| About The Grand Canyon |
The
Grand Canyon is One of the Seven Natural Wonders of the
World. The Grand Canyon is 277 miles long, with a width from
1/2 to 18 miles, and an average depth of one mile. The
first people to look over the rim of the Grand Canyon
were Native Americans. No one knows for sure when they
came.
In 1933 some
construction workers were building a trail in the
canyon. In Luka Cave they found animal figurines made of
twigs from Willow and Cottonwood Trees. One had a horn
like a Bighorn Sheep, and another looked like a Deer. A
third had a twig through it, as if it had been killed by
a spear. These figurines are 3200 to 5000 years old.
They are the earliest evidence of human life around the
canyon.
The South Rim of the
Grand Canyon is open all year. There is snow on this rim
in the winter, but it melts quickly. Daytime temperature
in the winter is in the low 40's. Night temperature is
usually in the low teens and 20's. Summer temperatures
range from the 80's during the day to night temperatures
in the 40's. Five million visitors a year come to the Grand
Canyon.
The West Rim of the
Grand Canyon is 150 miles west of the South Rim, and is
untouched by the 20th century world. The West Rim is
located on the Hualapai Indian Reservation in Northern
Arizona and opened in 1998. At the West Rim of the Grand
Canyon you can view the Colorado River from an elevation
of 3500 feet. Also, enjoy Guano Point and Eagle Point
located at the West Rim of the Grand Canyon.
The Colorado River
drops 2200 feet in its 277 mile course through the
Grand Canyon. The depth of the river ranges from 6 to
110 feet. The width of the river varies from 100 to 300
feet. It has more than 150 rapids. There could not have
been a Grand Canyon without an uplifting of the Colorado
Plateau and the cutting action of the Colorado River.
The river carries large boulders and small stones. They
scrape and gouge the sides of the canyon. As the river
cuts downward, it exposes the canyon walls to weathering
and erosion. The layers of rock on both sides of the
canyon are identical. That means the Colorado River must
have separated them.
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| About The Grand Canyon Skywalk |
The vision of the Skywalk was to enable visitors to walk beyond the canyon walls, becoming surrounded by the Grand Canyon while standing at the edge of the Glass Bridge. This Glass Bridge suspends more than 4,000 feet above the Colorado River on the very edge of the Grand Canyon's West Rim.
Located at Grand Canyon West’s Eagle Point, The Skywalk facility will also include a 6,000 square-foot visitor’s center on three levels – underground, first story and second story – which will contain a museum, movie theater, VIP lounge, gift shop, and several restaurants and bars, including a high-end restaurant called The Skywalk Café that will offer outdoor patio and rooftop seating on the edge of the canyon. The second story will be where visitors can access The Skywalk glass walkway. The visitor’s center will also offer private indoor and outdoor facilities for meetings, special events and weddings.
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| About Hoover Dam |
Hoover Dam is among the greatest
modern engineering projects. The construction of the Dam
occurred from 1931 until its completion in 1935.
Blocking the Colorado River created two lakes. The first
being Lake Mead in 1935. The second being Lake Mohave
with the completion of Davis Dam in 1950. At the peak of
construction at Hoover Dam 5,218 people would be
working on the Dam at one time. Air Temperatures during
construction often reached 120 degrees Fahrenheit, and
at night dropped to 85 degrees Fahrenheit.
During construction as many as
1,500 minor injuries per month occurred. Ninety four construction
workers and 2 government employees were killed between
1931 and 1937. Twenty four fell to their deaths, 3 drowned, 10
were killed by explosions, 5 electrocuted, 26 were
killed by falling debris, 26 were struck by machinery or
heavy equipment, 1 died in an elevator accident and one
in a cableway accident. Hoover Dam is 726.4 feet in
height. It is 660 feet thick at the base and contains
4,360,000 cubic yards of concrete. The power plant at
Hoover Dam has the capacity to produce 1,344,800 of
electricity kilowatts. Hoover Dam has produced
approximately 150 billion kilowatts-enough energy to
supply a million residence for 20 years. |

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