Amidst the rugged beauty of West Texas, where the vast skies meet the stark, undulating landscapes of the Chihuahuan Desert, stands El Capitan. This imposing limestone formation serves not just as a natural monument but as a gateway through time, leading us back to an era when this arid terrain was once a thriving marine reef.
El Capitan commands attention as an iconic escarpment, standing at an elevation of 8,085 feet above sea level, making it one of the highest in the region. Its sheer faces challenge the sky, while its base connects us to the ancient sea floor. The fossil reef that surrounds this monolith is among the most well-preserved of its kind in the world, offering a unique glimpse into the geological past.
While my time with El Capitan and the Guadalupe Mountains was brief, it was impactful, transporting my mind’s eye back millennia to the Permian Period, dating over 250 million years ago. As you browse through this collection of images, feel the presence of the vast, primeval ocean that once teemed with life, forming the limestone that now towers before us as El Capitan.
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