Upper Falls of the yellowstone, Yellowstone Nat. Park, Wyo.

Publication

Upper Falls of the yellowstone, Yellowstone Nat. Park, Wyo.

Description

UPPER FALLS OF THE YELLOWSTONE, YELLOWSTONE NAT. PARK, WYO. In order to enjoy this inspiring view of the Upper Falls we have crossed to the E. side of the river by the Chittenden Bridge, which we see in the distance and made our way to the brink of the cliff near Canyon Lodge. The Upper Falls are interesting not only because of their rocky setting, which is unusually find, but because the waters are so suddenly massed at the summit and so precipitately plunged into a deep, seething pool 109 ft. below. At their base the narrow gorge, now a canyon, turns sharply at a right angle and rushes the water away toward the Lower Falls, where a still dizzier plunge is to be made. From Chittenden Bridge the river has a tempestuous journey over its two falls and through the constricted channel of the Grand Canyon to the point, near Gardiner, where it crosses the northern boundary of the Park. In this distance of 36 miles its total descent is about 2,100 ft. In the profile of the "Greater Yellowstone" which we will find on the reverse side of View 43, this rapid descent of the river is graphically shown. We see how it has literally carved its way down through the brink of the Park plateau whose surface has been built up by volcanic outpourings in the perfect basin previously existing between the surrounding mountain ranges. In viewing the Grand Canyon itself we se how this carving has actually progressed, for the stupendous walls of the gorge consist entirely of volcanic matter and owe their brilliant coloring to decomposition of its chemical ingredients through the action of steam and hot water. (View looking S. W. Elev. 7,600 ft. Lat. 45° N.; Long. 111° 30' W.)