“I’m old. I’m supposed to be colorful.” -Sophia Petrillo Grand. Just grand. Picture it: the Grand Canyon; your last vacation. You marvel at its vastness, age, and geologic wonders, but you also notice the variety of colors in the walls. Beautiful! But why so colorful? The canyon is not one to blow its own vertubenflugen, but we are.   The Grand Canyon shows off its colorful hues via the different types of rock layers formed over millions of years (and a couple of St. Olaf stories). These layers contain a variety of minerals that produce the hues. The red, orange, and yellow hues come from iron oxide deposits, while the purple and blue shades come from manganese oxide. The layers (like a cake) have also been exposed by weathering and erosion, creating the stunning colors seen today. Thank you for being a friend and reading to the end. Tell us! Have you been to the Grand Canyon? Image 1: View of grandcanyonnps walls with afternoon rainfall and rainbow. NPS/Quinn Image 2: Closeup...