Why Is This Stark White Mountain Sitting In The Middle of Utah's West Desert: Geology Revealed!

[@shawnwillsey]

You can support my field videos by clicking on the "Thanks" button just above (right of Like button) or by going here: www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=EWUSLG3GBS5W8

[@flatinsandiego9806]

You lost me at Paleozoic

[@josedearimateiayjesus2178]

Mining...holy stupid...mining!!! There is no natural explanation!!! Despite we doesnt no who did or when...but be scientific honest for G sake!

[@lilysceeliljeaniemoonlight]

Straight away i thought Ash! Tuff!!!

[@lilysceeliljeaniemoonlight]

Though the latter "Tuff" came latter!

[@skyedog24]

I just realized that your students are very lucky to have such a dedicated individual. It doesn't take a rocket scientist or professor to understand that you love what you're doing.🔨

[@vickitatum540]

I had the exact same experience in community college!

[@shawnwillsey]

Thanks. I feel blessed every day to do what I do and try to never take it for granted (or granite 😉)

[@number4cat1]

There's a similar looking isolated white mountain (hill) called "Crystal Mountain" which actually is "crystal" (quartz) near Burgdorf, Idaho. Would love to see you do a field trip to that one, too.

[@freesk8]

There is a ski area in the Cascades in WA called Crystal Mountain. A bit East of Seattle. Wonder how "crystal" got in it's name? Wikipedia is no help. Nor is the ski area website. Looks like it started as a ski area back in about 1949, but the mountain may have had that name prior to that?

[@John-b6x2m]

I believe there is a similar patch that is white sand in stark contrast to its surroundings

[@Grannathinks]

​@@John-b6x2m !me too

[@akowboyshippielife7405]

Crystal Mountain in Quartzsite Arizona 🤠

[@ALehrer-s8f]

i second that! cool video!! i think i might be one of those little trees growing from the tuff (?) (😁) because it is almost like looking really good..

[@joeybabybaby5843]

Thanks for the info! note: On very clear mornings, typically in late May and mid-July, as the rising sun breaks the horizon, as seen from the East, Crystal Peak glows a bright neon orange-pink.

[@ericg1234567]

What an elegantly told story; I love how you piece things together for us and present it in a way that a lay-person can understand. Thank you!

[@shawnwillsey]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@doomoo5365]

@@shawnwillsey you said the deposit was a pyroclastic flow but did it have water in it like from a melted glacier when it was deposited? And why weren't those holes and Cavities made by streams that excavated away the softer material that was next to them

[@shawnwillsey]

@@doomoo5365 No glaciers in this region. No water in the pyroclastic flow. If streams had created the holes, we would expect stream deposits.

[@KathyJacksonSanDiegoRealEstate]

Very interesting!!

[@paulmatherly8934]

Yes, old wives tales he certainly has an ability as the rest of academia to push and relay hiperbaly Look at the evidence at mudfossil university:)

[@snowdayninja]

I feel ridiculously blessed to have someone like you explain and explore the geology of my area! Utah is a gorgeous state, and full of geological wonders. Would love to see you take a look at the Timpanogos cave!

[@shawnwillsey]

I've learned that caves are very tricky (for me) to film. I'll keep it in mind though.

[@stew6302]

caves are biological. I expect it is a blood vessel

[@johnmudd6453]

LOL

[@rconn4501]

@@stew6302some are literally vaginas (literal titan vaginas) all over the world!! Vagina Cave, Womb Cave, etc

[@RandomeXits]

Between you and Nick Zentner, I feel like I'm ready to take my exam for my associates in geology. Really appreciate what you're doing.

[@stevewhalen6973]

Thanks!

[@thomashowlett8295]

I considered becoming a geologist back in the '80s, which seemed a perfect fit for me at the time. At least, until our class geology professor told the entire class to forget about making it a career choice because there were 10,000 unemployed geologists in Denver alone. I'm still very interested in geology, but I ended up in electro/mechanical engineering instead.

