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The physical story behind the evolution of the landscape is just the first half of the story, the second half of the story is even more interesting – the history in the rocks themselves. The rock type that predominates in Sedona is known as Sedimentary. Sedimentary rocks are fascinating because they give us a glimpse in to past environments that once resided in a given location on our planet. The type of rock that would form in a marsh, swamp, delta, or shallow marine environment would be shale. The rock type known as Sandstone develops in environments where one would find sand; namely, beachfronts and desert dune fields. Finally, Limestone is now forming in ocean basins.
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The canyon walls in Sedona reach about 2,000 feet below the rim of the Colorado Plateau to Oak Creek. Each rock layer, except for a couple exceptions, represents a period when a particular environment of deposition prevailed. For example, the Kaibab Limestone, the uppermost rock formation in Sedona, formed in shallow warm seas about 250 million years ago. The Coconino Sandstone, the third strata from the top, formed at a time when dune fields, like those found in the Sahara, stretched across the western United States. Below these upper layers, the strata become progressively older and reveal different chapters in our earth’s history. The shale that Sedona is built upon represents an ancient swampland and the red rocks of Sedona represent an ancient beachfront.
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BEHIND THE WHEELS AT REDSTONE TOURS
In 1831, 22 year-old Charles Darwin boarded the H.M.S. Beagle and set out to discover the wonders of our natural world. In 1993, 22 year-old Howard Green boarded a Boeing 747 and set out to retrace Darwin's voyage and to discover for himself how our world had changed in 112 years. With Darwin's journals as his map and guide and his own indomitable sense of adventure, Green observed on his own and first hand how our planet has evolved.
Green's profound interest in his natural world is coupled with a deep respect for learning and understanding the influences environment and evolution have on our daily lives. His path to the founding of Redstone Tours ran a natural course. His love of the outdoors, travel, science, and teaching were perfect foundations for work as a guide.
Green now runs and operates Redstone Tours with his Swiss wife, Yvonne. As the Operation Manager of Redstone Tours, she still does some guiding for European groups.
The Greens have made Sedona, Arizona, their home and the headquarters for Redstone Tours.
For more information, please visit: www.redstonetours.com
Article by Howard Green.
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