The Swell

The Colorado Plateau Physiographic Province is full of contradictory features. How do we winnow the exceptions from the rules?

The Gila’s Sleeping Giants

Hikers who make the effort to head down to the Gila will be rewarded with an incredible array of terrains, from slot canyons to meadows to 10,000-foot peaks. This stunning variety is largely thanks to a quartet of supervolcanoes!

Where Did All Of El Malpais’ Lava Come From?

The landscape around Grants, New Mexico is dominated by volcanic extrusions. Where did all this stuff come from? When was it ejected onto the Earth’s surface? Why here?

Caving In The Guadalupes, Part 1: Wen, Christmas Tree And Lake Caves

A first cave-centered pilgrimage to “The Guads” induces awe and reveals cosmic mysteries.

Piles Of Dead Bodies

The Guadalupe Mountains of southeastern New Mexico and West Texas are a vast playground for climbers, hikers and cavers. Crazy thing is that they’re composed almost entirely of defunct sea creatures.

Exploring The Grand Canyon’s Fractal Dimensions

After a caving trip to one of the Seven Wonders of the Natural World, the universe feels more infinite than ever.

Of Rifts And Rivers

The Rio Grande River basically bisects the state of New Mexico. Why is this the course it takes?

On Hermeneutics In Alabaster Cave

Like poems, caves take a lot of time to interpret. And even when you do arrive at a coherent interpretation, there’s no guarantee it won’t be usurped by a competing theory.

Trigo Canyon, Part 2: Between Mist And Schist

While a second trip to Trigo Canyon didn’t get us much farther up the trail, many new things were discovered nevertheless.

Stretching, Cracking, Floating, Sinking: A Basin And Range Primer

Mountain building can happen in a number of different ways. Here’s how it works in the United States’ Basin and Range Province.

Farther Still

A map of one hominid's journey through Deep Time

Geology