[@vickitatum540]

Haha, me too, except our professor told us the jobs were in oil exploration, and I wasn't too interested in that!

[@dg6570]

Yep, it was the same advice in 2005. I still miss being out in the field.

[@goldfieldgary]

What they never tell you is, every field has a lot of unemployed people. Better to be an unemployed geologist than an unemployed truck driver!

[@markrouse2416]

All states that depended on the jobs provided by the domestic production of oil took a big hit in the mid 80s.

[@kenbeiser4443]

I started as a young geologist in Golden, CO in 1979. I never had trouble finding work after my first job. After about 6 years I was a consulting hydrogeologist. It was too much travel to stay married so I became a custom timber frame home builder and stayed near home more. No money in it tho. And maybe the relationship should have ended back then! Forty years ago!

[@Riverguide33]

Very interesting! Love the deductive thought process. 👍🏼

[@416dl]

Years ago I worked for a summer as an Interp Ranger at Great Basin NP and on those typical clear summer days, in the late afternoons from the lookout point on the way to the upper Lehman campground that mountain would be particularly conspicuous and I'd always wondered about it with the intention of going to inspect it though I never had the chance so thanks for that great geologic story. It answers a lot of questions as well a bringing back a lot of great memories...PS, the previous hike up to Wheeler Peak was likewise a treat, and it reminds me of all the other great features in that region. Cheers.

[@jackprier7727]

Thanks a lot, I really like when you clearly and logically explain the mysteries of just what that is there that we were otherwise mostly ignoring-

[@hestheMaster]

Great series of illustrations explaining how Crystal Peak came to be. I'm glad a geologist is here to explain everthing since there has been a lot going on for 33 million years. Tafoni looks like Swiss cheese type rock. Calcium carbonate and ancient sand dunes mixed together. Chemical weathering for yes those 30 million plus years gave it that natural sponge look. A very interesting place to visit professor!

[@NFS305]

33 million years?

[@davebashford3753]

ancient sand dunes? I thought he said ash.

[@hestheMaster]

@@davebashford3753 The volcano had ashfall in it from a phreatic explosion but most of the white stuff has small bits of crystals from a sand bed from a long gone ancient seabed that existed here over 33 million years ago. It is a mix that makes up the calcrete you see and was preserved by the volcano's action .

[@hestheMaster]

@@NFS305 Erosion going on that long to get the sponge- like look of the calcrete.

[@John-b6x2m]

same question. Sand? @@davebashford3753

[@BretBerger]

Thanks for video. If you haven't already some content on the recently described Indian Peak-Caliente Caldera Complex would interest me. I assume this tuff was part of the associated vulcanism.

[@PastelKittyOwO]

I’m an amateur geologist! I passed by this this weekend. Family and I went to nearby Roosevelt Hot Spring. I thought that this mountain stood out a lot! Super fascinating and really interesting to learn about. :)

[@joannfoster9082]

Great job of explaining this area. I’m not a geologist; just curious about lots of things, so your explanation was easy for me to follow! Thank you!

[@Anne5440_]

Fascinating. I like your giving clues and wondering musings, as I am beginning to think more of other situations you've covered. It gets me trying to analyze what is seen in this video. Your section showing what's known helped. I was thinking that somehow water was involved. I was surprised by the calcite being an erosional factor. I'm very familiar with areas that have calcite deposition. This is giving me a new viewpoint on calcite. What an interesting place. Of course, I wonder where the pyroclastic flows came from. And if it had to do with the series of hot spots across the west. This expands my Utah knowledge. I really mostly know the area traveling from Colorado to Idaho through Utah. Thank you.

[@Cakefangs]

I came across that place several years ago while roaming the backroads of the desert. Thank you for your in depth analysis!

[@johncooper4637]

That is one neat area! Thanks, Shawn, for showing it to us.

