Posted on 10/30/2015 8:21:11 AM PDT by Red Badger
The crack appears like a miniature Grand Canyon up close. (Photo: Randy Becker/Facebook)
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A dramatic crack has suddenly formed in the foothills of Wyoming's Bighorn Mountains that measures an impressive 750 yards long and 50 yards wide. It was discovered recently by surprised backcountry hunters who travel frequently to the area in search of game.
First reported by SNS Outfitter & Guides, a hunting company, on their Facebook page, the mammoth chasm appeared over the course of just a couple of weeks. It's an impressive example of just how quickly very large geological events can occur under the right conditions.
"Everyone here is calling it ‘the gash.’ It’s a really incredible sight,†wrote SNS on their Facebook page.
"An awesome example of how our earth is not as stable as you might think. Awesome forces at work here to move this much dirt!!†added Randy Becker, one of the hunters to stumble upon "the gash." Becker shared a number of stunning photographs of the crack to his own Facebook page.
A shot taken from a distance and posted at SNS gives some perspective about just how wide and how deep the crack is:
"The Gash" seen from a distance. (Photo: SNS Outfitter & Guides/Facebook) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Contrary to some sensational claims swirling about on social media, the crack is not an opening to the underworld or a sign that Yellowstone is about to erupt. The processes that created the crack are not even all that mysterious.
SNS is reporting that an engineer gave a more rational explanation for how the crack formed: "Apparently, a wet spring lubricated across a cap rock. Then, a small spring on either side caused the bottom to slide out. He estimated 15 to 20 million yards of movement."
Though the speed with which the large crack formed might seem earth-shattering, these kinds of landslides are not that uncommon in the area on a smaller scale. This one just happened to be especially voluminous.
Damn gophers....................
It’s amazing what millions and millions and millions of years of erosion can do.
Nah. Remeber algoron spoke about how the erf has a fever and temps in the million degree range at it’s core? Simple physics——expansion. And here I thought the Grand Canyon was a giant crack in the erf.
Bush’s Fault
Obviously this is the result of millions of selfish Americans running lawnmowers, weed eaters and SUVs.
Since this is Wyoming, it’s probably Cheney’s fault, something to do with fracking or Halliburton, or both.
Just Mother Earth’s stretch marks.
Or twenty years of glow-bull warming. Oh, wait. I forgot that glow-bull warming has been on vaca. But that must make me a denier/doubter/skeptic/liar. Thank you very much, I wear the mantle proudly.
It’s in Wyoming, so it’s Cheney’s Fault!..................
Must have been a slow one.................
The land was gouged for miles around
Where poor Nell's a$$ had drug the ground.
Did they actually confirm this, or are they just operating on assumptions? ;-)
LOL! I believe the proper pronunciation is: “da erf”
Yep, I’m expecting the Sierra Club or some other nutcase environmental group to blame Big Oil for this one.
Never heard of that one......................not really sure I want to............;^)
And using deodorant..............
20 million cubic yards is a fairly respectable pile of dirt. So where is it? I don't see a nearby river choked with sediment carrying it away.
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