What type of rock is Shiprock?
Shiprock or "the winged rock" in Navajo, is a monolith composed of resistant volcanic rock that rises nearly 500 meters above the high-desert plain of the Navajo Nation in San Juan County, New Mexico, United States. The monolith is the remnant of an ancient volcano that became extinct about 27 million years ago...
How did Shiprock Peak get its name?
The Navajo name for the peak, Tsé Bitʼaʼí, "rock with wings" or "winged rock", refers to the legend of the great bird that brought the Navajo from the north to their present lands. The name "Shiprock" or Shiprock Peak or Ship Rock derives from the peak's resemblance to an enormous 19th-century clipper ship.
How deep is the ship rock volcano?
Ship Rock's volcanic plug as seen today was deposited between 2,000 and 3,000 feet below the earth's surface. Besides Ship Rock's unusual size as a volcanic plug, it is also famed for numerous rock dikes that radiate out from the main formation.
How was ship rock formed?
Ship Rock was probably 750 to 1000 meters below the land surface at the time it was formed, and has since gained its prominent form due to erosion of surrounding rocks. Another striking feature of Ship Rock are the dikes, or wall-like sheets of lava that radiate away from the central neck. At least two of these dikes are visible in this image.
Is Shiprock still active?
The idea of climbing Shiprock is repugnant to many Navajo people. Climbing has been illegal since 1970. In spite of this, rock climbers continue to see Shiprock as an interesting place to climb.
Is Shiprock volcano extinct?
Shiprock is the remains of an extinct volcano in the U.S. state of New Mexico. Shiprock is composed of fractured volcanic breccia and black dikes of igneous rock. It is the erosional remnant of the throat of a volcano.
What type of volcano is Shiprock?
Shiprock is indeed a volcano but of a class called a diatreme, having formed explosively from gas-charged magma escaping at great velocity. It possessed a crater at the surface called a maar, but erosion has long since removed it along with much of the sedimentary strata through which it erupted.
What is the story behind Shiprock?
Shiprock, or the Winged Rock, is located on Navajo Nation lands, and the peak is part of many legends and stories. According to one story, the peak was once the nesting place of a giant bird of prey—the last of 16 monsters that the Hero Twin gods had to slay before human beings could come to live in the present world.
Do people climb Shiprock?
Due to its sacred nature, climbing is not permitted. Shiprock Pinnacle is visible 30 to 50 miles from the peak, in almost every direction. This sacred landmark is located south of the community of Shiprock on Hwy. 491.
Who owns Shiprock?
dealer Jed FoutzFor over 30 years, fifth-generation art dealer Jed Foutz, who was raised on the Navajo Nation in a prominent family of Indian art traders, has refined his singular vision into Shiprock Santa Fe's curated collection of historic and contemporary Navajo rugs and blankets, Native American jewelry, Pueblo pottery, sculpture ...
Is Navajo Mountain a volcano?
A laccolithic dome (an irregular formation of igneous rock), Navajo Mountain has a volcanic origin, though laymen would never think so by looking at it. Some of the only volcanic rock visible is on the mountaintop's north end.
Why is Shiprock sacred?
Ship Rock is a sacred mountain to the Navajo people that figures prominently in Navajo mythology. The primary legend tells how a great bird carried the ancestral Navajo people from the far north to their current homeland in the American Southwest.
Is Shiprock volcanic rock?
Ship Rock, known as Tse Bitai, or "the winged rock" in Navajo, is a volcanic neck, or the central feeder pipe of larger volcanic landform which has since eroded away. The neck is composed of fractured volcanic rock, or breccia, crosscut by many thin veins of lava.
Can you visit Shiprock?
Visiting Shiprock in New Mexico is not easy. However, Shiprock Peak is visible 30 to 50 miles from the peak, in almost every direction. But best viewing is west of Farmington along Hwy. 64 or south of Shiprock on Hwy.
Is Shiprock worth visiting?
The massive Shiprock is beautiful and worthwhile driving nearby to get a great view. We were driving from Mesa Verde to Canyon de Chelly via Four Corners and decided to "detour" towards Shiprock, NM to get a closer look at the massive Shiprock rock formation.
What state is Shiprock in?
New MexicoShiprock, town, San Juan county, northwestern New Mexico, U.S. Lying on the vast Navajo reservation, the town, originally called Needles, was founded in 1903 as a centre of tribal government.
Does the topography of Shiprock volcano indicate that it is an active or extinct volcano?
For example, the Shiprock volcano, which stands in Navajo Nation territory in New Mexico, is an example of a solitary extinct volcano.
Can you visit Shiprock?