[@charlescole-p9v]

Thank You for sharing an up close view and history of places I wish I had time to visit. In the 80s & 90s I flew hang gliders with an aggressive group of pilots all over the western US. Mostly on X country flights and at very high altitudes. The views were spectacular, to say the least. Wish we would have taken some of the time to do more exploring when we were on the ground.

[@2ddw]

As soft as the rock is as demonstrated later in the video, I'm surprised that it is harder than the surrounding Paleozoic sandstones during its formation.

[@abrakadabra9406]

Maybe Something wrong with the timetable ;)

[@HHO2Burn]

@@abrakadabra9406 my thought too. It's an observation conflicting with the very "interesting story" (imaginative fiction) put together by the UGS.

[@runninonempty820]

So weird, and so cool. Never would have guessed that was a pyroclastic flow that is now actually higher than its' surroundings.

[@brianpeers]

Where do you find these amazing places. So so cool. But I must admit that I was occasionally distracted by the miniature green vegetation existing amongst this grandeur. Not your field of expertise I know and not to be included in your posts but they are part of an entire ecosystem taking advantage of the underlying ground. Don’t get me started about insects/bugs. I love insects in their natural habitat. Plus of course the larger fauna. I really liked your digression recently on the Aspen trees with their “pistol grip” trunks which related to land movement. Keep it coming young fella. We interested/curious people want your knowledge.

[@mr63dodge]

Very informative. Growing up in the country instilled a love of geology in me. Now as I delve into researching natural ceramic materials for pottery, I get to study geology and petrology even deeper. Love it! Oh, by the way we could almost be cousins! Cheers!

[@bobterry2952]

Hi Shawn, another wonderful explanation of my backyard I only live 40 miles from there and have spent the majority of my life in Utah's West desert or Miller counties West desert One thing that I can't believe you didn't talk about her go to was the painted potholes which are only a mile and a half roughly north of your location there they are waterfall erosion holes similar to what you see at Niagara falls anyway they're very interesting if you should get back out into that country go check those out they're very pretty there's about five of them there and they're six seven ft deep three or four feet across anyway thanks again You're doing a wonderful job.

[@sdmike1141]

Thanks! Tafoni…nice!!

[@Riovientoselva]

Gracias. Me sirve mucho el proceso de razonamiento seguido. Las observaciones iniciales, tipo de roca, el ambiente circundante y las deducciones posteriores . En mi pais he visto tambien Tafonis en Ignimbritas ubicadas a 4000 msnm . Muy interesante. Saludos !

[@shawnwillsey]

Excelente amigo! Muchas gracias.

[@cburrowz]

Brilliant analysis

[@lornaperryman489]

Your video truly makes me wish that I had taken geology years ago when I was in college. It's so interesting

[@endcgm9277]

BEST…GEOLOGY…TEACHER…EVER! 👏👏👏

[@shawnwillsey]

Gee thanks. I appreciate your support and kind words.

[@ricardolazaro3774]

I agree , from.Spain, with this coments, because you put your soul on them, and you use many of your free time to visit and enjoy the wonders of Geology, and show them to everybody. I enjoy very much these videos.

[@anniep9478]

My family goes camping out there. We love exploring the west desert. Fossil Mountain is incredible as well. When I first visited I was mesmerized by this mountain and throughly enjoyed exploiting it with my children. Now when we go back I tell them everything I learned from watching by this video. Thank you!

[@patriciabock4299]

Very awesome and interesting. Thank you for sharing this. It is always amazing to learn something new!

[@davidanderson7389]

New word for the day: tafoni! Thanks, great work.

[@seeharvester]

Yes, pronounced "Ta phone knee". My 2nd word learned today. (Fiamme is the other one. I've been binge watching his videos.)

[@wbwarren57]

Nice video! Thank you. It’s really interesting to see a geologist at work, and also see a geologist using the work of other people over many years to try and understand the features of the landscape.

