Basaltic column exposed by glaciers 20,000 years ago. Devils Postpile National Monument, Mammoth Lakes, California, USA.

These hexagonal basaltic columns were exposed by glaciers about 20,000 years ago, in Devils Postpile National Monument, near the town of Mammoth Lakes, California, USA. These basaltic columns formed about 90,000 years ago when hot lava dammed behind a moraine. As the lava lake cooled into hard basalt, cracks extending from the top and bottom merged to form vertical columns which were hidden underground until later exposed by grinding glaciers. We hiked from Devils Postpile to Rainbow Falls in a loop for 6 miles with 780 feet gain in Inyo National Forest.

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Filename: 2108CA1-618.jpg
Copyright: © Tom Dempsey / PhotoSeek.com
Image Size: 5472x3648 / 9.9MB; http://www.photoseek.com/; California North America PhotoBest Sierra Nevada Mountains USA United States of America landscape nature outdoor
Contained in galleries: California: Sierras: Inyo National Forest, Highlights 2021, USA: California favorites, 2021 Aug 1-Sep 12: CA Sierras, CO, NE, SD

These hexagonal basaltic columns were exposed by glaciers about 20,000 years ago, in Devils Postpile National Monument, near the town of Mammoth Lakes, California, USA. These basaltic columns formed about 90,000 years ago when hot lava dammed behind a moraine. As the lava lake cooled into hard basalt, cracks extending from the top and bottom merged to form vertical columns which were hidden underground until later exposed by grinding glaciers. We hiked from Devils Postpile to Rainbow Falls in a loop for 6 miles with 780 feet gain in Inyo National Forest.