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Looking NW at the transition from the volcanic "wasteland" to the surrounding mountain ranges is quite dramatic. Pioneer Mountains in the background. My parents took a similar shot of this in Jan 1955.
In the center, you see a "belt" of green vegetation and trees. This appears to be a **Kipuka** (a Hawaiian word meaning "island of land").
* **How it forms:** When newer lava flows (like the one in the foreground) moved through the area, they flowed around higher ground or older formations.
* **Life:** These islands of older soil provide a refuge for **Limber Pines** and **Sagebrush**, creating a stark green contrast against the black basalt.
Unlike the dark, volcanic rock at your feet which is only a few thousand years old, these mountains are composed of much older sedimentary and metamorphic rocks.
In the center, you see a "belt" of green vegetation and trees. This appears to be a **Kipuka** (a Hawaiian word meaning "island of land").
* **How it forms:** When newer lava flows (like the one in the foreground) moved through the area, they flowed around higher ground or older formations.
* **Life:** These islands of older soil provide a refuge for **Limber Pines** and **Sagebrush**, creating a stark green contrast against the black basalt.
Unlike the dark, volcanic rock at your feet which is only a few thousand years old, these mountains are composed of much older sedimentary and metamorphic rocks.