Visiting Shiprock in New Mexico is not easy. However, Shiprock Peak is visible 30 to 50 miles from the peak, in almost every direction. But best viewing is west of Farmington along Hwy. 64 or south of Shiprock on Hwy.
Why is Shiprock sacred?
Ship Rock is a sacred mountain to the Navajo people that figures prominently in Navajo mythology. The primary legend tells how a great bird carried the ancestral Navajo people from the far north to their current homeland in the American Southwest.
What type of volcano is Devils Tower?
The simplest explanation is that Devils Tower is a stock—a small intrusive body formed by magma which cooled underground and was later exposed by erosion (Figure 1). In 1907, scientists Darton and O'Hara decided that Devils Tower must be an eroded remnant of a laccolith.
What is Shiprock in the Chuska Mountains?
Shiprock is said to be either a medicine pouch or a bow carried by the "Goods of Value Mountain", a large mythic male figure comprising several mountain features throughout the region. The Chuska Mountains comprise the body, Chuska Peak is the head, the Carrizo Mountains are the legs, and Beautiful Mountain is the feet.
What is the name of the Navajo rock?
The Navajo name for the peak, Tsé Bitʼaʼí, "rock with wings" or "winged rock", refers to the legend of the great bird that brought the Navajo from the north to their present lands. The name "Shiprock" or Shiprock Peak or Ship Rock derives from the peak's resemblance to an enormous 19th-century clipper ship. Americans first called the peak "The Needle", a name given to the topmost pinnacle by Captain J. F. McComb in 1860. United States Geological Survey maps indicate that the name "Ship Rock" dates from the 1870s.
What is the name of the bird monster that nested on the peak?
Navajo legend has it that Bird Monsters ( Tsé Ninájálééh) nested on the peak and fed on human flesh. After Monster Slayer, elder of the Warrior Twins, destroyed Déélééd at Red Mesa, he killed two adult Bird Monsters at Shiprock and changed two young ones into an eagle and an owl. The peak is mentioned in stories from the Enemy Side Ceremony and the Navajo Mountain Chant, and is associated with the Bead Chant and the Naayee'ee Ceremony. There are a number of other legends regarding what the Shiprock pinnacle might be. Some Navajo traditionalists argue that it is a geological anomaly that may have originated as a work of the 'star people'.
How high is Shiprock?
Shiprock ( Navajo: Tsé Bitʼaʼí, "rock with wings" or "winged rock") is a monadnock rising nearly 1,583 feet (482.5 m) above the high-desert plain of the Navajo Nation in San Juan County, New Mexico, United States. Its peak elevation is 7,177 feet (2,187.5 m) above sea level. It is about 10.75 miles (17.30 km) southwest of the town of Shiprock, which is named for the peak.
What is shiprock made of?
Geology. Shiprock is composed of fractured volcanic breccia and black dikes of igneous rock called minette, a type of lamprophyre. It is the erosional remnant of the throat of a volcano, and the volcanic breccia formed in a diatreme.
What is the significance of Shiprock?
Shiprock and the surrounding land have religious and historical significance to the Navajo people. It is mentioned in many of their myths and legends . Foremost is the peak's role as the agent that brought the Navajo to the southwest. According to one legend, after being transported from another place, the Navajos lived on the monolith, "coming down only to plant their fields and get water." One day, the peak was struck by lightning, obliterating the trail and leaving only a sheer cliff, and stranding the women and children on top to starve. The presence of people on the peak is forbidden "for fear they might stir up the chį́įdii (ghosts), or rob their corpses."
When did shiprock form?
Shiprock is in the northeastern part of the Navajo volcanic field —a field that includes intrusions and flows of minette and other unusual igneous rocks that formed about 30 million years ago .
What is the name of the rock that a Navajo bird resembles?
In the Navajo language, Shiprock is called Tsé Bitʼaʼí, which means “rock with wings” or simply “winged rock.”. Though Shiprock resembles a large, sitting bird from certain angles, with the north and south peaks forming the crests of folded wings, the name is based on more than appearance. Shiprock is sacred to the Navajo.
What is the name of the volcano that forms explosively when magma escapes with enormous velocity?
The United States Geological Survey deemed Shiprock “one of the best known and most spectacular diatremes in the United States.” A diatreme is a carrot-shaped volcanic vent or pipe that forms explosively when gas-charged magma escapes with enormous velocity. However, the minette magma associated with Shiprock is not rich in dissolved gases so why would the eruption be so violent? The evidence suggests that as the magma seeped into cracks and crevices, the lava interacted with ground water, producing an extremely explosive steam-blast. Volcanologists call these hydrovolcanic eruptions.
How many dikes are there in Shiprock?
