Dean M. Chriss
Photography
Sandstone Fins, Arches National Park
(Click image to enlarge)
There are literally thousands of sandstone fins in Arches National Park and
most are not named. Those in this photograph are exceptions because they are
so impressive and dominate the landscape. It is impossible to get a sense of
their scale until you stand next to one, which is an awesome experience.
A fin formation known as Sheep Rock is the leftmost in this photograph. The Tower of Babble
is seen in the center, and The Organ is seen on the right. The two rightmost
fins are roughly 435 feet (133 meters) high, but very thin. All arches start as
fins, and depending on hardness variations within the rock and erosion, some
fins turn into arches. Arches National Park contains the highest
concentration of natural stone arches on earth, and thousands of fins that
will eventually become arches.