Thor's Hammer @ Bryce Canyon National Park, Utah
Thor's Hammer is a spectacular example of a hoodoo, which is sometimes referred to as a tent rock or fairy chimney. They form because of erosion processes and may be found in badland areas whenever relatively hard rock overlays softer more erodible rock, such as sandstone. Here the sandstone is from the Claron Formation. The harder more resistant caprock protects the softer underlying layers from frost, wind, rain, freezing and thawing so that the rate of erosion is slower than elsewhere.
Thor's Hammer @ Bryce Canyon National Park, Utah
Thor's Hammer is a spectacular example of a hoodoo, which is sometimes referred to as a tent rock or fairy chimney. They form because of erosion processes and may be found in badland areas whenever relatively hard rock overlays softer more erodible rock, such as sandstone. Here the sandstone is from the Claron Formation. The harder more resistant caprock protects the softer underlying layers from frost, wind, rain, freezing and thawing so that the rate of erosion is slower than elsewhere.