Lost Beauty
As of late I have become deeply fascinated by natural features of outstanding beauty that have been forever altered or erased, either by man or nature. It's important to realize that many of the features of our Earth today are transcient- be it a mountain, waterfall, arch, cave or human creation. It is a constant source of wonder for me to imagine all the amazing things that have existed on our planet during its eons of history (the world's largest volcano, the waterfalls at the Straits of Gibraltar, the valley that would have put Yosemite to shame, the world's lowest and highest points ever, the largest cave passage, its most stunning arch).
Here's a few of the most amazing places you'll never see:
The Pink and White Terraces, New Zealand
Widely considered the "Eighth Wonder of the World," they were once one of New Zealand's top tourist attractions. On the same scale as Mammoth Hot Springs in Yellowstone, these two separate locations consisted of cascades of tiered silica terraces with filled pools of hot water. The mineral-rich water eminated from a steaming geyser source and emptied into Lake Rotomahana, depositing silica over thousands of years to create the Terraces.
On June 10th, 1886, nearby Mount Tarawera erupted violently in a phreatic eruption that made a crater out of Lake Rotomahana, decimating the Pink and White Terraces and burying several villages under 22m of ash. Evidence of the Terraces remains only in old photos and paintings (see link below).
Pink Terraces (Otukapuarangi in Maori, "Fountain of the Clouded Sky")
Salmon pink in color, the Pink Terraces were the smaller of the two and apparently more popular for bathing.
White Terraces (Te Tarata in Maori, "The Tattooed Rock")
Although not as popular for bathing, the White Terraces were supposedly more picturesque because of the contrast of the blue water on the white terraces.
One writer's account of his visit to the Terraces: "A day surely to be marked with a white stone in the calendar of one's life. The remembrance of these marvels will haunt me to my dying hour...."
For great historical photographs, paintings and further information on the Pink and White Terraces be sure to click here
Hetch Hetchy Valley "the other Yosemite"
Filled by Hetch Hetchy Reservior since 1923, this deeply glaciated valley lies immediately north of Yosemite Valley and was considered by many to be Yosemite Valley's slightly less grand twin- complete with verdent meadows, two towering waterfalls and 2000 foot cliffs.
John Muir on Hetch Hetchy:
“a grand landscape garden, one of Nature's rarest and most precious mountain temples"
"The better part of the world is beginning to know that beauty plays an important part in human progress, and that regarded even from the lowest financial standpoint it is one of the most precious assets a country can possess"
For some pre-dam and post-dam photos of Hetch Hetchy click here
Glen Canyon "the place no one knew" (now Lake Powell)
"On the walls, and back many miles into the country, numbers of monument-shaped buttes are observed. So we have a curious ensemble of wonderful features- carved walls, royal arches, glens, alcove gulches, mounds and monuments. From which of these features shall we select a name? We decide to call it Glen Canyon" -John Wesley Powell
With place names like the Cathedral in the Desert, Music Temple, Lost Eden Canyon, Dungeon Canyon, Tapestry Wall, Mystery Canyon, Forgotten Canyon and Labyrinth Canyon, you know this is a place of adventure and amazement. Unfortunately all of these places have been lost to the waters of Lake Powell since 1963. A great number of perfectly preserved Anazasi ruins suffered the same fate.
Cathedral in the Desert
This magnificant chamber is frequently said to have been beyond words and photographs. Upon turning the last corner of the canyon and entering the chamber, some people's reactions were tears.
The Cathedral in the Desert made a brief reappearance in 2005 when lake levels reached an all-time low since the filling of Lake Powell. Some photos can be found here. Although for the most part still intact, the chamber lacks the mosses and trees seen in pre-dam pictures and the floor is more than 20 feet higher because of sediment buildup.
Music Temple
"When 'Old Shady' sings us a song at night, we are pleased to find that this hollow in the rock is filled with sweet sounds. It was doubtless made for an academy of music by its storm-born architect; so we name it ‘Music Temple.’" -John Wesley Powell
Music Temple is a chamber in a side canyon that had cottonwood and box elders and a deep pool of clear water at its end. Supposedly a one second note would resonate for 11 seconds.
Dungeon Canyon
So dark in places that even at midday you needed a light to guide the way. In other places it was sidelit by holes and arches.
"It was a light trap. The canyon walls actually interwove, crisscrossing above your head so you couldn't see the sky. Dungeon Canyon, we thought, was a perfect name- this was a dungeon." -Tad Nichols
To see Glen Canyon before the dam, I highly recommend the Ansel Adams-inspired photography of Tad Nichols in "Glen Canyon: Images of a Lost World"
For some pre-dam photos of Glen Canyon click here
More Recent Developments:
Teapot Rock in Fantasy Canyon
Wall Arch in Arches NP
Photos and story here
Navajo Falls in Havasu Canyon
See travel blog here
Regardless of your views on water rights in the West, you need only look at the historical photographs and read first-hand accounts to know that Hetch Hetchy Valley and Glen Canyon contained incomparable beauty that is now gone.
Unfortunately it is too late for my generation. Even if the water were drained today, the flora, fauna, silt deposits and bathtub stains on the rocks would not recover in my lifetime.
-N
Copyright © 2010 Nicolas C. Barth. All Rights Reserved.
