Sunbeams

This afternoon we went to Red Rock Canyon, about 19 miles west of Vegas. It is a most attractive canyon where the southernmost tip of the Sierra Nevada meets the El Paso Range and it started evolving about 600 million years ago. Now large red sandstone desert cliffs with spectacular rock formations lie beside limestone peaks with interesting canyons threading between them each providing numerous possibilities for a variety of unique trails and hikes. You can travel through the canyon by means of a 13 mile circular route, stopping every now and then at specific car parks from where the various trails lead invitingly into the heart of the mountain range where peaks rise to about 7 to 8,000 feet. Below the hills the area is pock marked with dried cactus, spiky bushes and more statuesque Joshua trees and it is easy to imagine that a shower or two of rain might find the area springing into life with colour from wild flowers.

We stayed there until almost sunset and watched as the sinking sun fell behind one of the peaks, sending shafts of light into the neighbouring valleys providing them with an almost 3D image. The heat of the sun lingered on to warm the gentle breeze as we sat and enjoyed the way the panorama took on different shapes as the light changed. You can see some of the linear stratification on the hill to the right where the sun's rays catch it.