Shiprock and Lava Dike at Sunset

Shiprock, a plug of hardened lava that soars 1600 feet above the surrounding terrain, is sacred to the Navajo people, who call it Tsé Bitʼaʼí, "rock with wings," in reference to the "lava dikes" that radiate outward from the pinnacle like the spokes of a wheel. These formations are the last remnants of an earth-shattering volcanic explosion that took place 27 million years ago, and are quite unique.

Mine was the only vehicle out there on Navajo Route 13, headed from Canyon de Chelly in Arizona to Farmington in New Mexico, by way of Buffalo Pass, high in the Lukachukai Mountains. I'd had a long day of driving, and I was flying down that narrow paved road, focused on getting back to the main highway before dark. The sun was dropping fast as I came abreast of Shiprock. Already too dim for decent photos, but then I passed the lava dike, and saw this otherworldly scene in my rear-view mirror. A quick U-turn, a screech to a halt, and just enough time to snap this photo as the last trace of sunlight blinked out, just beyond the horizon.
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