Introduction
On Sunday, August 1, the Rocky Mountain Chapter of The Sierra Club sponsored a conservation outing to Black Canyon National Park near Gunnison, Colorado. It was planned and organized by Sierra Club Intern Randy Thompson. The purpose of the trip was to learn something about the intense geography of this region (especially the geologic and water features unique to the canyon) and the complex water use issues which are an integral part of the history and present reality of this national treasure. The day began with a guided tour of the canyon by boat, followed by a talk by a geologist over lunch (not pictured) and, on the banks of the Gunnison River, a talk by a National Park Service hydrologist. Following this the group split up and visited the new Vistor's Center (Black Canyon achieved National Park Status only recently, in 1999, by executive order of President Bill Clinton) and the surrounding observation points on the south rim of the canyon, including the amazing "painted wall" seen in the last images.
This cover photo shows part of a model of the canyon at the Visitor's Center.
