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It is a mystery to me as to how these odd, cone-like geological formations were formed. My brother found this interesting location while hiking. We returned not long after for photos and to think more about how they came to be. The cones are on the top of a ledge of rock about 6 feet (2m) thick in the Tensleep Formation well above the Madison, Amsden, and Phosphoria. The ledge appears to be a porous limestone or very dense sandstone. The cones are between 1 and 2 feet (.5m) high and have a rim around the outside with a dished hollow center. The cones are located on both sides of this small canyon. Below the rock ledge are what we called sandsicles hanging from the side of the short cliff face. You can vaguely see some of them on the cliff face in the upper left corner of the opening view. The sandsicles are about 2 feet (.67m) long and 3 inches (8mm) in diameter with a rounded terminal. The sandcicles are made up of coarse sandstone material. My theory, and it is just a guess, is that there was a very large spring here that forced water up through the ledge material. I think the cones are mineral deposits left as the water pressure decreased at the surface. Over millennia the majority of the spring water cut the shallow canyon into the surface and exposed the short cliffs. As water continued to come up through the cones a slurry of surface sand oozed over the edge and solidified into sandsicles as the water evaporated. The minerals in the water could be the cement that holds the sandcicles together. This is my theory. There has been no formal geological study performed on these formations.
The United States is one of the most diverse countries on earth, jam packed full of amazing sights from St. Patrick's cathedral in New York to Mount Hollywood California.The Northeast region is where it all started. Thirteen British colonies fought the American Revolution from here and won their independence in the first successful colonial rebellion in history. Take a look at these rolling hills carpeted with foliage along the Hudson river here, north of New York City.The American south is known for its polite people and slow pace of life. Probably they move slowly because it's so hot. Southerners tend not to trust people from "up north" because they talk too fast. Here's a cemetery in Georgia where you can find graves of soldiers from the Civil War.The West Coast is sort of like another country that exists to make the east coast jealous. California is full of nothing but grizzly old miners digging for gold, a few gangster rappers, and then actors. That is to say, the West Coast functions as the imagination of the US, like a weird little brother who teases everybody then gets famous for making freaky art.The central part of the country is flat farmland all the way over to the Rocky Mountains. Up in the northwest corner you can find creative people in places like Portland and Seattle, along with awesome snowboarding and good beer. Text by Steve Smith.
