Boulders in the Canyon. © Copyright 2012 G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

Red rock boulders at the base of a cliff in a slot canyon.

These boulders are of what I think is my favorite kind of red rock country sandstone. I’m afraid that I can’t name the various strata by memory, but I recognize it as coming from one of the thick, red layers that is generally quite homogeneous — the kind of rock that is often seen on a tower or cliff as a thick band.

Probably obviously, these rocks have been displaced from their original location in some way. I would have to go back to the spot and look to say for sure, but perhaps they fell from higher up on the canyon wall, though they could have eroded from a nearby layer or even have been moved downstream by flooding. Here they contrast with the rougher and more textured features of the rock lining the canyon.

G Dan Mitchell is a California photographer and visual opportunist. His book, “California’s Fall Color: A Photographer’s Guide to Autumn in the Sierra” is available from Heyday Books and Amazon.

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