The Dancing Rocks of Death Valley - Photo's

I have known about a very well documented mystery for some time that Many might be interested in.

In the famous area of the USA the Desert area of Death Valley, the racetrack basin, which is totally flat and almost totally dry:



Here where the highest temperatures recorded within the USA, stones, boulders and rocks some of which are of a size of a Human Being and weighing several hundred pounds, Dance, slide or walk along the flat desert plain.

I prefer the term "walk" as the nature of any rock or stone would mean to me its walk would be very very slow and in small increments

Actively studied for 50 years, the rocks that mysteriously move around the dried lake bed playa in Death Valley, called the Racetrack, are yet to have an unquestionable explanation for their movement.

Lena Fletcher and Anne Nester.Edu



These stones have been the subject to a host of scientific research, and various theories have been put forward, ranging from just the wind, or the fact that in the cold desert night ice is sometimes found on the basin floor in a thin film.

This has been described as an cause by a tip of ice or a sail forming on the rock overnight. Then over time the wind catches this area on the otherwise totally flat basin and moves the rocks as they are shown to.



The research done has included using GPS to an error of just 30cm.

Sometimes they dance in pairs too!



Now some of these rocks have over the years of research done by many respected organisations and researchers been shown to move up to a Maximum of 789.52Metres!!

Think about that its 3/4 of a KM! this Lady is called Betsy, she leaves no trace on the bed floor, like some in the photo's and can be seen in person here:
Betsy

Some of them have been observed as well to actually have climbed an gradient, raising up to 3 cm or more along there paths from the altitude where they started their dance!

Despite years of interest and intermittent research investigations, no one has ever witnessed the rocks in motion. The mechanisms for these unusual events have been hypothesized and in some cases tested, but never proven. Gravity must be ruled out, since the rocks are generally moving slightly uphill (the northern section of the playa is a few centimeters higher than the southern end)

Source

From Geology.Com

One of the most interesting mysteries of Death Valley National Park is the sliding rocks at Racetrack Playa (a playa is a dry lake bed). These rocks can be found on the floor of the playa with long trails behind them. Somehow these rocks slide across the playa, cutting a furrow in the sediment as they move.

Some of these rocks weigh several hundred pounds. That makes the question: "How do they move?" a very challenging one.

The truth: No one knows for sure exactly how these rocks move - although a few people have come up with some pretty good explanations. The reason why their movement remains a mystery: No one has ever seen them in motion!

Geology.Com


The Photos and further research of these can be found here courtesy of a dissertation done to collate all of the previous and quite substantial work done by others by Paula Messina, shown in the Picture Above during here Dissertation:
The Sliding Rocks of Racetrack Playa, Death Valley National Park, California: Physical and Spatial Influences on Surface Processes

I personally find this fascinating for several reasons. When I first read about some time ago I thought that it would be effect gravity on the rocks, when it does rain and them sliding on the muddy floor.

This is backed up by some research:

All sliding rock traces are ephemeral: the smallest ones may not survive a subsequent rainfall, while others produced by the most massive boulders may last no longer than about seven years (Sharp and Carey, 1976). Hence, previous monitoring studies and limited-area maps generated may no longer be valid. Movement appears to be episodic and linked to the occurrence of storms (Sharp and Carey, 1976; Reid et al., 1995). Major "rock slides" are punctuated by stable periods, coinciding with dry conditions on the playa.

Source

But the rocks that rise uphill have disproved this as the factor IMHO.

Maybe then Wind, with the possibility of ice as an catalyst for the motion. However the size of some of them precludes that from my acceptance.

I also find the evidence shown in the Photo's above where a pair of rocks seem to move, and one stays stationary, all of very similar size to defy any rational explanation.


Wiki on the "Sailing" Stones
EF! Some Great photos Here Amazing!
A Wonderful Berkley Multimedia Show on This

Discuss and add your explanations and ideas please.

Kind regards,

Elf.

I'm inclined to think perhaps it has something to do with fault activity under the area. The smallest, tiniest shakes could move a lot. Over many years, it could "walk" the rocks along, maybe? But really, I'm clueless.

I have always been fascinated by this place. I don't buy the whole wind thing. I mean, the area is so untouched that the trails stick around.

Animal activity? Maybe there's something in those rocks.

Awesome thread. Good research.

I have seen a few documentaries on this
and have also read a little on the subject.

Everything I come across is usually inconclusive.
I think a new research, team or experiments are due.
Cam's all over, meteorological equipment, soil samples,
test the rocks, what are they composed of?! Any unusual
elements?! electromagnetic energy unusual?!

I'm glad you brought this into the foreground.
I certainly forgot about it.

Perhaps other members know something new on the subject.

Anybody know of an footage of these things moving?

Maybe its just reserchers looking for money..

all it would take is scientists making up something they say they cant solve.. and requesting funding.

It's the alien kids inside the earth with their rock magnets, but because their parents don't want humans figuring out the truth about their existence, they have been forbidden from playing with their rock magnets, nevertheless there are always those few bad kids who do it anyways, but they are smart, they never get caught.

Originally posted by n0b0DY
Anybody know of an footage of these things moving?

They have never been observed moving only tracked by GPS measurements.

