The Ancient Volcano in New Mexico; Shiprock
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- čas přidán 30. 07. 2024
- The state of New Mexico contains a number of fascinating geologic oddities. One of these unique formations is a massive monolith of rock that towers above the seemingly flat landscape of the Colorado Plateau. Known as Shiprock, this feature has a unique volcanic story from when New Mexico and Arizona were filled with numerous volcanoes. This video will discuss how this unique formation came to be.
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Graphics of eruption dates are courtesy of the Global Volcanism Program, Smithsonian Institute. volcano.si.edu/
Thumbnail Photo Credit: Bowie Snodgrass, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0, commons.m.wikimedia.org/wiki/..., image cropped and proportions modified. Derivative of the original reused by GeologyHub under the same license.
CC BY 2.0: creativecommons.org/licenses/...
0:00 Geologic Features in New Mexico
0:12 Shiprock
0:53 Geologic Setting
1:18 Volcanic Eruptions
2:21 Erosion
2:39 Volcanic Dikes
Google Earth imagery used in this video: ©Google & Data Providers
At the Shiprock monolith there are likely additional dikes underground which are simply hidden from view. They may one day become exposed after additional layers of rock erode away.
Interesting. I wasn't aware it is a volcano. There are ancient drawings by natives around the base, which is the only reason I'm even aware of this geologic feature.
Look again... look at the name... ships are made of wood. That's a tree.
It's like the roots of a tree.
@@twohats8462 nope. Try science. It's a volcano.
@@rafaelvalimfernandes and yet it's a volcano. Not a tree.
When I was a kid back in the late 1960s, we used to travel from our Colorado home through northwestern New Mexico and Arizona on our way to Los Angeles to visit my grandparents. I still remember how excited we always were at our first sight of Shiprock as we headed south out of Cortez. There's just something about that huge rock, visible for so many miles. No wonder it's sacred to the Dine, just as Uluru is to Aboriginal Australians.
me too in the other direction = L.A. to Denver late '60s
shiprock, what an epic natural monument
As a geologist working in the area, I have had the opportunity to fly, in a helicopter, right up to Shiprock. We measured the height with the altimeter in the helicopter as we rose from close to the ground at the base, directly beside the feature, to the top. It was an amazing experience that I'll never forget, with the wall of Shiprock scrolling by just outside the window. I wish everyone could see this wonderful feature in such a way. There appeared to be an eagles nest in an area on the top! Thanks for sharing this video! 😃
New Mexico is the home I chose. 😊
That's pretty badass.
You and the folks in that helicopter are so lucky. There is a short clip on CZcams where this guy flew an ultralight aircraft around Shiprock and the surrounding area and it was as if you were right there in the aircraft with the pilot It was amazing..
@@maxwill6408 We were very fortunate to be able to fly there, Max. Probably the video your thinking of is Tucker Gott, flying in a powered paraglider. I had, and flew one for a short while (getting to old for that now), and it's quite a nice, portable aircraft. Here's his video at Shiprock for any that might want to see it: czcams.com/video/URSZslRsikQ/video.html
what was the measurement you took of Shiprock using the helicopter?
I have driven through the Navajo nation over a dozen times. I have seen Shiprock at a distance and few times up close. I always thought the structure was formed by receding glaciers. I always learn something new watching your videos. Keep up the great work.
So are people allowed to drive up close to it? It looks like there are a bunch of dirt roads that go right to it.
@@adamhlj I should have clarrified. What I meant was, by being on the main roads.
There is A Dirt road that goes to the base of the mountain. They say you need A Navajo guide to cross that land. But one of the roads to get there you can climb up the fissure wall on the side of the road very cool to do.
Its A Giant Tree....... Fossilized Around The Base Are The Enormous Leaves. Go to min 2.49 The Close Up Aerial Shot Pause & Look At The Ground Looks Like Giant Ferns! What Do U Think?
@@johnal-kel9063 If you really believe that and are not just a buffoonish troll you and whoever taught you that are crazy, crazier than a drunken squirrel.
From Australia, New Mexico seems a hidden gem. Can't wait visit one day. Classic lesson in volcano formation, extinction, and erosion.
