Craters of the Moon

We went on a trip up to Idaho and Wyoming for almost a week.  It was a much needed break from work stress for me, and amazing to spend all day, the WHOLE day, together.

Always have to take a picture of when we first leave!  Tradition!

Taylor made sure to find me a neck pillow before we left so when I fell asleep I wouldn't have a neck ache.  

Our motel in Arco, Idaho 

We spent the afternoon in Craters of the Moon where Taylor was my personal geology guide.

The start of a lava flow trail.  Cinder Cones in the background.

Pahoehoe (pa-hoi-hoi) lava rock.
Has a ropey surface due to the top of the lava cooling, while the inside continues to stay hot and flow freely.

Viscous pahoehoe!!!! And Pretty Kelsey.

Amongst aa (ah-ah) lava, these monoliths were actually ripped off the original crater-rim, and floated down the volcanic slope to their final resting place.

Wonder Woman in the making.

 We enjoyed sitting on the slope of the Inferno Cinder Cone.  It hurt.  Not as smooth as it looks.

One of the main volcanos. It's much bigger than it looks.  The crater was about 100 yards deep.

The cone-shaped rock in the middle of the crater is cooled-magma.  It used to be the hole the lava exploded out of.

A spatter cone, formed from one of the main volcanos.  As magma flows down a volcano, sometimes the surface cools very quickly.  This soon creates lava tunnels and passageways.  When those tunnels become too pressurized and hot, parts of the lava tunnels become mini-volcanos, and turn into spatter cones, spewing molten rock around the vent, creating a cone-shape.

Kelsey looking hotter than the molten lava ever was.

Exploring lava tunnels.

It was so cold in the caves, you could see your breath, and all the water was frozen. Ice rivers!! 

The cave walls.

It was so dark in the tunnels, but the headlight was nice that Kelsey wore.

We had to leave early because a big thunderstorm came.