[@shawnwillsey]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@FreedomToRoam86]

Way cool! I've often wondered about those Swiss Cheese holes. Always figured it was water lapping at it, getting lower as the inland sea fell. But cool to hear the real dope on it. Thanks!

[@Rachel.4644]

Really unusual scene; beckons to be climbed. Again, the scope of geology is unimaginably huge. You do a great job explaining and showing us. ❤

[@briantownsend9414]

Check out Upheaval Dome in Canyonlands....it looks like this but it's surrounded by a round cliff, almost like a crater.

[@earljohnson2676]

I’m a rockhound so I actually study geography of the locations prior to my trips . I never thought I would be so interested in the topic and it’s amazing

[@loyalkuhn5778]

Awesome research on this video. Thanks for the explanation and history of the mountain. I will put this location in my bucket list and check out the xenoliths as they have a story to tell as well. Thanks for a great video !!

[@oscarmedina1303]

Thank you Shawn. Learned a lot, including a new word "Tafoni". Will catch you on Nick's live stream.

[@lesliespann6420]

Wow! There is so much fascinating information here! As you speak about the actions which created this geology, I can picture them occurring. What's more difficult to imagine is the length of time it actually took. Thank you, Professor. Glad I found (and subscribed to ) your channel. 🙂

[@shawnwillsey]

Many thanks! Enjoy the existing geology videos.

[@muzikhed]

That was interesting. I learn something with every video.

[@phillipmullins1643]

Have you ever looked into a discussion about the Delaware Basin of Western Texas, Eastern New Mexico? Like your videos and your observations of the geology in the area discussed.

[@michaelsonleitner5724]

Thanks!

[@michaelsonleitner5724]

Really appreciate your great explanations that I’m able to understand!

[@shawnwillsey]

Thank you!

[@Lucy-yc4bc]

Fascinating and extremely well presented! Excellent content

[@aliceperkins8218]

Absolutely Fascinating!! I LOVE learning this stuff! Thank You, Shawn!!

[@kathywinkler9802]

Very interesting! ... At first I guessed wind blown material, but then you mentioned no round rocks and I was puzzled... well done!! Thanks for posting this video!!

[@stevenmccrickard1401]

New sub, thanks for the content. I found your video interesting informative and entertaining. I look forward to watching more from your channel.

[@shawnwillsey]

Awesome. Welcome aboard. Enjoy the existing videos.

[@nicholassteel5529]

Very clear and detailed explanation for students of geology. 👍✌️

[@jimlebo5642]

I has spotted this place on google earth when researching some of the trilobite locations nearby. I planned to check it out on the way home from a trip to the Grand Canyon, but a flat tire had me reconsider the miles of dirt roads required. Although you point out that it is quartzitic, I suppose I envisioned more of a solid quartzite, or perhaps actual quartz crystals in the area based on the name. Super interesting and I still hope to make it out there some day.

[@gerrycoleman7290]

Not quartz. Tuffs.

[@MaxPixUT]

Another cool Utah desert geological mystery on my list has been solved. Thank you Shawn!

[@stephanieparker1250]

I was wondering if you have done a video about Smith Rocks in central Oregon? I’ve always wondered how they were formed and how they will evolve on into the future.

[@riverstone100]

Thanks for explaining that amazing landscape!

[@williamedwards1528]

Amazing how the plants take root and grow in the tiniest bit of soil

[@grandparocky]

Leslie Gulch in Oregon along the Owyhee river has a lot of this material as well

[@stephenwhitaker4491]

Epistemology of tafoni (pronounced taf-owe-ni, not taf-on-i). First appeared in a geological publication in Italy in 1882. May derive from the Greek taphos, meaning tomb, or from the Corsican word taffoni (two effs!) meaning window, or from tafonare (one eff!) meaning to perforate. Also, in Sicilian the word tafoni (one eff!) means window.

[@dennisdye7270]

Very interesting and great explanation. Thanks for sharing the info.

