Wadi El-Rayan Waterfalls, Egypt’s Only Man-Made Waterfall

Egypt is home to many of the most vital and impressive archaeological monuments in the world. The valley of Wadi El-Rayan, 65 km southwest of Fayoum city, in Egypt, is home to two large artificial lakes formed to divert surplus agricultural drainage water from Fayoum oasis. This is also home to the country’s only waterfalls. The Fayoum oasis originally drained into Lake Qarun in the north. Most memorable is the spectacular scenery of Wadi El- Rayan is the contrast between the blue waters of the lake and the golden desert sand. However, the lake can take only a definite volume of drainage water. Anything over this capacity and the lake level would rise and flood the surrounding land, every so often doing severe impairment because of the waters high salt content. Therefore, this means that the amount of water that can be used in the Fayoum is limited by the region’s maximum drainage capacity. As a result, until recently water-intensive crops such as reeds and rice could be grown only in very limited quantities. Moreover, no new land could be reclaimed without affecting swamping of prevailing farmland near Lake Qarun. 

Thus, there was a pressing requirement to find an alternative drainage basin, and the big depression of Wadi El Rayan was found to be suitable. Well, when go to back in 1974, a nine kilometers open channel and an  eight kilometers tunnel were cut through the desert from the western side of the Fayoum depression to the large, dry depression of Wadi El Rayan. Thus, drainage water flows into Wadi El-Rayan forming two large lakes. Moreover water first reaches the northern lake and when it’s overcome, a stream flows towards a deeper part of the depression, where one more lake is formed. As the course of the stream was eroded, natural rocks were uncovered and waterfalls formed over them. Moreover, Jabal Madwera, adjacent the lower lake, is recognized for its extensive dune formations.

There are several cascades on the stream, none of them taller than two to four meters. Yet, they’ve fascinated substantial attention between the local Egyptians, as various have never seen waterfalls before. Consequently, the waterfalls have also been featured in several Egyptian pop videos and movies. The waterfalls, though, will not last persistently as the level of the lower lake is frequently rising and the falls will exist only until the expanding surface area lets a rate of evaporation equivalent to the amount of water flowing into it. Thus, the lake shorelines are heavily vegetated making them flawless wintering habitats for migrating birds and breeding spot for countless fishes. Furthermore, this area is now a nature reserve and is home to the world’s sole population of Slender-horned Gazelles, 11 species of reptiles, 9 species of mammals, 13 species of resident birds, and 26 species of migrant and vagrant birds.

Lizard Head Colorado

Lizard Head is a very impressive mountain located in the San Juan mountain range near Telluride a vertical pillar, the result of heavy erosion leaving just the neck of an ancient volcano. Lizard Head Peak is 13,113 feet, stands spire-like on the eastern side of the Lizard Head Wilderness shadowed by 14,000-foot peaks, Mount Wilson and Wilson Peak. The summit of Lizard Head Peak, a 400-foot-tall tower of rotten rock, has been voted as one of Colorado's most dangerous and difficult climbs. The United States Congress designated the Lizard Head Wilderness in 1980, actually has a total of 41,459 acres. All of this wilderness is located in Colorado and is managed by the Forest Service.

However, Lizard Head Wilderness is a land of ragged mountain splendor, with beautiful cirque lakes, swift mountain streams that often plunge over dramatic waterfalls, and a spruce-fir forest opened by expanses of alpine vegetation. Moreover splendid golden aspen blanket the lower slopes in vast unbroken reaches every fall. Further, the Lizard Head trail traversing Black Face Mountain’s broad, panoramic ridge is not the shortest route to the base of Lizard Head peak but it is surely the most picturesque. Hence, the rock spire of Lizard Head looks like an old eroded volcanic plug but it is in fact composed of extrusive volcanic ash flows of Oligocene age resting on older sedimentary rocks of Eocene age.

Lizard Head is one of the most difficult summits in Colorado to climb the first ascent makes a memorable and harrowing tale a rottener mass of rock is inconceivable by Albert Ellingwood. The first known people to reach the top of the pinnacle were Albert Ellingwood and Barton Hoag who pioneered a route up the west face in 1920. In spite of the stern and daunting objective hazards, the first ascent team completed the climb and descent safely in a feat of mountaineering skill. The peak appearance has changed significantly due to a landslide in 1911. You may find several photographs of the peak before the landslide, which shows substantial change has done.

Therefore, the earlier photo shows a taller squared-off peak that would be more suggestive of a lizard's head. Therefore, it is extremely hard to leaves an indelible impression of Lizard Head peak. On average only 20 to 30 people scale the peak each year, which you can estimate the treacherous climb of Lizard Head peak. No doubt it’s look very impressive but to climb him a daunting task with special climbing capabilities. Hence be remember, climbing is an inherently dangerous activity and you should always climb within your ability after carefully judging the safety of the route.

