This small but unusual arch was reported by NABS member Tom Budlong. It is in a sandstone formation which is interspersed with boulders of a darker and harder sandstone which erodes more slowly than the supporting matrix. This results in boulders poking out of the surface, boulders lying on the surface, and boulders on pedestals of the softer sandstone. This arch consists of one of these boulders supported on either end by two pedestals. The span is but four feet. This area is within a Condor Sanctuary north of Fillmore, California, and is totally closed to all visitation. Tom took this and the next photo in 1989 while doing volunteer work for the condor recovery project. Koford Arch derives its name from Carl Koford, the biologist who first studied the condor and who was instrumental in the creation of the Sanctuary. The next photo is an even more striking example of this type of formation.
Go to next Gallery feature - Strong Arm Arch