Four Corners Monument, Where Four Different States Meet at the Same Time in Arizona

The stunning Four Corners Monument is the only place in the United States where you can be in four different states at the same time which is Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico and Utah. This is the exact place where the corners of the four states meet. Which has a granite and brass monument has been erected to mark the spot. The originality of these intersecting boundaries makes Four Corners an admired popular tourist destination. The four corner monument is situated in the desert on the Navajo Indian Reservation, and in spite of its remote location and lack of facilities even there’s no electricity or running water, and no telephones or cell phone coverage, myriad of tourists pour past the admissions gate every hour because of the unique photo opportunities the site provides.

Moreover the Monument seems to induce strong emotions in individuals, reads the guide to the monument on travel encyclopedia Wiki Travel. Tourists are either massively underwhelmed by this magnetism, even angry they drove so far out of their way to see so little, or they’re inordinately satisfied with running from state to state and having their picture taken. Moreover the Four Corners Monument comprises of a granite disk embedded with a smaller bronze disk around the point, surrounded by smaller, properly situated state seals and flags representing both the states and tribal nations of the area. Circling the point, starting from north, the disk reads with two words in each state. Here meet in freedom under God four states. Around the monument, local Navajo and Ute artisans sell souvenirs and food.

Well, in 1875, the intersection of the borders was first marked with a sandstone shaft by the surveyor Chandler Robbins. By 1899, the sandstone shaft marker had been disturbed and broken; hence it was replaced with a fresh stone. In 1912, the first cement pad was poured around the marker. Over the years, the marker was rebuilt and upgraded a multiple times to its present form; the last renovation being done in 2010. However in 2009, reports release out to media that a survey done by the National Geodetic Survey had discovered that the original survey done in 1878 was inaccurate, and the actual borders between Colorado and Utah were reported to be 2.5 miles to the west. Though what the media had forgotten was when the initial surveys were conducted; the Washington meridian was used instead of the Prime Meridian, resulting in the offset.

Although we cannot exaggerate the fact that the aforementioned technical geodetic details are completely moot when considering any question of the correctness or validity of the Four Corners monument in marking the intersection of the four states,” wrote the National Geodetic Survey (NGS), in a clarification. “Indeed, the monument marks the exact spot where the four states meet. Therefore a basic tenet of boundary surveying is that once a monument has been established and accepted by the parties involved in the case of the Four Corners monument, the parties were the four territories and the U.S. Congress, the location of the physical monument is the ultimate authority in delineating a boundary. Issues of legality trump scientific details, and the intended location of the point becomes secondary information. In surveying, monuments rule.

Waterwheel Falls in Yosemite National Park United States

The beautiful Tuolumne River can be found in the state of California, in the United States, where it rises in central Sierra Nevada in Yosemite National Park, lovely flowing westward through the foothills to its confluence with the San Joaquin River in the Central Valley, near Modesto. Well, the section of the river beginning immediately below Tuolumne Meadows and finishing just shy of Hetch Hetchy Valley, which is famous as the Grand Canyon of the Tuolumne. Therefore, the riverbed forms a spectacular staircase through much of thirty-three miles, following in a series of striking waterfalls. Maybe the greatest of these is the 800-foot Waterwheel Falls, the largest waterfalls on the Tuolumne River. Well, at the Waterwheel Falls, the river dashes down a slanted surface and come into a series of small ledges initiating the water to deflect away from the rock surface in great arches, similar waterwheels. Moreover during the high-water season (in early summer), columns or waterwheels, of water can rise 15 to 20 feet high.

Marmore Falls, Tallest Man-Made Waterfall in Italy

The gorgeous marmore’s falls (Cascata delle Marmore) is actually a tallest man-made waterfall in Italy. It is created by the ancient romans, can be found 7.7 kilometers from Terni, a provincial capital of the Italian region of Umbria. The fall total height is 541 feet making it one of the tallest in Italy and in Europe as well. Of its three sections, the top section is 272 feet. The waterfall source is a portion of the waters of the river Velino however, the rest of the river flows into a hydroelectric power plant, after flowing through Piediluco Lake near the community of Marmore.

It pours into the valley below formed by the river Nera. Its flow is turned on and off according to a published schedule, to satisfy the requirements of sightseers and the power company equally. Travelers try to be there the moment the gates are opened to see the powerful rush of water. Moreover, most of the time, the water in the canals above the falls is sidetracked to a hydroelectric power plant; hence the flow in the falls themselves is reduced to the level of a creek. Piediluco Lake, above the falls, is used as a reservoir for the power plant.

