Tuesday, April 01, 2014

Pine Cones in the Desert

In central Utah sits Capitol Reef, a beautiful national park sculpted in sand and stone.  I spent the last four days camping and hiking there with my family and several good friends.  On one hike in particular, at Burro Wash, we came across a number of pine cones and a large area that was literally covered with a blanket of pine needles an inch thick.  At first glance, you wouldn't think much of it, after all, pine trees are common in Utah . . . but not at Burro Wash.  The nearest conifers were probably a good five or six miles away.
So, how did the pine cones and needles get there?  I posed that question to my own children and they gave me a number of interesting responses.  I'm curious to see what you think.  Please, leave a comment with your thoughts.  And, yes, I know the answer, and but I want to see what you think.  Put on your thinking caps and go.






No comments: