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Independence Monument viewpoint looking toward northeast. Provides context for the next image. Sign text: Independence Monument was created through a natural process called "differential erosion". Rocks wear away, or "erode," at different rates. Soft rocks like the sandstones that form the canyon walls, wash away quickly. Harder rocks, like the ones that cap the mesas, erode more slowly. Fractures are especially prone to decay. Most of the rock that once filled the canyon has been dissolved and carried away by streams, but the hard capstones of the Independence Monument have protected it like a roof. "Balanced Rock" and the "Coke Ovens" are other examples of differential erosion.
Image taken July 3, 2011. Image is 35% size of original.
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last updated: December 21, 2011