Exposure of a cross-bedded sandstone of the Esplanade Formation, north of Deer Creek Trail on the north side of the Colorado River. In the foreground, a crust of cryptobiotic soil provides a living ground cover in the high deserts of the Southwest. The soil, consisting of cyanobacteria, lichens, and mosses, forms crusts that are resistant to wind and water erosion and provide nutrients to plant life. These photos were taken at about the 5400’ elevation on the Esplanade of the Grand Canyon.
