Slot canyon

Slot canyon

A slot canyon is a narrow canyon, formed by the wear of water rushing through rock. A slot canyon is significantly deeper than it is wide. Some slot canyons can measure less than one metre (3 ft) across at the top but drop more than 30 m (100 ft) to the floor of the canyon.

Most slot canyons are formed in sandstone and limestone rock, although slot canyons in other rock types such as granite and basalt are possible. Even in sandstone and limestone, only a very small number of creeks will form slot canyons. This is due to a combination of the particular characteristics of the rock, and regional rainfall.

lot canyons around the world

Slot canyons are found in many parts of the world, predominantly in areas with low rainfall. Some of the most well known slot canyons are to be found in the southwest of the USA. Other significant areas include the Sierra de Guara in northern Spain, the Pyrenees on the border of France and Spain, and the Blue Mountains in New South Wales, Australia.

Australia

The largest known area of slot canyons in Australia is in the Blue Mountains, west of Sydney. They occur in a narrow band of sandstone that runs roughly 30 km (19 mi) from east to west, and about 100 km (62 mi) from south to north. The majority of these canyons are in the Wollemi Wilderness, and are difficult to access. A small number are regularly visited by canyoners on weekends in summer. The Grand Canyon, near Blackheath, has a tourist track along its rim, but requires abseiling or swimming to visit fully.

Sandstone slot canyons can also be found in a few more remote parts of Australia, including:
* the Bungle Bungles in Purnululu National Park, Western Australia
* Karijini National Park in Western Australia
* Carnarvon Gorge in Queensland

Jordan

The "Siq" in Petra, Jordan is a famous slot canyon. It was a location in the film Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.

USA

The U.S. state of Utah has the largest concentration of slot canyons in the world [ [http://www.zionnational-park.com/slots.htm Zion slot canyons] ] . Antelope Canyon, one of the most famous of the slot canyons, is located in Arizona near Page, on the Navajo reservation. There are also numerous slot canyons in the valley between US Route 89 and the Vermilion Cliffs in Arizona, and can be seen as one descends into the valley on US 89, but these are also on the Navajo reservation and are closed to the public. Several canyons accessible to the public are within Zion National Park and Death Valley National Park.

Drowning danger

Storms that are too far away to see can cause dangerous flash flooding in slot canyons, and several professionals advise avoiding hiking in them altogether if there is any sign of rain. In September 2008 a couple drowned in Utah, and in 2005 a group of students in a nearby location drowned as well, despite having wetsuits on [ [http://www.thedenverchannel.com/news/17448014/detail.html News story of drownings] ] . In many slot canyons, it can be miles before a safe exit or rescue is possible.

References

External links

* [http://www.zionnational-park.com/zion-national-park-canyoneering.htm Zion National Park Slot Canyons]
* [http://www.zionnational-park.com/slots.htm Southern Utah's Slot Canyons]
* [http://www.americansouthwest.net/slot_canyons/index.html Slot Canyons of the American Southwest]
* [http://www.canyonchronicles.com/ The Canyon Chronicles: Slot Canyon Photography]


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Поможем написать курсовую

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Slot Canyon — Der Antelope Canyon in Arizona Slot Canyon ist die amerikanische Bezeichnung für eine enge, durch fließendes Wasser geschaffene Schlucht. Slot Canyons sind ein typisches Landschaftsmerkmal des Colorado Plateaus im Südwesten der USA. Leicht… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • slot canyon —    A long, narrow, deep and tortuous channel or drainageway with sheer rock walls eroded into sandstone or other sedimentary rocks, especially in the semiarid western USA (e.g., Colorado Plateau); subject to flash flood events; depth to width… …   Glossary of landform and geologic terms

  • Slot — may refer to: * Slot, a space for a container on a ship usually expressed as a 20 or 40 slot (ie 20 or 40 feet). * Slot antenna, a directional antenna consisting of a slot in a piece of metal * Slot canyon, a type of narrow canyon formed by the… …   Wikipedia

  • Canyon en fente — Une partie du Antelope Canyon, en Arizona …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Canyon — Dieser Artikel wurde wegen inhaltlicher Mängel auf der Qualitätssicherungsseite des Portals Geowissenschaften eingetragen. Dies geschieht, um die Qualität der Artikel im Themengebiet Geowissenschaften zu steigern. Bitte hilf mit, die Mängel zu… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • canyon —    A long, deep, narrow, very steep–sided valley cut primarily in bedrock with high and precipitous walls in an area of high local relief (e.g., mountain or high plateau terrain), often with a perennial stream at the bottom; similar to but larger …   Glossary of landform and geologic terms

  • Canyon — For other uses, see Canyon (disambiguation). Gorge redirects here. For the figure from Greek mythology, see Gorge (mythology). For the old English meaning, see throat. Grand Canyon, Arizona …   Wikipedia

  • Canyon (band) — Infobox musical artist Name = Canyon Img capt = Img size = Landscape = Background = group or band Birth name = Alias = Born = Died = Origin = Washington, D.C., United States Instrument = Voice type = Genre = Indie rock Slowcore Occupation = Years …   Wikipedia

  • slot — Synonyms and related words: IC analysis, abysm, abyss, aperture, appositive, arroyo, assign, assignment, attribute, attributive, box canyon, breach, break, broaching, canyon, cavity, channel, chap, chasm, check, chimney, chink, clearing, cleave,… …   Moby Thesaurus

  • canyon — Synonyms and related words: abysm, abyss, arroyo, box canyon, breach, break, cavity, chap, chasm, check, chimney, chink, cleft, cleuch, clough, col, coulee, couloir, crack, cranny, crevasse, crevice, cut, cwm, defile, dell, dike, ditch, donga,… …   Moby Thesaurus

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”