Tufa Towers of Mono Lake

by | Oct 19, 2011 | Impressive Places | 1 comment

Have you ever heard of tufa? I didn’t know much about them until today.

Typically, when underwater springs rich in calcium mix with lakewater rich in carbonates, a chemical reaction occurs resulting in calcium carbonate, or limestone as we know it. Though tufa is essentially common limestone, to see it in the shape and form of tufa towers above water is a natural phenomenon unique to only a few locations around the world.

Here in southeastern California, one of the largest concentrations of above-water tufa can be found at Mono Lake. I made a special trip out there this evening to photograph them at twilight, the perfect time of day for such a mysterious subject. What an incredible place!

2639_Canon EOS 40D, 35 mm, 0.4 sec at f - 13, ISO 100

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1 Comment

  1. Ryan Taylor

    I never heard or such a thing! How tall are those formations? Beautiful picture!

    Reply

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