In total, there are seven minette dikes, all of them created as the eruption occurred. Like the throat of the volcano, the dikes formed deep beneath the surface, exposed over time due to erosion. The three main dikes radiate west, northeast, and southeast from the main formation like long tails. The most impressive one is 5 miles long, rising to 150 feet, though only a few feet wide at the top. BIA-13 cuts through the southern end, with a great spot to pull over and take photos. Based on the divergence pattern of the dikes, Geologists believe they merge, with the root zone deeply buried. Eventually erosion will expose that as well.
What is the name of the volcano that is the neck of a volcano?
Shiprock’ s Volcanic Legacy. Shiprock is the most well-known volcanic feature in the Chuska volcanic field, more commonly referred to as a volcanic plug. It is the exposed neck or throat of an ancient volcano.
Why did the Navajo ban climbing?
As mentioned above, areas associated with tragedy and death often become taboo, perceived as haunted, and Shiprock is sacred to the Navajo. They don’t want tourists clambering all over one of their sacred mountains and leaving litter.
How long does it take to get to the Four Corners Monument?
Give yourself about an hour if you are timing the trip for photography and lighting. From the Four Corners Monument: Takes about 50 minutes. Take US 160 south to the intersection with US 64 in Arizona. Head east into New Mexico and you will see Shiprock south of the interstate.
How high is Shiprock?
Shiprock is an iconic stone sentinel, rising 1583 feet above the stark plains of northwestern New Mexico. The National Park Service designated Shiprock as a National Natural Landmark in 1975. Visible from 50 miles away on a clear day, Shiprock is the throat of an ancient volcano, with a peak 7,178-feet above sea level.
What is shiprock made of?
Shiprock is composed of an unusual, highly potassic magma composition called a "minette", which is believed to result from extremely gradual melting of mantle rock. This is a material composed of smaller rock fragments cemented together, similar to conglomerate but with sharper, more irregular pieces. The jagged fragments hint at the explosive nature of the eruption that created Shiprock.
How many dikes are there in shiprock?
Having cooled and crystallized in the fissure, the resulting rock structure formed a dike. Like the neck, these hard rocks are also relatively resistant to erosion, and thus stand above the horizon as massive walls of lava. There are at least six dikes that radiate away from Ship Rock.
Where is Shiprock located?
Shiprock or "the winged rock" in Navajo, is a monolith composed of resistant volcanic rock that rises nearly 500 meters above the high-desert plain of the Navajo Nation in San Juan County, New Mexico, United States . The monolith is the remnant of an ancient volcano that became extinct about 27 million years ago and has eroded away leaving a rocky stump exposed at the surface. The stump represents the neck of the volcano, the central feeder pipe through which the magma erupted, now solidified. This neck was probably 750 to 1000 meters below the land surface at the time it was formed, and has since gained its prominent form due to erosion of surrounding rocks.
Why did the Elders forbid people from climbing Shiprock?
The elders then forbid anyone to climb Shiprock for fear that the ghosts of those stranded would be disturbed. Despite the legends, in the 1930s, rock climbing grew in popularity and Shiprock became a highlight for many climbers seeking to scale the steep sides.
What is the shiprock?
According to another legend, the mysterious Shiprock is all that remains of a giant bird that once carried the people’s ancestors to New Mexico from territories up north. These original Navajos lived on the rock and would only descend to tend to their crops below. The legend continues that one day when the men were down below, lightning struck and destroyed the pathway back to the top. The women and children who were trapped on the top starved to death. The elders then forbid anyone to climb Shiprock for fear that the ghosts of those stranded would be disturbed.
What is the rock with wings called?
For centuries, the towering “rock with wings” has been sacred to the Navajo people, who call it Tse Bit’ a’i. One legend tells of monster, flesh-eating birds who lived on the peak of Shiprock. One day, a warrior killed two of the bird monsters, then turned one baby bird monster into an eagle and another into an owl.
Is Shiprock sacred to the Navajos?
The rule still exists to this day. Nick Fox / Shutterstock. Visiting Shiprock Today. Shiprock is as sacred to the Navajos in 2021 as it has ever been.
What is the best time to photograph Shiprock?
Nick Fox / Shutterstock. Professional photographers have written about the best ways to photograph Shiprock. From a lighting perspective, the winter months are better than the summer, but note that in June an abundance of wildflowers can provide a stunning and contrasting foreground image.
Where did Shiprock get its name?
The name Shiprock comes from early pioneers who settled in the area. They believed the rock peak resembled a 19th-century clipper.
Where to see Shiprock?
Visitors are asked to view and photograph Shiprock from a paved roadway, Indian Service Route 13, or from U.S. Highway 491. The Navajo community oversees these rules stringently. The town of Farmington, New Mexico, is a good place to seek lodging and accommodations while you plan a day trip to see Shiprock.
