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The
Black Canyon of the Gunnison is one of the deepest canyons in the U.S. The canyon walls are composed of volcanic schist, predominantly black in color, and
as the gorge reaches depths of over 2,000 feet while often being only 1500 feet across, sunlight illuminates the walls only briefly, hence the name 'Black Canyon'.
This
was pretty much a speed tour of the park. We have 12 hours of driving to do and much of it along mountainous terrain. If you're afraid of heights, don't come here.
There are 13 lookouts along the the southern road. The lookouts come right to the edge of the canyon. Some actually hang over the canyon!
You can see just how shear the walls are.
That's the river (at the bottom) that formed the canyon.
A lookout is at the point.
Fall colors were starting.
Pegmative Dikes: In Precambrian times, molten rock squeezed upward into fissures to form the light-colored bands. As the fluid slowly cooled and solidified, minerals crystallized out of the solution.
This is looking almost straight down.
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