A walk through a timeless passage – Charyn Canyon
Among the various geographical features of our planet, the canyon is arguably the most awe inspiring. It is the outcome of a battle between water and stone culminating in the ultimate triumph of water. To understand this battle, we have to wrap our head around a geological timescale of several millions of years. It all begins with the rise of a landmass due to the collision of subterranean plates. This is a slow process, probably a few millimetres each year, but nevertheless presents a challenge to the flowing river. The water takes this challenge head on and starts carving the rock downwards to maintain its steady forward flow. As the landmass keeps rising, the river bed keeps sinking. And after millions of years, we stare at this spectacle of a canyon. The walls of the canyons remember the water that once kissed them, leaving behind timeless memories. Not all rivers can carve deep canyons because not all rocks yield to their persistent force. That’s why canyons are both rare ...
