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Travel
to New Mexico
New Mexico is bordered on the east by Oklahoma and
Texas, on the south by Texas the Mexican states of Chihuahua and Sonora, on the
west by Arizona, and on the north by Colorado. The states of New Mexico,
Colorado, Arizona, and Utah come together at the Four Corners in the
northwestern corner of New Mexico. |
Exploring the White Sands of New Mexico
Brian
Vuillemenot
To most, sand dunes are as synonymous with deserts as
water is to an ocean. However, the deserts of the southwest are certainly no
American Sahara. Sand dunes cover but a small percentage of the total land
area, with the vast majority made up of silica, composed of weathered quartz.
What makes the white sands of New Mexico's White Sands National Monument,
located just outside of Alamogordo, special is their composition- gypsum. There
are only a few gypsum sand dune fields in the world, with those preserved at
White Sands National Monument being by far the largest. Since gypsum is a water
soluble mineral, and is usually carried by rivers away to the sea, a perfect
coincidence of environmental conditions must exist to form a gypsum dune field.
In additional to the snow white color, which turns sublime shades of pink and
purple under the right light, gypsum sands differ from silica in being much
softer and less abrasive. This sand actually feels like talcum powder between
your fingers and toes!
So where did all this gypsum sand originate? During the
age of the dinosaurs, a shallow sea covered much of the interior of North
America. Gypsum, a salt of calcium sulfate, was dissolved in the water and
formed sediments when the seas dried up. The sediments were lifted into a giant
dome in southern New Mexico 70 million years ago, during the same period that
the Rocky Mountains were formed. The dome began to collapse 10 million years
ago, forming the Tularosa basin. The lowest point in the basin, Lake Lucero, is
the main source of material from which the dunes have been carved. Large
crystals of gypsum known as selenite can be found there. The constant action of
southwesterly winds has eroded these deposits into tiny particles and blown
them into the dune field. The dunes are constantly being moved to the southwest
and reshaped by these winds.
Life forms at White Sands are specially adapted to the
challenging conditions of the dunes. Yuccas grow at a rate fast enough to keep
up with the advancing sand, ultimately developing stems over 30 feet long,
mostly covered by sand. When the dunes move on, the plant collapses and dies.
Other plants have strong roots which hold in place pedestals of raised sand,
forming an island for life in the harsh dune environment. Much of the fauna
found at White Sands, including lizards, toads, pocket mice, crickets, and
beetles, have evolved white forms that are camoflauged with their environment.
In order to cope with the extremes of temperature and dryness, many animals
remain underground by day and emerge at only night. A morning hike through the
dunes will reveal copious evidence of their nocturnal activities.
Although the road in White Sands National Monument leads
directly into the dune field, the best way to experience this place is to leave
the car and hike some of the trails. The Big Dune Nature trail, located on the
edge of the dune field, allows for close observation of many of the plants and
animals adapted to life there. Animals are especially active early in the
moring and at dusk. The Interdune Boardwalk goes through an area densely
populated by wildflowers during the blooming season. For a true wilderness
experience, the Alkalai Flats trail will take you deep into the heart of the
dunes- a sea of white surrounded by rugged mountains! The 4.6 mile loop leads
to the dry lakebed of Lake Otero and back, and is marked by orange plastic
markers anchored to the dunes. The color and forms of the dunes there are very
reminescent of snow- a surreal environment. While hiking this trail, several
times I had to remind myself that I was in New Mexico, not Antarctica! Like
snow, they reflect the sunlight fiercely, so high strength sunblock is a must.
Also, the plastic markers are the only landmarks, so be sure to stay in sight
of them. Being on the dunes at dusk or dawn and watching the sands glow
different shades of pink and purple in the low rays of the sun is an experience
not soon to be forgotten. It's also a great place to bring the kids, or to let
out your inner child, and romp about in the soft sand.
Copyright 2004, Brian Vuillemenot. All rights
reserved.
About the Author Brian Vuillemenot is a scientifically
trained outdoor adventurer and photographer specializing in large format and
panoramic images of the American southwest. To see more of his work, including
images of White Sands, visit his website at:
http://www.imagesofenchantment.com
Article Source:
http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Brian_Vuillemenot
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