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Coke Ovens Overlook. Sign text: Sandstone weathers into unusual shapes. Here a ridge between two canyons is eroding into a series of domes. The key factor in shaping these adjacent monoliths is the upper layer of harder rock. This cap layer is breakable, but resistant to erosion. Where the cap layer remains, the softer rock beneath is protected; where it has broken away, the underlying formation has rapidly eroded to a rounded form.
The dome-shaped sandstone monoliths on the right side of the image are named for their resemblance to man-made ovens used for producing coke from coal. Image taken July 3, 2011. Image is 31% size of original.
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last updated: December 21, 2011