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Introduction In the summer of 2010, I visited Monument Valley with family friends who, at the time, lived in Scottsdale, Arizona. We camped out in their RV for a week, and were fortunate enough to see some of nature’s most beautiful masterpieces. A few of the places we traveled to include the East and West Mittens, Antelope Canyon, and The Goosenecks. Following this introduction, you will find some of my favorite pictures that I captured on this trip and how they relate to what we have learned thus far about geology.
Mitten BUTTE Hundreds of millions of years ago, Monument Valley was a lowland basin. Over time, layers of sediment from the mountains piled on top of one another. The pressure from below raised the surface to form a plateau. After about 50 million years, wind and water eroded the land, and eventually formed what we know today as Monument Valley. It stretches across the boarder of Utah into Arizona.
Mitten BUTTE There are three main layers in the buttes. They are Permian Organ Rock Shale, de Chelly Sandstone, and Moenkopi Shale overlaid by Shinarump Formation. Notice the immense erosion toward the right of the butte, giving it the “mitten” shape that it was named after.
Antelope canyon The slot canyons were my favorite part of the trip (and not just because of the movie 127 Hours, which was based on a true story of one man’s near-death experience while trapped in a slot canyon). This was the most majestic of all of scenery. It looks as though an artist carved out the curves seen in this photograph. In this case, mother nature was the artist and used water as her carving tool. It is truly a masterpiece.
sunset Notice the reddish color of the monuments. The reddish color is a result of the high iron content of the sediment. This picture was taken at sunset, so the sun is partially responsible for the deepness of the color in in this specific picture. As mentioned in the caption, a Navajo kicked us out shortly after I look this picture because it was too late to continue on our adventure.
The goosenecks The sedimentary rocks of the Colorado Plateau are comprised mostly of sandstone and shale. You’ll notice the San Juan river cut through the massive formation and create an entrenched meander. The layers of rock have been carved out by water, wind, and other forces of nature.
conclusion I hope you enjoyed the virtual trip from one of my favorite vacations! If you ever have the opportunity to head out West, I encourage you make a stop at Monument Valley. The pictures are great, but to be able to see it with your own two eyes is truly incredible. This was an experience I will always treasure, and this course has deepened my appreciation for the world around me.