What is ship rock?
Ship Rock, known as Tse Bitai, or "the winged rock" in Navajo, is a volcanic neck, or the central feeder pipe of larger volcanic landform which has since eroded away. The neck is composed of fractured volcanic rock, or breccia, crosscut by many thin veins of lava. Ship Rock is composed of an unusual, highly potassic magma composition called ...
How many dikes are there in the Ship Rock eruption?
At least two of these dikes are visible in this image. A total of six dikes have been recognized. These dikes would have been intruded at some depth below the earth's surface at the time that the Ship Rock eruption was occurring.
Where is Ship Rock located?
The Ship Rock landform, located in northwestern New Mexico, is the remnant of an explosive volcanic eruption that occurred around 30 million years ago. The main part of the landform is 600 meters high, and 500 meters in diameter.
Overview
Geology
Shiprock, an example of a volcanic neck, is composed of fractured volcanic breccia and black dikes of igneous rock called minette, a type of lamprophyre. It is the erosional remnant of the throat of a volcano, and the volcanic breccia formed in a diatreme. The rock probably was originally formed 2,500–3,000 feet (750–1,000 meters) below the Earth's surface, but it was exposed after million…
Name
The Navajo name for the peak, Tsé Bitʼaʼí, "rock with wings" or "moldy onion", refers to the legend of the great bird that brought the Navajo from the north to their present land. The name "Shiprock" or Shiprock Peak or Ship Rock derives from the peak's resemblance to an enormous 19th-century clipper ship. Americans first called the peak "The Needle", a name given to the topmost pinnacle by Captain J. F. McComb in 1860. United States Geological Survey maps indicate that the name "Shi…
Climbing history and legal status
The first ascent was in 1939, by a Sierra Club party including David Brower, Raffi Bedayn, Bestor Robinson and John Dyer. This was the first climb in the United States to use expansion bolts for protection. Pitons were used for direct aid. This first ascent route is featured in the book Fifty Classic Climbs of North America.
Since then at least seven routes have been climbed on the peak, all of them of great technical di…
Religious and cultural significance
Shiprock and the surrounding land have religious and historical significance to the Navajo people. It is mentioned in many of their myths and legends. Foremost is the peak's role as the agent that brought the Navajo to the southwest. According to one legend, after being transported from another place, the Navajos lived on the monolith, "coming down only to plant their fields and get water." One day, the peak was struck by lightning, obliterating the trail and leaving only a sheer cl…
See also
• Rock formations in the United States
• Volcanic plug
• Diné Bahaneʼ
External links
• Shiprock.org: Shiprock
• Shiprock @ discover-navajo
• flickr: Shiprock photo gallery
• 3D Movie tour of Shiprock
Chuska Volcanic Field
The Daunting Diatreme
- The United States Geological Survey deemed Shiprock “one of the best known and most spectacular diatremes in the United States.”A diatreme is a carrot-shaped volcanic vent or pipe that forms explosively when gas-charged magma escapes with enormous velocity. However, the minette magma associated with Shiprock is not rich in dissolved gases so why would the erupti…
Shiprock and The Navajo Migration
- In the Navajo language, Shiprock is called Tsé Bitʼaʼí, which means “rock with wings” or simply “winged rock.” Though Shiprock resembles a large, sitting bird from certain angles, with the north and south peaks forming the crests of folded wings, the name is based on more than appearance. Shiprock is sacred to the Navajo. It figures prominently in Navajo lore, including playing a pivota…
Directions
- From Farmington, NM:It is about 41 miles. Take US 64 west to Shiprock and bear left at the intersection with US 491. Continue 7.1 miles on US 64, 491 and turn right (west) onto the paved Indian Service Route 13. Give yourself about an hour if you are timing the trip for photography and lighting. From the Four Corners Monument: Takes about 50 minutes. Take US 160 south to the i…
Shiprock Travel Tips
- Shiprock is part of the Navajo Nation. Please respect their laws and do not trespass.
- Farmington is the closest town with hotels. It is about an hour away.
- There are no bathrooms, food, or gas stations near Shiprock. Plan ahead and go prepared.
- Like much of rural New Mexico, cell phone reception is unreliable. Cattle grates, particularly on hills, are useful for catching a bar or two in an otherwise desolate area.
Other Sights Nearby
- Teec Nos Pos Trading Post| 27 miles west of the town Shiprock, NM on Highway 64. Morgan Lake| 21 miles from Shiprock, NM. Located 15 miles east on Indian Route 36. Four Corners Monument| Unique landmark in the United States where four states intersect at one point: Arizona, New Mexico, Utah, and Colorado. $5/person. Bisti Badlands| Maintained by the Bureau …