New Mexico should be called the volcano state because of the number and variety of volcanoes here. Some look like they erupted very recently.
It's a pretty special place. Actually reminds me of the Outback in some places.
'Stralia kinda cool, too Friend. 🎉👍
@@michaeldeierhoi4096 There's many in Arizona also.
@@LosDoyerss True, but not as many as in New Mexico. The Rio Grande Rift had a lot to do with the many volcanoes in the state, but not the only factor.
Thanks for this clip. I spent 6 months working on an engineering project on the Navajo reservation and drove by Shiprock and the dikes many times and always wondered how they were formed. Thanks for the explanation.
Ive been to ship rock, its absolutely gorgeous out there. As someone from the forests of new england i can easily say that our south western deserts habe a special kind of beauty an mystique that cant be found anywhere else.
Natives say if you get close something up there throws rocks down at you.🦍
Thank you for sharing your knowledge about this fascinating landmark, which, on a clear day can be seen from 70 miles away. The first Spanish explorers in the area saw what they thought was a huge sailing ship in the distance. They say this it how it got the name Shiprock.
To the Navajo this feature is known as "Rock with Wings" and has long been a part of their mythology. They say it is a place of evil where Navajo witches or "skinwalkers" gather. No traditional Navajo will go near it.
The vision of Shiprock on a clear day is one of the great sights of the Four Corners region.
I never new shiprock was volcano! I learn so much from this channel. I’ve drove past that so many times
It wasn't!
it's a theory, looks like something other than a volcano.
Used to live in Farmington. We could see Shiprock from our neighborhood! Such a beautiful part of the country!
Now THIS is fascinating! The erosion has provided the absolute best glympse of a former magma chamber and especially the dikes which fed the complex. Simply amazing.
Love, love, LOVED, this video. Thank you for featuring Ship Rock. I love seeing it from my house everyday.
Saw shiprock on the way to the bottom of the Grand canyon when I was 15 back in the early seventies,,, the southwestern United States is a whole nuther "other worldly" place of beauty.
Hope to retrace that journey while I still can.
I love it when you share stuff about the state I live in, New Mexico. I am in Taos, NM, I am wondering if you have already talked about the free-standing volcanic peak, San Antonio Mountain, within the Taos Plateau volcanic field, near me?
I love that you pronounce Colorado the right way.
I've been there! Always going south to north, it's an amazing sight and becomes more astonishing the closer you get. The geology of the southwest is my favorite part of driving through, plus Utah.
Lots of good information delivered quickly, and in a fashion that anyone can understand. Well done!
Check out Bisti De Na Zin, (access via the state park) a super cool & eerie spot not far away....both have a unique vibe. The rock formations are a must see.
I knew it was an ancient volcano but I did not know how it formed. I have driven past it many times. Thanks!
Thanks for the concise, interesting explanation of this geologic feature.
I drove by it a few years ago, and have been fascinated by it ever since.
this is why im subbed! always good content! much love from here in New Mexico!
I’ve never been to Shiprock. However, I’ve been to Devils Tower in Wyoming. In my opinion, Devils Tower is definitely worth seeing and hiking around. So if Shiprock is as impressive as Devils Tower, then it’s probably worth seeing too.
Devil's tower is great climbing rock, a few jokers climb Shiprock now and then, poor rock, dangerous place for them.
I have been by Shiprock hundreds of times. I use to live in Aztec and worked in the Oil Patch. From one angle, it looks exactly like an old sailing ship.
when I was moving to TX, we passed through Navajo Nation, and I had an amazing view of Shiprock. I'm hoping I can actually go visit it some time
Beware cryptids
Videos like this that prove how fascinating geology is, great work!
I was an Aerial Firefighter, Based in Winslow Az. Prescott, and Albuquerque .I'd live in N.Az. and NM.
Thank you for posting this video. I had taken a picture of this back in 1995 in my travels back when I was on leave from the military, and I always called it "castle rock." I appreciate the information 🙂
I have learned more about geology watching this channel the past couple months, than I did in all of highschool. And I loved that class, and the 2 teachers that taught it. I finished the textbook, before the semester was even done.
