NABSQNO 12S-625600-4262972

Pritchett Arch southwest of Moab,
Utah Photo by Jay Wilbur
Example Pothole Natural Arch
NABSQNO 12S-625600-4262972. Pritchett Arch is an old pothole natural arch carved in Navajo sandstone. Chemical exfoliation caused the pothole behind the arch to deepen until it reached a much more resistant layer of sandstone. At that point, growth of the pothole was diverted laterally, eventually breaching the cliff wall. Subsequent weathering and compression strengthening has shaped the lintel into a classic catenary shape above a semicircular aperture.
Pritchett Arch is located in the Behind-the-Rocks area southwest of Moab, Utah. It is shown on most topographic maps of the area and is reached by several 4WD routes.
Other Pothole Natural Arch examples:
© 2003 by Jay H. Wilbur,
All Rights Reserved.
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