The Galleto power plant, well built in 1929, is architecturally interesting. Its maximum capacity is around 530 MW. Therefore to control the operation of the power plant, and to satisfy visitors, the fall is turned on according to a set schedule, attaining a remarkable effect at full flow. Moreover there’s an alarm is sounded first, then the gates are opened, and in a few minutes the small creek is transformed into a full-sized river rushing into the void below.

Usually, the waterfall is turned on between 12:00 and 1:00 PM and again between 4:00 and 5:00 PM every day, with extra times on holidays. Make sure, an entrance fee is charged to visit the falls and the surrounding area. A beautiful path along the falls let visitors to hike up to the top of falls. Along the way, a tunnel leads to an observatory just next to the falls, where a tourist is guaranteed to get soaked. A safer observatory near the top affords a grandiose view of the falls and of the Nera valley below.

In ancient times, Velino river flows through the surround of highland of city of Rieti. It fed a wetland that was thought to bring illness, perhaps from Malaria. To risk free the city of Reiti in 271 BC, there’s a plan to construct a canal to divert the stagnant waters into the natural cliff at Marmore. This option generated a different problem to City of Terni, when flood water of Velino River flowed and threatening its inhabitants. However with the passage of time, the poor maintenance in the canal resulted in a decrease in the flow, until eventually the wetland started to reappear.

In 1422, a new canal was planned to construct to restore the original flow. However, the presence of canal creating lot of problems over next two centuries, and then in 1787, it modify to leaps below the falls, and giving the falls its present look and finally resolving the major of the issues. Moreover please be noted, that large and free car parks available both at Upper and Lower Belvedere. It is very imperative, you should check the opening hours of water released before arranging the visit. A lot of children facilities available there, along with suitable family activities i.e. cave visit, night visits, botanical visits, and much more.

If you’re requiring more adventure, then there’re rafting, canoeing and canyoning opportunities, soft Rafting, open to all, including children and non-swimmers; Hydrospeed-soft, surrounded by nature, in full contact with the river and helped by a “bob water” you can go down the soft stretch of the Black River in thorough safety, at all times accompanied by a guide; Tubing-soft, another fun way to get down the stretch soft, slightly above the water level and self-reliantly supported by a guide that explains the trajectories. Charismatic Planet

Loch Torridon Scotland

Loch Torridon is also called Loch Thoirbheartan actually a sea loch on the west coast of Scotland in the Northwest Highlands. The stunning loch was created by glacial processes and it is approximately 15 miles long. The loch has two sections, Upper Loch Torridon to landward, east of Rubha na h-Airde Ghlaise, at which point it joins Loch Sheildaig; and the main western section of Loch Torridon proper. Loch a' Chracaich and Loch Beag are small inlets on the southern shores of the outer Loch, which joins the Inner Sound between the headlands of Rubha na Fearna to the south and Red Point to the north. The name Thoirbhearta has a similar root to Tarbert and indicates a place where boats were dragged overland.

Shieldaig Island has been owned by the National Trust for Scotland since 1970. It has coverage of Scots Pine, which may have grown from seeds taken from Speyside in the mid-19th century. Loch Torridon as seen from Torridon village, which lies at the head of the loch and is surrounded by the amazing Torridon Hills. Whereas, to the north are the villages of Redpoint, Diabaig, Wester Alligin and Alligin Shuas. However; on the south is Shieldaig. The view North West from the summit of A Ruadh-stac takes in Beinn Damh, Upper Loch Torridon and Beinn Alligin.

The loch is surrounded by numerous mountains to the north, including Liathach, Beinn Alligin and Beinn Eighe, all of which are over 3,000 feet in height. The Torridon Hills exhibit some of the most beautiful mountain scenery in the British Isles, surpassed in grandeur perhaps only by the Cuillins of Skye. The rocks of which’re made are known as Torridonian sandstone, some of which’re crowned by white Cambrian quartzite. They’re in the midst of the oldest rocks in Britain, and sit on yet older rocks, Lewisian gneiss.

Loch Torridon is a vital prawn and shellfish fishery and is home to numerous salmon farms and industrial mussel production. Langoustines are fished by creels baited with herring or prawns, which are deployed on lines of up to 120 creels and left on the seabed for at least a day. Most of the catch is exported to Spain, but some is sold locally. The sustainable seafood certificate for Loch Torridon langoustines was suspended by the Marine Stewardship Council on 11 January 2011, due to increased fishing pressure in the area caused by creel-fishing boats that had not signed-up to the fishery's voluntary code of conduct.