Drove past this on accident. First and only time something managed to make my jaw drop, and i just came from the grand canyon. The thing was, i knew how that canyon formed, but this rock was mind boggling. Excellent video!
I live in the area and the Pinnacle's base has about a two meter crevasse on the west side of the rock formation that drops down pretty deep. There's been body's that have had to be recovered back in the day due to tourism and locals falling into it. Currently there's a fence and a post that states if you fall in, it's at your own risk and no law enforcement or first responders who'll retrieve your body. The rock served as a divider between opposing tribes of the Navajo people.
Navajo oral tradition also dictates that the rock was a giant thunder bird who crashed into the earth in the past. Or, it's the site of a giant nest to a monster bird that had been terrorising the Navajo people in ancient times. Monster Slayer and his twin brother Born for the Water destroyed these monsters that roamed the lands of the sacred mountains. Hella cool story. Oral traditions
@@stormengine3261 Sasquatch & Skinwalker hangout. Rocks may fall on you if they see you.
Also similar in origin, I think, to Siwash Rock just off shore from Stanley Park in Vancouver. Vastly smaller but still striking.
This is crazy! I'm here, in Brazil, watching your videos! Great job!
Love this channel. As far as Shiprock volcanic formation this video makes the people who think this is a petrified tree stump look silly.
they arent silly they are demented weirdos poisoned by religious cult behavior probably young earth creationists or some other type
Very interesting. I remember driving by this feature as a kid on our way to Utah. I knew about the dikes emanating from the intrusion but I didn’t realize exactly what they were. Pretty cool.
This was a great look into one of my local landmarks the enigmatic Shiprock!! thanks GeologyHub!!
While working at Four Corners Aviation at Farmington Airport back in the 80's, I drove my old '76 Blazer off road on a trail leading to Shiprock. What looked like a few miles was probably 15 miles off the highway to the base. Awesome view up close. Only later did I learn about it's cultural significance to the Navajo. Really enjoyed the chance to meet and work with them , and hear their conversations in native language. No wonder they were recruited as Code Talkers in WW2.
short, sweet and right to the point! LOVE it!
Volcanos are so interesting! Glad we have you to help us navigate to the best parts. Many thanks.
Thank you this really is fascinating 💜
I remember driving from Bloomfield, NM to Canyon de Chelly NP. I asked a local in Farmington how to get there and she said go down 491 and turn right after Shiprock- you can't miss it. She wasn't kidding- you can't miss it.
Since I live in NM, I love when you do vids on us! Check out the Organ Mtns just east of Las Cruces; they are the remains of a caldera. Also, Kilbourne Hole a little SW of there is a nice maar. And that whole southern east-west strip of NM is all that remains of a volcanic field. Many dead volcanoes and a lot of never quite made it volcanoes all over. The Dona Ana Mtns just north of the Organs are probably the remains of two calderas. Come see us!!
Thank you for making a point that this is not only a fascinating geologic oddity, but part of a sacred landscape and not somewhere people should go tromping around!
Very cool info....thank you ❤️
Outstanding ,
Totally sponge up info in your vids. Land of Enchantment never ceases to amaze me.
Thank you 🙏
Very well done and educational upload. Thank you.
In late spring of last year, my father, sister, and I drove by this landmark, it's even more stark and striking than the images, here.
On a good day, you can see Shiprock for hundreds of miles from the air. Drove there once from Durango on a day off from a business trip. I thought there would be a shiny visitor center with a big parking lot but there is nothing. Drove maybe half a mile from the road across wild fields crisscrossed with ditches to get to it. The rental car took some serious hits. It is impressive.
" I thought there would be a shiny visitor center with a big parking lot" Nope no tourist center. Thats how we keep it pristine since its just a dirt road there. :)
Interesting! Thank you!
Very interesting. I enjoyed the video very much and hope to one day visit this unique formation. 😉👍❤
In 27 million years the land has eroded 3000 feet? Does that mean given enough time part or even entire continents can be eroded below sea level? Was the land higher due to the Farralon plates low angle? How is new continental crust made?
