8688 x 5792 px | 73,6 x 49 cm | 29 x 19,3 inches | 300dpi
Aufnahmedatum:
23. Juni 2025
Weitere Informationen:
Massive columnar basalt cliffs rise above the Tower Creek drainage in Yellowstone’s northern range, just downstream of Tower Fall. These cliffs were formed by cooling and contraction of a thick Pleistocene-age basalt lava flow, which created vertical jointing and well-developed polygonal columns. The basalt here displays a coarse crystalline texture in places, evidence of relatively slow cooling that allowed mineral crystals to form. This volcanic unit records one of the later basaltic eruptions in Yellowstone’s eruptive history, distinct from the park’s more widespread rhyolitic flows. Tower Fall’s dramatic plunge is framed by these dark, rugged cliffs, offering a powerful glimpse into the region’s volcanic past.
