From the river, the canyon walls surrounding our expedition party soar over 8,000 feet, creating the deepest gorge in North America. Stunning basalt and limestone formations dominate this multi-lithological landscape, which was created millions of years ago during tumultuous tectonic activity. From the river, we peer into the edge of a wilderness; we sense an aura of wildness. Bighorn sheep, mule deer, turkeys, golden eagles, and other raptors captivate our attention. Wild and scenic, stoic yet fragile, we marvel at this slice of earth – from the river.