park.
At Capitol Reef, we learned about the park's monocline and were able to see petroglyphs carved into rock walls. From Capitol Reef, we made our way to Moab, Utah, where we would spend the next three nights of our trip while we visited Arches and Canyonlands national parks. At Arches, we spent the day hiking around the park learning how the arches were formed. We then headed back to the hotel for an afternoon break before setting out for a sunset hike to Delicate Arch. Although it was too cloudy to see the moonrise over the arch, we enjoyed watching the stars appear as we ate dinner and discussed Edward Abbey's Desert Solitaire.
The next day we made our way to Canyonlands where we learned about white rim sandstone and saw the Upheaval Dome and Mesa Arch. Our trip was winding down as we set out early the next day for Flagstaff, stopping at Monument Valley and Sunset Crater, where we learned about lava flows.
The following day, we took a helicopter ride to the Havasupai Indian Reservation where we hiked six miles round trip to the most beautiful waterfalls I have ever seen. Here we enjoyed some "extreme" swimming in the clear blue water, which was a nice way to cool off from the hike. We spent the night in the lodge where we barbequed, made s'mores, played basketball, and relaxed, making sure we got enough sleep for our hike the next day.
Waking up at 5 a.m., we headed out of the canyon for the second time of the trip, hiking eight miles and climbing 2,000 feet in elevation. Reaching the top of the canyon was bittersweet, as it was the last hike of our three-week adventure. We then made our way back to Vegas, stopping for a group lunch at the famous Route 66 Diner. After lunch, we made one more stop at the Hoover Dam, which was an incredible sight to see as a civil engineer. Once we checked into our hotel in Vegas, we took our final exam before spending a night out on the town where we went to various casinos before "hiking" back to the hotel.
The next morning came too soon, and it was time to say goodbye not only to the Southwest, but also to the great group of people I met through this experience. Not only did I learn a great deal about the geology of the national parks, I also made some "extreme" memories that I will never forget. This was truly an incredible experience made even better by the people whom I shared it with.
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