But in , my cousin Jim, an engineer, came to me with an idea. He suggested setting up cameras near the stones and letting the equipment gather data. For years, nothing moved. Then, in , we got lucky. The lake bed was full of water and it was freezing fast. The road to Racetrack Valley begins near Ubehebe Crater. Normally, it is recommended for high-clearance vehicles with heavy-duty tires as it can be rough and washboard.
Off-road driving is prohibited as the desert is very fragile and vehicle tracks can remain for years. Watch for Joshua trees along the way. Often confused with cactus, Joshua trees actually are a type of yucca that can grow up to 30 feet tall. Twenty miles in you will reach Teakettle Junction. Follow the road straight ahead to the Racetrack playa. The road to the left leads into Hidden Valley and connects with the Hunter Mountain road which usually requires 4- wheel-drive to travel.
Two miles further the short spur road to the right leads to the Ubehebe Lead Mine. It operated during the late 's and again during World War I. The Grandstand After traveling 26 miles you reach the north end of the Racetrack and the Grandstand parking area. A short walk out to the Grandstand can be rewarding. This large island outcrop of quartz monzonite offers spectacular views of the Racetrack. Those interested in a longer hike should try the old miner's trail to Ubehebe Peak.
This strenuous 6 mile round trip hike involves an elevation gain of feet. Look for this trail west of the Grandstand parking lot. The Racetrack is a playa dry lakebed about 3 miles long and 2 miles wide.
At least 10, years ago this region underwent climatic changes resulting in cycles of hot, cold and wet periods. As the climate changed, the lake evaporated and left behind beige colored mud, at least 1, feet thick. Moving Rocks To see the moving rocks, drive two miles south of the Grandstand parking area. Walk at least a half mile toward the southeast corner of the playa for the best views of rocks and their tracks on the playa.
Erosional forces cause rocks from the surrounding mountains to tumble to the surface of the Racetrack. Explore This Park. Article Death Valley's Moving Rocks. The moving rocks of the Racetrack Photo by Jeffery Aiello. You Might Also Like. Loading results Because of the many parallel tracks, he came away convinced that they were locked together in large ice sheets that were blown by strong winds.
Furthermore, wind-based models were thrown into doubt when researchers attempted to calculate the wind speeds necessary to move the ice sheets. The lowest figures were hundreds of miles per hour. The weather is harsh enough there to serve an analogue for weather conditions on Mars. But then he discovered the sailing stones. As the research team studied weather patterns on the Racetrack, they also looked for rocks that seemed to move on their own in other environments.
Scanning the scientific literature, Lorenz learned that the buoyancy of ice helped float boulders onto arctic tidal beaches, creating barricades along the shore.
0コメント