Its a bit trickier than just erosion as the rates of erosion are effected by the elevation since the forces involved are largely fueled by gravity interacting with wind and water. Rather than the land just eroding away it more has to do with the uplift of the Colorado Plateau allowing rock to get eroded away much more easily thanks to the higher altitude. In effect it is the same sort of uplift which has formed the Grand canyon and keeps all but the fastest growing mountain ranges from growing too tall.
"Does that mean given enough time part or even entire continents can be eroded below sea level? " - Good question. There was uploaded just a few days ago an educational movie (from 1964!) titled "Why Do We Still Have Mountains?" czcams.com/video/z_be0yzhYz0/video.html .
@@TheDanEdwards thank you, that video was great!
@@Dragrath1 thank you for the details!
@@johnperic6860 is new continental crust formed between the mantle and bottom of the crust during uplift?
Thanks for the explanation of the dike feature! When I first saw it a few years ago I thought it was mesmerizing in how it appears in the landscape. And thank you for acknowledging this mountain is sacred to the Navajo. It's important for us to show that respect.
That was amazing!
I really like this video. I learned some new things. Thank you.
I did not know this about that famous landmark. Thanks. Seen it but didn't know this about it.
I learned today. Thank you.
Thanks, I always wondered about Shiprock.
I grew up on a plateau that was part of the Valles Caldera complex. Cresting the rim and seeing the expansive grassland that occupies the Valle Grande segment of the caldera is a breathtaking sight.
Wonderful explanation. It really is quite striking to see, even from a distance.
Thank you. I love visiting Shiprock.
It's a bummer you cant climb it, but I respect that it's a spiritually significant location. Would flying a drone up to the top be disrespectful? I just bet the view is astounding.
You can climb it, just don’t get caught. Don’t injure yourself up there either because the natives won’t come near it, they’ll leave you for dead up there rather than disrupt the evil spirits! ☠️💀👻💀☠️💀👻
@@jonkaminsky8382 A person can do a lot of things that are illegal or just not ethically correct. So saying you can climb it, but don't get caught is being disrespectful and also illegal on the Dine land.
Wow I had no idea! Thank you!
been binging this channel recently, as i'm in New England, i have a extreme interest in the geology here, as silent as it is lol. turns out there's a lot of interesting history, like the avalon subcontinent? i didn't realize this region was really just a bunch of fragments shoved together, makes sense now why the bedrock maps i found online just had "granite: other" near me, as opposed to other, named, granite types
Dude, thank you! I always wanted a clear answer on how the dykes were formed. Awesome illustration & explanation.
Brilliant!!
I drove to Shiprock last summer....and it is breathtaking. You can get quite close, just remember to wear a mask and also remember that this sight is on the reservation, which means people live very close. Respect and enjoy💯 also, learn a bit about the native history related to Shiprock.....it is my most favorite story!! #thunderbirds #venus
Tribal members still wearing face diapers.
I remember seeing this around 2013/14 as I from Pasco WA. to San Antonio.
I am a long haul truck driver and came across this taking the scenic route. It was getting never dusk, this thing sticks out like a sore thumb and my first thought was it looked like a large sailing ship from the 1800's.
I had never heard of ship rock so as I got closer I saw a sign that said ship rock 10 miles, or something like that.
Very impressive.
Having visited the area most recently in 2015, is there any info on the exposed magma chambers/volcanic necks south of Shiprock along US Hwy 491? In other words, I stopped to photograph most of them, but I feel like I don't have all of the info to properly label my photos.
I dare someone to beat geohub to the first comment, awesome video like always
Thank You
Thank you!💖
Despite climbing Shiprock being prohibited, this beautiful formation in the northwest corner of my home state of NM can easily be viewed up close if you don't mind going for a little drive. It is virtually "in the middle of nowhere," and it is on a windy and peaceful plain. Visiting it, it's easy to understand why it's a sacred place.
Thank you
It's funny how you mention Devils Tower at the very end, because when I first saw the photo of Ship Rock, Devils Tower was the very first thing to come to my mind.
That’s a very cool looking volcano mountain
This is waaay too cool!! I was thinking about driving up to this place, but I didn't want to piss anyone off. I did the drive from Salt Lake to Bisbee and I took US 6, 491 and whatever and your eyes just get overloaded with the beauty.
