S. M. Garver - Colorado images

Colorado images - page 4 of 9
This page and the next two include images from Colorado National Monument.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Colorado National Monument - Fruita, Colorado
July 4, 2012
page 1 of 3

Independence Monument is a 450-foot-high free-standing monolith. Every Fourth of July the Mesa County Search and Rescue raises the American Flag on top of it. The tradition started with the first caretaker of the park, John Otto, in 1911.

Independence Monument is in the center of this photo. (Seen from Grand View observation point.)
[A two-level free standing rock formation in the middle of a canyon. The top of this rock is about even with the canyon walls which can be seen on either side of it going into the background of the photo which opens to the town of Fruita.]

Closer view of Independence Monument (Seen from Grand View observations point.)
[The rock consumes most of the visible space in this photo. A canyon wall can be seen in the background.]

Independence Monument seen from the Canyon Rim Trail which is opposite Grand View observation point. (The specks of color atop it are people.)
[As seen from this side, the background is all different variations of canyon walls.]

Search and Rescue raised the flag at approximately noon. (Seen from Independence Monument observation point.)
[This view shows the skinny side of the rock (rather than the flat face) and an American flag with little specks of people around it are visible. In the background are the trees and buildings of Fruita, Colorado.]

A better view of the flag in this photo (Seen from Grand View observation point.)
[The long flat face of the rock with the blue square and red and white stripes clearly visible as the wind unfurled the flag. People are also clearly visible atop the rock.]

Closeup view of the flag and people (Seen from Grand View observation point.)
[Closeup view as seen from the long side. Approximately 9 or so people are on top and about 3 more one level down. Flag is at the top.]

This gives you an idea of what they climbed. (Seen from Independence Monument observation point.)
[Closeup view as seen from the skinny side. One person is either still climbing up or is rappelling down. Most people and the flag are at the top. Two people are one level down watching the person climbing.]

Fruita Canyon (Town of Fruita is in the distance.)
This is one main entrance to Rim Rock Drive, a 23-mile road through the park.
[View look down a canyon toward town. In the middle of the canyon is a swath of pavement as the road winds through it an up the canyon wall. Canyon is mostly reddish rock but also contains quite a bit of low-level vegetation.]

Balanced Rock
(Visible on the right side of the far end of the canyon in the prior photo)
[A cylindrical rock which appears separate from and perched on another rock below it. Top rock is at least 100 feet above the ground. Both rocks are within the canyon.]

Town of Fruita
[Closer view of the town as seen between the two sides of the canyon wall.]

View of the canyon facing the opposite direction
[Looking back at the u-shaped bend in the road winding through and up the canyon wall. In this image you are completely inside the canyon although cloudy blue skies can be seen at the top of the photo.]

Continue to more Colorado National Monument photos. (page 5 of 9)

Return to top of page.