So tell me what canyon you think is the deepest in the world. Is it Colorado’s Black Canyon of the Gunnison? Or maybe Arizona’s majestic Grand Canyon of the Colorado River? How about the incredible Copper Canyon of Mexico? Or, what’s that one in China that I read about in National Geographic? Well, I suppose it depends on how you measure, but Peru’s Colca Canyon has a very strong case in it’s claim to be the world’s deepest.
It is formed by an enormous fault in the earth’s crust between some towering volcanos, Coropuna (6425 meters) and Ampato (6318 meters). If I do my math right, those volcanos are on the high side of 20,000 feet! And to see these snow capped volcanos towering above the dessert surrounding them, they seem every bit of 20,000 feet high. The headwaters of Colca Canyon lie between these two volcanos where the gentle slopes begin descending into the valley. At about 3000 meters (nearly 10,000 feet) the valley narrows and the incredible canyon plunges precipitously. All in all, for over 100 kilometers (70 miles) it is at least 3400 meters (11,000 feet) deep. Now, I don’t have all the numbers laid out in front of me, but if memory serves right, the Grand Canyon is about 4000 feet deep. That means Colca Canyon is nearly three times deeper than the Grand Canyon!
But unlike the soft sedimentary rocks (primarily sandstone) of the Grand Canyon, this is hard volcanic rock, primarily andesite. Therefore the canyon appears much more like the Black Canyon of the Gunnison than like the Grand Canyon. It is a jagged and splintered world.
My visit there started with an overnight stay in the village of Chivay, Peru. It is a rich agricultural area where we are surrounded by ancient agricultural terraces, built by the Collahua Indians thousands of years ago. Most of the terraces are still in use and present verdant stair steps descending into the canyon. The rich, dark volcanic soil is superb for the local crops which include choclo (the word in this part of South America for corn), potatoes and quinoa (an ancient grain of the Inca which is now being grown in parts of Colorado).
As we head down canyon the next morning, the terraces spread around us and the volcanos tower above us. We pass several small villages, seeing many locals in their beautiful hand-woven, traditional clothing. Many are shepherding their alpacas or llamas. At one point we stop for photos of one of the herds and their keepers. Suddenly we hear snorting and grunting and earth being thrown right behind us. We turn quickly to find two male alpacas in battle for domination of the herd. They charge each other, running into each other furiously. They lock necks together and try to knock each other down. They begin to charge then reel up on their hind legs, trying to strike each other with their sharp hooves. It is an awesome sight. These proud animals, source of food and lana (wool) for their keepers are related to the camel! As the trip continues we are also able to spot many wild vicuña, another cameloid, much smaller and much faster.
We continue down canyon, passing several small villages. In Spanish colonial times the rich mines of Caylloma made this an important and rich region. Therefore, to help stabilize the local Indian population and to civilize them with a healthy helping of Catholicism, the Spanish built Reducciones, settlements for the converted indigenous population where the Indians were forced to live. These Reducciones are the neat and tidy towns which we are passing through. The streets are neatly laid out with each town centered around the beautiful church and the central plaza.
Along the way we are keeping our eyes open and turned to the heavens in hopes of seeing a Condor, the sacred bird of the Inca that was thought to carry the dead from this world to the next. Rare to sight these days! They are one of the largest birds in the world.
Along the canyon there are also many small caves with paintings and etchings that are over 7000 years old. This rock art includes representations of different birds, cameloids (llama, alpaca, guanaco and vicuña), hunting scenes, humans and the famed Southern Cross which burns so clearly in the night sky of the southern hemisphere. The style and technique of this rock art correspond closely to the Paleolithic art of European prehistory.
Finally we come to the end of the road for our tour, the Mirador Cruz del Condor (Condor Cross Viewpoint). It is a tall rock outcropping on the edge of the canyon where you can look up to the snow capped volcanos 20,000 feet above sea level. And you can look down into the canyon where the tiny ribbon of the Rio Colca (Colca River) can barely be discerned. The wind whips through the canyon. Clouds skim quickly past us bringing an otherworldly feeling. We sit, soaking in the raw beauty of nature in this land of extremes. Scanning the sky for condors.
Finally the majestic bird obliges us. We sit spellbound as these huge, yet incredibly graceful scavengers ply the sky. Sometimes there just aren’t words capable of describing this amazing world in which we live. I know I will never forget those moments perched above the Colca Canyon.