Why Arch You Here? By Annabelle Numaguchi  Cable Arch p. Monique Beeley
If you watch mainstream media, you’re acquainted with the red rocks and arches of Moab. They’ve appeared in several blockbusters (Thelma and Louise, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, City Slickers II) and in many ads on TV and in magazines. By now, those golden arches are almost as ubiquitous as those of a certain fast-food chain-well, maybe not quite, but Utah’s aren’t made out of plastic. And, yet, you haven’t really seen them unless you’ve seen them in person. Like anything grandiose, natural and mysterious, you have to “experience” Utah’s arches, not just look at them. Size Does MatterTo be considered an arch, the opening through the rock must be at least three feet in diameter in any direction.
Arches National Park, located two miles north of Moab, is home to the largest concentration of cataloged natural arches, over 2,000. It’s hard to throw a rock and not hit or go through one. Many of the most picturesque and magnificent arches are easily viewed, either from the paved road or a short (under a quarter mile) walk from a parking lot (i.e. Windows, Double Arch). Aside from arches, this park also features other fabulous formations, such as the Three Gossips, Fiery Furnace and Balanced Rock, whose inspiration for the imaginative names becomes quickly evident upon sight.
 Delicate Arch p. Monique Beeley
The most iconic arch is arguably Delicate Arch, featured on one of Utah’s license plates and shown so often during the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City. An indelible landscape greets you once you arrive at the end of the mile-and-a-half sandstone trail leading to the arch. The LaSal Mountains and vast blue sky frame the lone-standing, ochre arch, which measures over sixty feet high, but can look deceptively small in proportion to its environs, creating an ideal Kodak moment. Because of its popularity and beauty, Delicate Arch can be a difficult place to find solitude. One way around the crowds is to do a moonlight hike. On a clear night with a full moon, the path is almost completely illuminated. Bring a headlamp nonetheless, since the last part of the trail takes you through a shadowed segment with a sharp drop-off. This spectacular scenery bathed in bluish lunar glow feels otherworldly and is a just reward for staying up past bedtime.
Ours is Longer than Anyone Else’s...
Stretched out over three hundred feet, Landscape Arch is officially the longest in the world. Proportionally, it’s a very fragile formation, far more delicate than the arch that bears that name. Doubt it? Ten years ago, a band broke off with a deafening boom scattering rock debris underneath, where the original trail used to lead, stranding visitors on the other side. All of this fantastic natural action was captured on film by a tourist, and can now be seen on the Discovery Travel segment featured at the Visitor’s Center at the Park’s entrance.
 Syke Arch p. Monique Beeley
The most common misconception about arches and natural bridges is how they are formed. Most people believe that wind erosion is the catalyst that wears away those fascinating holes in the sandstone. The only role wind plays is clean up, sometimes blowing away debris.
The real factors that wear away sandstone holes are chemical and mechanical. As the name suggests, these rock formations are made up of sand particles held together by “glue,” made up of calcium carbonate. Acidic rainfall can weaken or dissolve this substance, creating chemical erosion. Mechanical erosion happens when natural cracks in the sandstone fill with water, which freezes and expands, particularly in the desert where temperatures can range fifty degrees in a day, forcing the rock to break apart.
Arches are forming everyday. Granted, at the glacial pace of geological time, but it’s happening nonetheless. Although the chances of getting hit in the head by a rock fall are about equal to receiving a windfall, they do occur. It’s just something to keep in mind, especially if you’re interested in climbing in this area.
When an arch spans a watercourse it’s called a natural bridge. The flow of water, which becomes particularly powerful during flash floods, helps carve out the sandstone. This watercourse includes overpours, where water gushes over a rim causing an impressive fall that lasts a few ephemeral hours. Moab is one vacation destination where rain can be a blessing-the meteorological phenomenon rarely lasts long and can result in some magnificent beauty in the desert; just don’t get caught in a gully or slot canyon during the downpour. Flash floods are extremely dangerous.
It’s a Wash!
Desert rainstorms can dramatically change the landscape. What appears bone dry and barren during the dead of summer (an apt expression), might flourish with wildflowers and growth during the spring or become a river during a flash flood.
Because the desert does dry out and rainfall, when it arrives, tends to be heavy, the water collects on top of the land and carves paths into the sand during its run-off. These paths are called “washes,” and look like dry sandy pathways when the water dries up.
Don’t Bust the Crust!
Life in the desert is fragile and quickly washed or blown away. Sandy soil is loose, which inhibits plants taking root and allows erosion to occur. An incredibly rich, complex soil crust, known as cryptobiotic soil, forms, which aids plant growth and is a critical part of keeping this fragile ecosystem flourishing. Experts estimate that this soil takes hundreds of years to develop. Don’t let its crusty black appearance fool you-this stuff is golden. Unfortunately, one small step for mankind on it can mean one huge setback for this environment. So watch where you put your feet.
Throughout the parks in the Moab area (Canyonlands, Arches and Dead Horse Point), signs are posted with catchy phrases like, “Don’t Bust the Crust” and “It’s Alive,” educating visitors on the importance of preserving this soil, which can be difficult to recognize. If you don’t know, don’t go.
In the parks, hikers are required to stay on trails. Elsewhere, however, there aren’t always signs or rangers to keep you in line. If you stray from a trail, stay on rock or follow sandy washes-and don’t get lost! The desert is deceptive and dehydration and exposure kill!
Let it Snow, Let it Snow, Let it Snow...
To everything, there is a season. Go to the beach when it’s hot; go to the desert when it’s cold. Winter truly is a great time to visit the Moab area. Because most days feature bluebird sunny skies, temperatures during the day often reach comfortable levels (40 to 50 degrees Fahrenheit). Snow does fall, but rarely collects to unmanageable levels. Driving and hiking are not often hindered, and the white dusting over the red rocks framed by snow-capped mountains enhances the already striking beauty of this remarkable landscape (the LaSal peaks reach above 12,000 feet and offer cross country and skate skiing, telemarking and snowshoeing during the winter).
Not One, But Two...
 Mesa Arch p. Monique Beeley
Canyonlands National Park is divided into three districts, known as the Needles, the Maze, the Island-in-the-Sky. The two rivers, the Colorado and Green, delineate the sections. This park includes fantastic rock formations, and should be considered a must-see for visitors to the area. Among the many sites and hikes worth exploring, Mesa Arch is a quick one-mile round-trip hike in the Island-in-the-Sky district leading to an elongated arch that would be wide enough to walk across if it weren’t for the thousand-foot drop-off on the other side! Through this magnificent natural structure, the aptly named Washer Woman Arch can be seen. This view is a great photo op, as Tom Till, renowned photographer, gallery owner and local resident, demonstrated in his often-reproduced image.
It’s For the Dogs
Because the landscape surrounding Moab is mostly made up of Wingate and Navajo Sandstone, much of the rock is riddled with arches, totaling over one thousand in this area alone. Some spectacular specimens exist outside the parks that are still easily accessible from town, especially good news if one in your party happens to be canine. Dogs aren’t allowed on trails or in the backcountry of the national parks. Below are two personal recommendations, arches that I have a particular penchant for because the formation at the end of the trail is the crowning glory to a wonderful hike.
 Corona Arch p. Monique Beeley
Negro Bill Canyon was named after a local legend from the turn-of-the-century, whose nickname was less politically correct than the current version, and it boasts a beautiful hike through a variety of plants bordering a trickling creek (some spots are perfect for wading or a quick dip). This is a hike that I never tire of because of its lush vegetation, by desert standards, and the seasonal scenery changes. Size-wise, Morning Glory Bridge (you can hear water percolating under the rocks) is in the top ten worldwide, and is also arguably a top spot for settling in for a picnic. You may get to see canyoneers rappelling down off the Bridge. To get to the trailhead, drive up Highway 128 three miles from Hwy.191 where there is a newly paved parking lot.
Why Arch You Here?
Arches fascinate us, which is, at heart, nothing but a defined void. Think about it–The Golden Gate Bridge, The St. Louis Arch, the ubiquitous Golden Arches where over 6 billion are served. These are man-made, and though some are remarkable feats of engineering and took some time to build, nothing compares to the natural formations that Mother Earth took millennia in creating. These windows through massive rock fill you with wonder and make you feel as if you’re getting a peak into a whole new world. So it begs the question, to use a simple play-on-words that would seem more appropriate embellishing a postcard from a nostalgic era, “Why Arch You Here?” For more details on how to get to Moab and the hundreds of arches in the area, where to stay and dine, check out the Moab Information Center (MIC) at www.discovermoab.com or call (800) 635-MOAB or (435) 259-8825. For information regarding the National Parks, contact Arches National Park at www.nps.gov/arch/, Canyonlands National Park at www.nps.gov/cany/.
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