Farmington, New Mexico, and Kanab, Utah: Alien Throne and Calico Peak (April 15–24, 2025)


The Alien Throne. Maybe this is the Kirtland Formation (60-70 million years ago, Cretaceous; as opposed to the more familiar Navajo or Wingate sandstones from 150 million years ago). I know little about this area.)

Trip Report

April 15: Joan and I drive to Farmington, NM

April 16: Joan and I visit the Alien Throne in the Ah-She-Sle-Pah Wilderness with a Navajo guide; drive to Flagstaff.

April 17: Drive to Palm Springs

April 20: After a few days in Palm Springs I droved to Kanab. I went right past the Ivanpah solar generating plan at the California–Nevada line. 350,000 mirrors are use to reflect light to a central tower, and heat up something (water?) to very very high termperatures. But the project has had difficulties and will be closing down soon, It was interesting to see. Other installations like this use the mirrors to melt salt.

April 21: Climb Calico Peak near Paria townsite with Jonathan, Katie Larson, and Elke Dratch. Camp with Elke near Kodachrome State Park.

April 22: Hike with Elke in Bryce National Park: the full Riggs Spring Loop Trail; drive to Loa. Worked very hard these two days on an interesting math problem (with Elliot Glazer and Peter Winkler) and it led to a published problem in the American Math. Monthly.

April 23: Drive home.

Joan enjoyed the excursion.
The Alien Throne is a little smaller than one might think from a close-up view.
Navajo guide Gilbert Tsinnajinnie of Navajo Tours USA.
Making a loop after visiting the Alien Throne.
Hoodoo.
The area had some round sandstone boulders, which is unusual. These are not Moki marbles (iron) but somehow get rounded by moving downstream.

The eggs break easily.



On the way down Jonathan came within one step of this bull snake (we thought it was a rattlesnake at first). It was cold, so the
snake did not move. It got our attention!
Jonathan and Elke near the top of Calico Peak.
View of the Paria River, with Red Top in upper center and Gingham Skirt Butte just right of center, from Calico Peak.
Orange sandstone on the Riggs Canyon Trail, near the end (clockwise)
Elke on the Riggs Canyon Trail, near the start (clockwise)