[@Chris-um3se]

Very absorbing ! I was intrigued by the calcite rich zenolith "crazy holes"

[@luapkirner5331]

Super interesting. My suggestion camera work wise early on in the video, allow yourself some more time on each “particle” you’re showing us. That is, keep the camera still for a longer period of time so we can spend more visual study time on it before moving the camera to another spot.

[@davidk7324]

I pause Shawn's videos frequently.

[@shawnwillsey]

Thanks for the tip. Decent geologist, lousy cameraman but working on it.

[@pmm1044]

Love the story! Thanks for teaching this awesome geology.

[@tabuleirocmd]

Spherulites are small, rounded bodies that commonly occur in vitreous igneous rocks. May I ask if one can expect to find them in volcanic ashdeposits as well? Thanks for another great video!

[@shawnwillsey]

Spherulites are common in felsic (silica rich) lavas where obsidian or vitrophyre is devitrifying (de-glassifying). Basically the glassy material begins to slowly crystallize. In addition to lava, spherulites can also occur in pyroclastic flow deposits, particularly rheomorphic ignimbrites.

[@tabuleirocmd]

WOW! I found these spherulites in two outcrops in an iron ore district which according to mainstream science is glacially derived during pre-Cambrian/Cambrian times. Sure it needs more investigation but these spherulites could point to a completelly distinct origin... Thanks a lot!@@shawnwillsey

[@kevinmclin8263]

Very interesting place. I will have to try to get there one of these days. The Italian word, tafoni, is pronounced tah-phone-ee. I think it means rock honeycomb, or some such. My Italian is not very good.

[@shawnwillsey]

Great. That’s how I usually pronounce it too. Thanks.

[@christianhadsell8915]

I've always loved Science and History. My favorite subjects. I'm a HUGE RockHound here in Oregon. Love learning about geology and geography which do go hand in hand. ❤❤❤❤❤

[@jforce91]

A great (modern) example of pyroclastic tephra and tuff filling and artificially flattening a valley is "the valley of ten thousand smokes" in Katmai, Alaska, where an eruption in the early 1900s scoured away all top soil and trees, and now the pyroclasts sit directly on top of jurassic age sedimentary rocks :) (which are nicely exposed thanks to a nearby river).

[@DJO_61]

Thank you for this fascinating video. My father was a geologist who worked for many years at Kennecott (long before the Rio Tinto days). and he was passionate about the stories the earth tells and the mysteries it holds. Much like you, he was a great narrator of those tales. I'm picky about channels I subscribe to, but I'm adding yours today.

[@shawnwillsey]

Awesome. Welcome aboard and enjoy the existing videos.

[@TheSwiftMagician]

I love science in all it’s forms. Geology is in my top three or four along with chemistry, meteorology, and my very favorite: astronomy. But I find this absolutely fascinating. Especially since I live in Salt Lake City, Utah. I’ve driven past Crystal Peak, but now I’m going to have to make it a definite stop on my list. Keep up the good work!

[@amariebeaubien]

this Tuff looks similar to the tuff/tufa at Cuma and Pompeii in Italy. Though that Cumaean tuff is more yellow. At first I thought the holes could caused by fallen trees or other organic matter that weathered away after being buried by pyroclastic flow in the same manner Pompeii was but now your calcite explanation makes sense. (Back in 2007-2009 I lived in the Campi Flegrei area near Cuma Tuff dome and was fascinated by that geology,. I hiked many of the craters there. I'm still bummed I didn't save the sulfur rock I had from Sulfotara).

[@EricksonEtc]

Reminds me of “Little Moab”, just west of the bottom part of Utah Lake,

[@pizzafrenzyman]

Outstanding

[@professorsogol5824]

Two questions 1) You said that Crystal Mountain if formed from material on the uplifted side of the fault, Is any of the material on the lower side of the fault exposed? 2) Has any fossilized plant material (petrified wood) been found in the tuft? Or did the Paleozoic predate plant life on land? (I quess that is three questions.)