The Sunset Crater Arizona

Sunset Crater Volcano is approximately one thousand years old, the last eruption took place sometime between about 1080 and 1150 AD. Sunset Crater, located in north-central Arizona, actually the youngest volcano found on the 130,000-square-mile at Colorado Plateau. The series of volcano eruption reshaped the nearby landscape, persistently changing the lives of human beings, plants and animals. It is named for its dazzlingly colored scoria deposits on the cone and only one of more than 550 vents of the vast San Francisco volcanic field. The Sunset main crater at the summit of the cone measures approximately 400 feet across, though the base of the cinder cone measures around one mile.  The yellow, red and pink colors of silica iron oxide and gypsum found around the volcano's summit. The eruption of Sunset Crater resulted in a strangely large amount of volcanic debris for a strombolian-style eruption and had a devastating effect on the flora, fauna and indigenous people living in the surrounding area.

These days Sunset Crater is the centerpiece of the 4.7-square-mile Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument, located only 15 miles to the northeast of Flagstaff, Arizona. It was established on May 26, 1930, through the action of President Herbert Hoover. Furthermore, almost 75% of the magma erupted at Sunset Crater erupted explosively as scoria, and half of the scoria fell very near its source and built Sunset Crater cinder cone, about half blanketed the region with ash and other small volcanic particles.

In the late 1920s, a Hollywood filmmaker planned to use Sunset Crater as film set and use dynamite to simulate an eruption, but local people resistance stopped the plan. Moreover, since 1970, tourists have been prohibited from walking on or to the top of the cinder cone. However, nowadays a self-guided, one-mile-long walking trail permits visitors to experience the volcano's gigantic size and the eruptive power that once existed here. The San Francisco Volcanic Field has not experienced volcanic activity for nearly 1,000 years, but researchers predict volcanic activity here is still possible and most likely further to the east of Sunset Crater. The natural beauty found around Sunset Crater shows its exclusive charm daily. Here, the ancient cinder cone is silhouetted against the orange and golden colors of a cool morning mountain sunrise.

Sunset Crater is the youngest volcano in the vast San Francisco Volcanic Field of northern Arizona. The first eruptions must have been spectacular, earthquakes rattled the ground. Sulfurous clouds of gas and ash blew high into the sky. Glowing-hot molten lava spilled over the ground and left jagged black basalt flows that look like they froze in place just last week. Well, if you’re adventure lover, then plan to hike the trail through the hot lava flow and cinders and you’ll likely discover intriguing, ruggedly dramatic geological features coexisting with twisted Ponderosa Pines and an astonishing array of wildlife. 

The Shiprock of New Mexico

Shiprock or “The Winged Rock” is a monadnock rising approximately 1,583 feet above the high-desert plain of the Navajo Nation in San Juan County, New Mexico, United States. It is located in the center of the Ancient Pueblo People, a prehistoric Native American culture often referred to as the Anasazi. It is the most noticeable landmark in northwestern New Mexico. Shiprock peak elevation is approximately 7,177 feet above sea level and it lies around 10.75 miles southwest of the town of Shiprock, which is named for the peak.

Well, the formation is four corners region and plays a significant role in Navajo religion mythology and tradition. Thus, Shiprock is composed of fractured volcanic breccia and black dikes of igneous rock called minette. It is the erosional leftover of the throat of a volcano, and the volcanic breccia formed in a diatreme. Moreover, shiprock is famous location for rock climbers and has been featured in several Hollywood movies and novels. It is also consider a heaven for photographer to take stunning photographs.  Furthermore "Shiprock" or Shiprock peak's has similarity to an enormous 19th-century clipper ship. Anglos first called the peak "The Needle", a name indicate that "Ship Rock" dates from the 1870s. The exposed rock probably was originally formed 2,500–3000 feet below the Earth's surface, and exposed after millions of years of erosion. 

Shiprock and the surrounding land have religious and historical significance to the Navajo people and has mentioned in numerous of their myths and legends. Navajo legends put the peak in a larger geographic context, and said to be either a medicine pouch or a bow carried by the "Goods of Value Mountain", a large mythic male figure comprising several mountain features throughout the region. Navajo legend has it that Bird Monsters nested on the peak and fed on human flesh. The peak is mentioned in stories from the Enemy Side Ceremony and the Navajo Mountain Chant, and is allied with the Bead Chant and the Naayee'ee Ceremony. The legend of the rock seems more likely to be a metaphor hinting of the site's magical power to lift the human soul above the problems of daily existence into an awareness of the Great Spirit.

Therefore, the first recorded ascent was in 1939, by a Sierra Club party including David Brower, Raffi Bedayn, Bestor Robinson and John Dyer. So, this was the first climb in the United States to use expansion bolts for protection. After that at least seven routes have been climbed on the peak, all of them of great technical difficulty. Moreover, the first ascent route is featured in the book Fifty Classic Climbs of North America; however, the idea of climbing Shiprock is offensive to numerous Navajo people; climbing has been illegal since 1970. 

In spite of this, rock climbers continue to see Shiprock as an interesting place to climb. Even more serious than the possible physical harm illegal climbs could pose is the religious damage done to the Navajo people by these non-Navajo visitors. The Monuments are sacred to the Navajo, and any human interaction is strictly off limits. Please abide by the humble religious requests of the Navajo people and do not climb the Monuments. Navajo law will be firmly enforced on this issue, Parks Department Manager Ray Russell also added.