Terry Badlands Sunrise
by Leland D Howard
Title
Terry Badlands Sunrise
Artist
Leland D Howard
Medium
Photograph - Fine Art Nature Photography
Description
Montana, east, view of formations in the Terry Badlands Wilderness study area at sunrise.
Now a wilderness study area, the Terry Badlands are rugged hills in the area referred to as the Fort Union Formation. The mounds are capped with colorful and more erosion resistant "clinker", a term describing sediments such as shale and siltstone that was baked when the underlying coal beds burned.
When William Clark of the Lewis and Clark expedition passed through this area on July 31, 1806, he noted in his journal, "here the river approaches the high mountainous country on the N W. Side. those hills appear to be composed of various Coloured earth and Coal without much rock. I observe Several Conical pounds which appear to have been burnt. this high Country is washed into Curious formed mounds & hills and is cut much with reveens".
He was correct in his observation as having been burnt. The high temperatures of the burning low grade coal (lignite) baked and mottled the shale into pink, red, and sometimes bright yellow, green and black stone. The resulting colorful textures in the hill caps are fascinating.
Uploaded
May 28th, 2012
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