Tent Rocks Sentinels

Description

These rock formations in the Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks National Monument are what’s left after millions of years of erosion. Located only a few miles from the Valles Caldera supervolcano, this area in New Mexico was covered with volcanic ash, pumice and pyroclast 1,000 feet deep. Boulders and rock fragments were spewed from the volcano, landing on top of the softer ash and pumice material. As erosion washed away the softer material, the boulders and caprocks remained balanced on top of conical shaped forms. These uncanny balancing acts are called “hoodoos” by the locals. As erosion continued, many of the caprocks fell down, leaving the conical shaped formations. The two formations shown here are located in the lower canyon near the entrance to the monument, and are thus called sentinels in this photograph. The slot canyon in the monument is full of conical formations ranging in height from a few feet to over 80 feet tall. A few spectacular hoodoo caprocks remain on the taller formations. This photograph was made in March 2010.