The area is one of the most inhospitable in the USA and only dirt tracks lead there, with the climate being so hot and dry, and isolated in place it is difficult to get research done.

As clukersped says I am surprised no one has placed solar placed or similar cams there.

The size of some of the rocks that move, and as shown in some of the photo's that sometimes a few placed together, only one or two will seems very strange to me, and precludes wind.

Wertdagf, I know what you say happens, but this has been researched by national Geographic Berkeley and a host of other Universities. It is really happening and unexplainable.

Kind regards,

Elf

[edit on 19-1-2009 by MischeviousElf]

Originally posted by cluckerspud
I have seen a few documentaries on this
and have also read a little on the subject.

Everything I come across is usually inconclusive.

I think a new research, team or experiments are due.

I`m had the same experience , another 60 minute documentary finishing with a question .
The images are intriguing- an assault on our logic.

Didn't they solve this not too long ago? Something about ice in the water slowly bumping into them and moving them a little. Thats why some are moved and some are still stuck where theyve always been.

Originally posted by VintageEnvy
Didn't they solve this not too long ago? Something about ice in the water slowly bumping into them and moving them a little. Thats why some are moved and some are still stuck where theyve always been.

I think it was a proposed explanation, but it is still unproven.

I don't buy that as the Rock the Researcher is standing on. There is no way overnight intermittent ice of a very thin nature could move that Babe. And some moving nearly 1 km.

Timeframe of research too short for that distance IMHO.

If you have a Link I would appreciate that, this has always fascinated me.

Of interest to all they are all named after women, keeping in line with the first researchers.

A complete breakdown of the GPS monitored ones and their movements and names can be found:

Here

Kind Regards,

Elf.

ITS A FAKE........

You can see straight line indentations along is the sand to with teh rock "paths". They used boards and ropes.

so im guessing that someone near the area needs to get out there and video it happening

Originally posted by Wertdagf
ITS A FAKE........

You can see straight line indentations along is the sand to with teh rock "paths". They used boards and ropes.

LOl you think for more than 50 yrs someone has been going to one of the most inhospitable places in the world,

Leaving no tracks or signs,

Picking up and moving hundreds of different rocks, some weighing as much as car, and dragging them along the desert with bits of rope and wood?

Sorry no goer to me.

Elf.

Yeah, I think your jumping into conclusion pretty quickly...Wertdagf, while I know this is thread is in the Paranormal Sections, it doesn't mean it has to be paranormal (though it would be very cool, if it was), it could be natural occurrences.

Does anyone know the chemical composition or mineral contents of these rocks? Maybe it has something to do with magnetism?

Whatever I hope it's spirits...because I mysterious stuff...

These rocks have been discussed here numerous times and even a video showing how the rocks move is on youtube.



Strange Moving of Rocks in Death Valley

moveing rocks in death valley

All ATS search results.

Please start your research with the ATS search.

Hey Rhain, I gave you a star, because I felt that video is had a pretty good explanation of how these rocks move.

It's kind of how the moving (growing) ice sheets or glaciers picked up and deposited colossal boulders hundreds or thousands of miles away to other lands during previous ice ages. Except, these rocks are a lot smaller and strong winds played a factor in this case.

Hmm, damn you science!!! LOL, oh well, I think more research should be done on this hypothesis(??), to ensure its really concrete, but right now, I feel this is a very good explanation.

Crosses fingers it's inconclusive....what? I feel life should hold some natural mysteries and wonders!! Can't let all the goodies out of the bags right?

[edit on 19-1-2009 by skyblueff0]

so im guessing that someone near the area needs to get out there and video it happening

This lake is in one of the hardest areas to get to in the US.

In the winter when this movement happens the roads in this area are impassable do to mud. There are no paved roads.

This dry lake is at a altitude of 3700 feet and in the winter the ice on it can get to 2 to 3 inches thick even in the desert. temperatures get to -10 degrees at night in the winter.

This is not the only dry lake bed where this happens on other dry lakes in Calif and Nevada this same thing happens but due to the different type mud's the tracks do not show up like the do at devil's racetrack.

Devil's racetrack has a thick heavy slick bentonite mud that does not wash out.

I have been meteorite hunting on dry lakes in Calif and Nevada for over 30 years and have learned to look on the down wind edge of a dry lake bed for the oldest meteorite fragments.

Only new falls are found in the middle of a dry lake bed.
Even heavy nickel iron meteorites will drift to the downwind edge over time.

Ive been aware of this mystery for awhile now and find it to be a highly intrigueing subject. I for one and still dumbfounded as to a possible explaination. A very good topic and great OP, i can see youve done your homework on this one. Im very interested in the theories that come about here on ATS about this. GJ

Originally posted by ANNED
This is not the only dry lake bed where this happens on other dry lakes in Calif and Nevada this same thing happens but due to the different type mud's the tracks do not show up like the do at devil's racetrack.

Yes. I didn't realize this until I saw some on a dry lake bed in the Panamint Valley on the road to Ballarat, which I think is over the mountain range west of Death Valley.

If this could be explained away by ice, then how are there tracks? The permafrost wouldn't possibly allow the dirt to be moved by the rocks. I don't buy it.