My knowledge of Cathedral Gorge is based on my childhood memories. I know that for me as a child it was as good as going to the beach or Knott's Berry Farm. When we would visit Panaca each summer a highlight of my trip would be for brothers,sisters,cousins,aunts,uncles,parents and grandparents to pile into cars and pickup trucks and head out to Cathedral Gorge where we would picnic,climb and explore the many caves. In some of the caves you had to be a good climber,in some you had to crawl through tight spaces and some were very dark and scary with bats!
Heres what I found out about Cathedral Gorge when I Googled it! Close to 2,000 acres of land that was once home to the Fremont,Anasazi and Southern Paiutes is now a state park. In 1924, Governor James Scrugham set aside the area for preservation. Cathedral Gorge became one of Nevada's first four state parks in 1935.
This all began with explosive volcanic activity,with each eruption layers of ash hundreds of feet thick were deposited.The ash came from Caliente Caldera Complex south of Cathedral Gorge. Faulting formed a depression that is now known as Meadow Valley. After time the meadow filled with water creating a freshwater lake. continual rains eroded the ash and pumice and the stream carried the eroded sediment into the new lake. As the landscaped changed over time the water drained from the lake exposing the volcanic ash sediments to the wind and rain,causing erosion of the soft material called bentonite clay. This all happened over millions of years.
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| My mom doesn't like to have her picture taken but this picture is so good it will change her mind! |
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| Justin,Ethan and Paul. Three generations of Paul's family enjoying Cathedral Gorge. |
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| Not quite like the old days but still fun! |
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| Ethan loved exploring the caves. He would grab my hand and say "Come back here and see this". He would take me back in the cave until we couldn't proceed any farther and then he was off checking out a new passage. Kids love it today just as we did at their age. Some things don't change. |
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| This was Tracy's first time to Cathedral Gorge,she found it fascinating. |
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| Uncle Justin has had some experience at the Gorge and he had no problem sharing this with Ethan. |
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| Amazing! |
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| Fun photo opportunities at Cathedral Gorge. |
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| The party truly started when Justin,Ethan and Paul busted out their Traxxas cars and we all had a try at racing them. |
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| Ethan had an equipment malfunction but did he put on a show racing his car! This kid is good! He ran circles around me thats for sure. |
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| I think Tracy had the most fun of all. I wouldn't be surprised if she has already bought herself one. Craig said they were driving through Zion National Park, one of the most gorgeous parks around, after they left Panaca. Craig was pointing out the beauty of Zion and Tracy was looking up Traxxas vehicles online to see where they could get one when they got home! Luv it! |
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| I love this picture of my Dad with Cathedral Gorge in the background. His expression says volumes. We all felt the same way as we explored some of our childhood memories while making new ones to be cherished! |
1 comment:
Another fabulous post, Rhonda. The pictures are wonderful. Cathedral Gorge is so much a part of my life, as it was of my great grandfather, grandfather, father, siblings, children, grandchildren, and now great grandchildren. Some things never change, certainly a child's love and excitement for all things Cathedral Gorge has remained constant for the children of Panaca since that beautiful little town was first settled by our pioneer ancestors in 1864. I just pray that as the future generations of the children in my family arrive, they will all esperience the joy and excitement that is Cathedral Gorge. It should always be an enduring family tradition.
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