|
L53 "Mitten Buttes" Monument Valley. Utah, USA
Position:
N36° 58.953
W110° 06.703
Elevation:
5660'/ 1725m
Image format:
MF 35mm
"MITTEN BUTTES" MONUMENT VALLEY. UTAH, USA
The "Mitten Buttes" of Monument Valley in Utah, USA are world
famous thanks to the many movies films made at this location since
the 1930's. They are called 'mittens' because they only have one
finger, just like the glove of that name.
These striking landforms are BUTTES - flat-topped hills that have
been separated from nearby MESA formations by WEATHERING and EROSIONAL
PROCESSES (see also, images L25 & L34 in the regolith.com collection). These landforms abound in the
American West where large areas are underlain by horizontal layers
of SANDSTONE. These particular rocks are mechanically strong,
so even after being exposed to prolonged attack by rain, frost,
heat and wind, bold landforms are maintained. Weaker rocks would
crumble away leaving mounds of rubble. Similar rocks can be found
in the famous Arches National Park to the north of Monument Valley
where superb and improbably delicate features are preserved in
the strong sandstone (see the Arch on the regolith.com home page and image L60 also).
Less detail
Image Trail:
L1 Balancing Rock. Arches National Park. Utah, USA.
L3 Weathered and Eroded strata. Capitol Reef National Park. Utah,
USA
L36 Weathering, erosion and deposition. Capitol Reef National Park.
Utah, USA
L54 Balanced Rock, Canyonlands National Park, Utah, USA
L60 Landscape Arch. Arches National Park. Utah, USA
L61 An evolving Arch. Arches National Park. Utah, USA
L62 The End & the Beginning of Arches. Arches National Park. Utah,
USA
L84 Weathered granite, Cornwall, UK
L85 Logan Stone, Cornwall, UK
L86 Solution hole in granite, Cornwall, UK
L87 Weathered limestone, Yorkshire, UK
|
