Paul Smit  Mick Palarczyk | Features, Photos and TextTwo faces, one philosophy |
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FEATURE (Category: Americas | USA | autumn | hiking | naturereserves)
Utah/Arizona: in Search of the Wave
Utah/Arizona: in Search of the Wave
Deep in the heart of the Colorado plateau the Vermillion Cliffs Wilderness Area begins. An inaccessible and breathtakingly beautiful area. This is where we start our search for The Wave: the best-kept trekking secret of the USA. Read excerpts of this feature.
![Smit & Palarczyk > [USA.UTAH 7689] 'Holes in the rock.' Some walls are decorated with complicated patterns of indentations, holes and caves. It looks like a group of crazy sculptors with a strange sense of humour have been at work (Paria Canyon).](http://paulsmit.smugmug.com/photos/2048581_VWdEZ-Ti.jpg "Smit & Palarczyk > [USA.UTAH 7689] 'Holes in the rock.' Some walls are decorated with complicated patterns of indentations, holes and caves. It looks like a group of crazy sculptors with a strange sense of humour have been at work (Paria Canyon).")
![Smit & Palarczyk > [USA.UTAH 7698] 'Paria Canyon.' Entering the Paria Canyon is entering the wilderness. No trail, no camp sites, no drinking water. We have to carry everything with us.](http://paulsmit.smugmug.com/photos/2048578_MuKrD-Ti.jpg "Smit & Palarczyk > [USA.UTAH 7698] 'Paria Canyon.' Entering the Paria Canyon is entering the wilderness. No trail, no camp sites, no drinking water. We have to carry everything with us.")
![Smit & Palarczyk > [USA.UTAH 7702] 'Our diner table.' The table on which we eat our dry dinner comes straight off a Seventies album cover of the symphonic rock group Yes (camping wild in the Paria Canyon).](http://paulsmit.smugmug.com/photos/2048576_aob3C-Ti.jpg "Smit & Palarczyk > [USA.UTAH 7702] 'Our diner table.' The table on which we eat our dry dinner comes straight off a Seventies album cover of the symphonic rock group Yes (camping wild in the Paria Canyon).")
![Smit & Palarczyk > [USA.UTAH 7704] 'Our camp site.' Camping wild in the Paria Canyon.](http://paulsmit.smugmug.com/photos/2048574_vCqCu-Ti.jpg "Smit & Palarczyk > [USA.UTAH 7704] 'Our camp site.' Camping wild in the Paria Canyon.")
![Smit & Palarczyk > [USA.UTAH 7706] 'Dead tree.' Sculpted sandstone and a dead tree in the Paria Canyon.](http://paulsmit.smugmug.com/photos/2048572_fLLXN-Ti-1.jpg "Smit & Palarczyk > [USA.UTAH 7706] 'Dead tree.' Sculpted sandstone and a dead tree in the Paria Canyon.")
![Smit & Palarczyk > [USA.UTAH 7711] 'Petrefied dunes.' Once this corner of the Colorade Platreau looked like the Sahara. Later it was covered and the sand turned into sandstone. But it resurfaced and now erosion reshapes the layered sand of old dunes.](http://paulsmit.smugmug.com/photos/2048567_zP9dK-Ti.jpg "Smit & Palarczyk > [USA.UTAH 7711] 'Petrefied dunes.' Once this corner of the Colorade Platreau looked like the Sahara. Later it was covered and the sand turned into sandstone. But it resurfaced and now erosion reshapes the layered sand of old dunes.")
![Smit & Palarczyk > [USA.UTAH 7714]
'Above Paria Canyon.'
Once layers of sand were deposited in desert dunes. Later they were covered by other materials, they petrified and surfaced again when the Colorado Plateau was uplifted and then eroded.](http://paulsmit.smugmug.com/photos/106648567_MwSvA-Ti.jpg "Smit & Palarczyk > [USA.UTAH 7714]
'Above Paria Canyon.'
Once layers of sand were deposited in desert dunes. Later they were covered by other materials, they petrified and surfaced again when the Colorado Plateau was uplifted and then eroded.")
![Smit & Palarczyk > [USA.UTAH 7716]
'Balls everywhere.'
Balls of layered sandstone above the Paria Canyon. They may be of micro-organic origin, dating from the Jurassic era.](http://paulsmit.smugmug.com/photos/106652498_6tfCZ-Ti.jpg "Smit & Palarczyk > [USA.UTAH 7716]
'Balls everywhere.'
Balls of layered sandstone above the Paria Canyon. They may be of micro-organic origin, dating from the Jurassic era.")
![Smit & Palarczyk > [USA.UTAH 7719]
'Rock and roll.'
Ball of layered sandstone near the Paria Canyon. It may be of micro-organic origin, dating from the Jurassic era.](http://paulsmit.smugmug.com/photos/2048564_EKwEN-Ti.jpg "Smit & Palarczyk > [USA.UTAH 7719]
'Rock and roll.'
Ball of layered sandstone near the Paria Canyon. It may be of micro-organic origin, dating from the Jurassic era.")
[USA.UTAH 7711]
'Petrefied dunes.'
Once this corner of the Colorade Platreau looked like the Sahara. Later it was covered and the sand turned into sandstone. But it resurfaced and now erosion reshapes the layered sand of old dunes. ![> [USA.UTAH 7711] 'Petrefied dunes.' Once this corner of the Colorade Platreau looked like the Sahara. Later it was covered and the sand turned into sandstone. But it resurfaced and now erosion reshapes the layered sand of old dunes.](http://paulsmit.smugmug.com/photos/2048567_zP9dK-S.jpg "> [USA.UTAH 7711] 'Petrefied dunes.' Once this corner of the Colorade Platreau looked like the Sahara. Later it was covered and the sand turned into sandstone. But it resurfaced and now erosion reshapes the layered sand of old dunes.")
[USA.UTAH 7711]
'Petrefied dunes.'
Once this corner of the Colorade Platreau looked like the Sahara. Later it was covered and the sand turned into sandstone. But it resurfaced and now erosion reshapes the layered sand of old dunes. filename: 824 |
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