Theme:
Before the literal drowning of the Southwest's second-longest canyon in the early 1980s, its environs were considered the most pastoral terrestrial Eden of the Southwest! Ergo, sine qua non!
Synopsis
: Apart from the Music Temple alcove and a myriad of other idyllic scenic settings scattered throughout the canyon's interior, the
Cathedral in the Desert
is considered the most celebrated of all the backcountry hideaways. Accordingly, this haven and habitat not too far from the Escalante and San Juan rivers are given notable literary praise, and some would prefer applying the noun, "requiem," given the fact Glen Canyon has been under water since the early 1980s, that is except for this upper-lake sector for a brief window of time in 2005. Whereas most Glen Canyon aficionados consider
The Cathedral
personifies the ultimate paradisal attraction on earth. Ergo, its sculpted features fashioned by erosion over millions of years was at the top of the list of numerous other backcountry scenic haunts that were sacrificed when the government's decision was made to construct a monster-size dam at the far southwestern end of Glen Canyon. Originally named for its natural similarity to a cathedral by two explorers in 1954 (Burnett Hendrix and Harlon Beamont), the two men rode burros up Clear Creek, which is a relatively short, finger-like tributary in the upper sector of Glen Canyon. The two were told most of the canyon's picturesque backcountry was somewhere in this vicinity, and, in particular, there was one sandstone sanctuary at the end of this side canyon they explored that summer day. At the time, they were also on a quest to discover unique geologic features and write an environmental article, given their discovery that day, they soon got that opportunity and more.
In time, others came to see what nature had created here out of Glen Canyon's predominantly sandstone features. Thus, weathering by wind and water, but mostly water to hone the facade of this peerless setting. For visitors, once the last corner of the passageway was turned, seeing
was forever engraved on one's senses; also a memory never to be forgotten. Another way to put it was the shockingly beautiful backdrop of its environs was a literal mantra inscribed in canyon walls. With elongated streaks of patina (aka "desert varnish") stretching upward on smooth sandstone walls some 600 feet (182.8 m) above the sandy floor, The colossal-size alcove's artistic creation is enhanced by a moss-covered lower wall at the far end of the opening was precisely what the two gentlemen riding burros discovered in the summer of 1954. So did all the other fortunate visitors who later followed.
The Cathedral in the Desert
! Without question, there could not be a more appropriate epithet for this outdoor theater and quasi-church where visitors come not to pray but to esteem nature's creative finesse.
Given the author's portrayal in this manuscript, when Lake Powell's level dropped dramatically in the spring of 2005, he was one of the fortunate few who visited this primal shrine of the ages in Clear Creek Canyon's backcountry. Like others before him, the first response and emotional overload were both sensational and somewhat dizzying. Pensively, he, like most others, stood in silence at the end of a dimly lit pathway and beheld
that quietly spoke volumes in its visual imagery.
114 pages 8 X 11 format
Thanks for dropping by. For more about the author's singular life and somewhat adventurous credentials, visit his redesigned website and feel free to contact him (embedded email upper left side). He'll respond. At the near top of the page, there are also lots of videos you might want to listen to and watch.
Dr. Rich and Baxter
Flagstaff, Arizona
https://www.richholtzin.com