[@shawnwillsey]

No plants found as far as i know. Possibly because the area was arid and mostly devoid of plants or the pyroclastic flow incinerated organic material due to heat. Crystal Peak is not the only place where this tuff (Tunnel Springs Tuff) is found but is the thickest and most prominent outcrop.

[@portlandgoose4727]

Awesome! So glad that I randomly ran across this channel. Utah has to be the most astounding state out of the 10-12 states that I've visited so far. Zion (my favorite National Park. I mean, it has Angels Landing AND The Narrows!!), The Grand Canyon (the most surreal "WTF" inducing place I've ever been), Lake Powell, Arches, Bryce Canyon....and those are only the places that I've been to. You've then got Moab, Capital Reef, Canyonlands, Great Salt Lake, Bonneville Salt Flats, Grand Staircase, Goblin Valley, Dinosaur National Monument (hello fossils and ancient hieroglyphs!), Coral Pink Sand Dunes, the various slot canyons, etc. And I'm STILL leaving out a lot of other great destinations. It's absolutely insane. Anyone who simply thinks "Mormon desert" when they think Utah is doing themselves a severe disservice by not digging into the state a bit. It's an outdoorsman's paradise, as well as an astrologer's/recreational stargazer's, as it has a whopping 24 Dark Sky Reserves!! I can't wait until I visit again. I'm seeing the Great Sand Dunes of Colorado for the first time this weekend though :) Keep up the awesome work Shawn! Geology rules!....or something like that

[@shawnwillsey]

Geology rocks!

[@garyjohnson1466]

Nicely educational, always good to increase one understanding of geology…

[@loganv0410]

Does the solution of calcite and its redeposition explain the shapes similar to stalactites and stalagmites at 11:50 es?

[@outdooradventureswithfayde6832]

I thoroughly enjoyed your video. I felt like a member of your team on an expedition. Great job for that! I am happy that I was able to follow along and visualize these processes that formed this topography. I will definitely subscribe and enjoy watching more of this type of content. So glad you spell it the right way, too!!! (Your name 😆) Happy Thanksgiving!

[@shawnwillsey]

Welcome aboard! Enjoy the existing videos in the collection.

[@debdiemer3749]

Fascinating! Do you have an idea of where the flow may have originated?

[@shawnwillsey]

Location of vent is unknown but thought to be buried nearby under younger rocks or sediment. Darn Basin and Range extension!

[@stevew5212]

very interesting.. thanks Shawn

[@valoriel4464]

Great geo-ed adventure. Thx Prof. ✌🏻

[@Uhtred-the-bold]

There so many cool places in the west desert. Great job!

[@karenkiokemeister1718]

50 plus years ago I visited Drummond Island, MI, and I remember the rocky shore with smooth, round holes that were fascinating. Probably totally different, but thanks for the memory! And thanks so much for your clear communications about the seismic activity in Iceland.

[@roburry2551]

There's a Crystal Peak in the Crystal Mountains, a small range adjacent to the eastern Sierra Nevada range, just north of Reno on the California - Nevada border, where the top of the mountain is solid white quartz. It's around 8,000 ft. in elevation and there's rose quartz and smokey amethyst in that region as well...

[@jameshatchett8095]

There are actually two (at least) Crystal Peaks this one and the one in the Raft river mountains. I have not been to the one in this video but I did quite a few bird surveys in the raft River crystal mountain where an interesting green Quartzsite of Precambrian age is quarried.

[@jmas2312]

Nice geologic tour. Thanks.

[@lorelynleisure4048]

So interesting! In another video of yours, you showed rock that had a whitish layer on the sides of the fissures near Mono Lake in California where a volcano had erupted long ago. You said that was calcite also. Where did all the calcite in this area of Utah go and why did it collect on the sides of canyons in the Mono Lake area?

