Columns of the Giants (Tuolumne County, California)

 

On the drive home from Yosemite, Bill and I decided to take a short detour across Sonora Pass to see the geologic wonder known as the Columns of the Giants, which is an excellent example of a columnar basalt formation. I have visited the site on a couple of previous trips, but it's interesting enough to visit again.

From the paved trail head, a short paved trail crosses the middle fork of the Stanislaus River over a sturdy bridge. As with all other waterways in the Sierras this year, the river is raging below us. Above us, we can see the near edge of the basalt cliff with the telltale lines of the columnar formations, which are a result of volcanic lava flows and rapid cooling.

At the end of the trail, only half-a-mile or so further in, the cliff has crumbled into enormous piles of hexagonal boulders, which ones formed columns identical to the ones that remain part of the cliff above. We notice some adventurers who have scrambled up the pile to reach a small overhang in the cliff above and while Bill and I are curious, we still have a long drive home and decide to head back to the jeep.