White Sands National Monument

A geo-site!! Whenever Mr. Spock is able to get out of his office and into the field, he is one happy camper!! Today was such a time when we visited White Sands National Monument, 275 square miles of dazzling white sand dunes in the Chihuahuan Desert - the largest gypsum dune-field in the world - and one of 4 geo-sites in New Mexico. (Albert B. Dickas- 101 American Geo-sites You've Gotta See)

When the great inland sea retreated millions of years ago, it left behind deep layers of gypsum. Mountains rose up and carried the gypsum high where water from melting glaciers dissolved the mineral and run-off carried it to the basin below. For thousands of years in shallow lakes at low spots in the basin, wind and sun have separated the water from the gypsum and formed selenite crystals. Wind and water break down the crystals making them smaller and smaller until they are sand. Steady, strong southwest winds keep gypsum sand moving piling it up and pushing dunes into various shapes and sizes. It is truly one of the world's most unusual natural wonders.

Mr. Spock breathing the clean desert air.

He was very grateful that Frederick was there to keep him from blowing away. (We usually don't wear sunglasses when we hike, but the white sand is dazzling in the sunshine.)

After Mr. Spock went back to his office to continue his research, Frederick and I started off on the longest hike at the Monument, the Alkali Flat Trail that leads through the heart of the dunes. Because the dunes move constantly in the blowing wind, the loop route is not a constructed trail but a route marked by red posts. (click on the picture to make it larger and you can see the red posts out ahead of Frederick.)

Occasionally you can see where vegetation anchored the sand but then the dunes moved on leaving a pillar of gypsum with a top-knot.

We also saw some other strange formations.

Frederick making his way to the top of a dune.

At the half-way point on the loop trail we came to the alkali flats and a small missile test station in the distance 

.

Back on the sand dunes.

Frederick at the top of a 30-foot slip face that we had to descent. There were several, maybe 10, of these descents that we had to maneuver. 

The landscape, with bright white dunes, endless sky and distant mountain ranges is...

stunning!

The park was crowded with locals and visitors from west Texas who come out to the White Sands National Monument to sled on the dunes. 

The road on the 8-mile scenic drive is packed gypsum and looks for all the world like a New England winter wonderland scene with snow plowed to the side of the road.

Today's hike:

Length - 4.8 miles

Duration - 1 hour, 55 minutes

Elevation gain - 720 feet (80 floors on the Fitbit)