Just subbed. Wow, I'd love to explore and see all these natural wonders. Except I'm stuck in Canada.
There's a lot of cool geology in Canada, but some of it is hard to get to. See past videos on volcanoes and impact craters in Canada. There's also the wealth of Mesozoic fossils and landscapes in Alberta: see the channel of the Royal Tyrrell Museum of Palaeontology. There's also features created by the Pleistocene glaciations. Learn to recognize them and the whole landscape south of the Canadian Shield comes alive with information. There's the Shield itself, with really ancient rocks and the exposed roots of ancient mountains, full of unusual minerals. Go for it!
Wondering about diamond pipes ....
I live in Farmington NM about 40 miles from the Shiprock and have to in many times. In this area there are a lot of volcanic features..
“Fascinating, Captain.” 🧐
Felt an energy force when hiking around Devils Tower close to a decade ago. Felt something similar when at Shiprock last week. Is it a magnetic field?
Super interesting to hear how this was formed; Here is an aerial view from a channel I follow (starts into video (rewind to watch beginning)): czcams.com/video/URSZslRsikQ/video.html
Home! Born and raised a Diné rez boy until my mom made me become an apple. Brought a couple tears to my eyes to see our sacred Shiprock in Star Wars Mandalorian. Nizhoní! and I wish my uncle was alive to see it as he always had deep love for Shiprock and our deep culture. He’s buried with a view of Shiprock mountain.
Ya'ah teh! Did you ever see the first transformers movie? They have a short scene where Tse'bit'ai is visible too.
@@warblerblue yes I remember now! and I watched it with my uncle and he reacted very excited also, such a long time ago. Thank you for reminding me, Ahéé eéh
What are the compositions inside this these things an also natural frequencies have shapes like a solid matter so formation is like a key in the shapes of these things.
Geology, you guys' rock! 🤣
Hi. Today I learned a little bit about Waw an Namous volcano in Libya. It has pink lakes in it's caldera. Could you speak about this Volcano 🌋?
I was just at the Trinity Site a bit ago, saw the other volcano down there.
Massive lava flow.
I just went past this yesterday and have been traveling that highway for years trucking and did not know the whole story.😁
Minette lava. I've never heard of that type of lava, does it have even less silica than basalt?
Thanks for teaching me something new every time I watch one of your videos! =)
I remember 27 million years ago, the navajo volcanic fields erupted. Made for a rough time. We had to make a story of a giant bird monster just to commemorate that time.
Such an amazing formation! I had no clue on it's origins. You explain things so clearly, that I've made you one of my top recommendations to my students, as well as anyone else interested in rocks and geology. Thank you much for the quality content! 💜
Ps. I'll have to do a binge watch soon to catch up on vids I've missed trying to keep up with developments with the war in Ukraine.💔🇺🇦
I hope you’re tuning in to news sources other than the corrupt Western corporate media.
Relax.
The distraction over there is working well.
That is a nice place.
So it's a raw exposed volcano ' core'
Totally magnificent
Been by this incredible structure many times
do you know the origin of Chimney rock in western Nebraska? I would assume it has the same origin, but I've never been able to confirm it.
Would love to see a video about the Spanish Peaks in Colorado they have an impressive radial dike system surrounding the peaks, which are volcanic in origin as well, but not volcanoes (as far as I know). en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spanish_Peaks
Thank you for this. I was considering going to see Shiprock next month, but if you can't get near it it seems there is no reason to visit it.
Oh no...it's worth seeing. You must go! You don't have to get too near to see it.
Consider that EVERYTHING is sacred to the Dine-rightfully so. But there are many roads leading right out to the rock. They don't mind if you look-with respect.
@@larryhorton9534 Hire a native guide of repute.
Cool channel
Can you find out about the extinct one in Mississippi?
Way Cool video
Rode up there on my BMW last year. Very impressive up close.
In the start of the video there are hat shape cones. Where are they ? (Seems like Capadoyca in Turkey). Tnx.
Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks National Monument, New Mexico. It's been closed since COVID pandemic. ☮️