[@3xHermes]

Great location and story! Thx!

[@anniesenol9858]

So interesting. Thank you for this video.

[@alenahawke475]

Thank you for the geology lesson. Much appreciated. Peace and love from the Olympic Peninsula in Washington State.🙏♥️🇺🇲

[@1PITIFULDUDE]

Dang it, I've got work to do, and you just had to post this video. Oh, well, guess I'm in...

[@robertlee3778]

*amazing* (I should have gone into geology) *super* interesting. TY for sharing!

[@MountainGurkha14]

very Beautiful Video Utah

[@addsum]

Nice examples of Rock Mat Spirea i.e. Petrophytum caespitosum (evident particularly at 7:30 et seq.).

[@davidwachsstudio]

Thanks for the explanation. Having ridden through this area many times on motorcycles (always windy) we were told by the BLM it's referred to as the 'Wah Wah' and we've always been curious as to the unique color and formation. We figured it was wind erosion but were unfamiliar with the term reverse topography.

[@kathleennelson6692]

I live in Utah Co., so cool to go see these Pt. of interest you have covered.

[@Gregstrum]

Wow enjoyed the learning. Nicely done

[@shawnwillsey]

Thank you! Cheers!

[@edwardspeck-o4w]

Very knowledgeable geologist and interesting.

[@shawnwillsey]

thanks

[@joeoutabout2947]

I remember seeing a KZbin video about a super volcano on the Nevada / Utah border from that time period. I have seen tuft in different locations in that region, most notably in Spring Valley and Beaver Dam State Parks in Nevada.

[@shawnwillsey]

Yes, this is part of that sequence of large, explosive eruptions.

[@PaulThomsen1E]

Wonderful story, well told.

[@cameddy4081]

Really cool video Doc , thanks for taking us out there ! I’d love to go see that myself someday . Volcanic ? It did not look like sandstone inclusions , certainly not the classic Utah Morrison formation ? Why a pyroclastic flow and how come the strange out of place volcanic activity ? Also how do you confidently date the two rock groups ? The erosion patterns make it look like it is it’s own volcano or summit , eroded from a point , not stratified like an eroded lateral flow ? Again how does the volcano penetrate the initial stratified sediments where it then filled the valley ? Where did the zillions of cubic meters of material just erode away too way out there ? . How important are the electrical properties of the different elements / crystals / minerals / xenoliths embedded in the pyroclastic flow - why don’t they melt during that process? Again the idea of possible electrical origins , giant , scaled lightning bolts does arise in my mind - I would be curious as to your take on that ? Hogwash or plausible?

[@shawnwillsey]

The vent for this eruption has not been located but thought to be buried somewhere close beneath younger rocks or sediment. Rock has been dated with isotope of potassium (K-40), a very reliable method of isotopic dating. The tuff is found elsewhere in this region and is called the Tunnel Spring Tuff. Xenoliths in pyroclastic flows are merely entrained in the erupted material and rarely melt, especially if the xenoliths contain minerals with higher melting temperatures (like igneous and metamorphic rocks). Plus, during transport, the xenoliths are not subjected to high temperatures for very long. The electric geology-lightning bolt stuff is not plausible as a cause of Earth landforms and processes.

[@SkepticalRaptor]

Thanks for another awesome story of something in Utah. One question - how long do you think it took for the calcite to create those holes? Was it thousands or millions of years?

[@shawnwillsey]

Good question. I would guess tens to hundreds of thousands of years. But no idea.

[@gerrycoleman7290]

The center of the Wah Wah Springs caldera is about mid way between Ely, Nevada and Enterprise, Utah. You got to see tuff deposits from an extraordinary event in Earth's history.

[@tompowers8495]

Very good analysis and well presented ..........👍⛏️

[@shopshop144]

Interesting. Why are the tafoni so directional? And if its so soft why didn't erosion wear it down along with the surrounding base material? It certainly sounds like its been around long enough to have had that happen.