Shiprock facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Shiprock
Tsé Bitʼaʼí
Shiprock
Highest point
Elevation	7,177 ft (2,188 m)
Prominence	1,583 ft (482 m)
Geography
Shiprock Location in New Mexico
Location	San Juan County, New Mexico, US
Topo map	USGS Ship Rock Quadrangle
Geology
Age of rock	27 million years
Mountain type	Volcanic breccia and minette
Climbing
First ascent	(First documented) 1939 by David Brower, Raffi Bedayn, Bestor Robinson and John Dyer
U.S. National Natural Landmark
Designated:	1975

Shiprock is a huge rock formation that stands tall in the desert of New Mexico, United States. It rises almost 1,583 feet (482 meters) above the flat land. Its highest point is 7,177 feet (2,188 meters) above sea level. This amazing rock is located in the Navajo Nation in San Juan County. The nearby town of Shiprock is even named after this famous peak!

Shiprock is very important to the Navajo people. It plays a big part in their religion, stories, and traditions. People love to photograph Shiprock, and it has appeared in movies and books. It is the most famous landmark in northwestern New Mexico. In 1975, the U.S. National Park Service named Shiprock a National Natural Landmark. This means it's a special place that needs to be protected.

What's in a Name?

The Navajo Name: Tsé Bitʼaʼí

The Navajo people call this peak Navajo: Tsé Bitʼaʼí. This name means "rock with wings" or "winged rock." It comes from an old legend about a giant bird. This bird is said to have carried the Navajo people from the north to their current lands.

How Shiprock Got Its English Name

The name "Shiprock" comes from how the peak looks. It reminded early Americans of a large sailing ship from the 1800s. People sometimes call it Shiprock Peak or Ship Rock. Before that, in 1860, Captain J. F. McComb called it "The Needle" because of its sharp top. Maps from the United States Geological Survey show the name "Ship Rock" being used since the 1870s.

How Shiprock Was Formed

An Ancient Volcano's Throat

Shiprock is what's left of an ancient volcano's "throat." Imagine a volcano erupting long ago. The magma (melted rock) inside the volcano's pipe hardened. Over millions of years, wind and rain wore away the softer outer parts of the volcano. What was left was the hard core, which we now see as Shiprock.

The Rocks of Shiprock

This formation is made of broken volcanic rock called breccia. It also has black sheets of igneous rock called minette. These rocks formed deep underground, about 2,500 to 3,000 feet (750–1,000 meters) below the Earth's surface. Scientists have used special dating methods to find out that these rocks became solid about 27 million years ago.

Radiating Dikes

You can see wall-like sheets of minette rock spreading out from Shiprock. These are called dikes. They look like giant spokes from the central peak. Shiprock is part of a larger area called the Navajo volcanic field. This area has many unusual volcanic rocks that formed around 30 million years ago. Another famous volcanic neck in this field is Agathla (El Capitan) in Monument Valley.

Map of Navajo Volcanic Field with Shiprock

Climbing Shiprock: A Story of Adventure and Respect

The First Climb

The first recorded climb of Shiprock happened in 1939. A group from the Sierra Club made it to the top. This group included David Brower, Raffi Bedayn, Bestor Robinson, and John Dyer. This climb was special because it was one of the first in the United States to use special tools called expansion bolts for safety. The route they took is even featured in a famous climbing book.

A Difficult Challenge

Climbers in the 1920s and 1930s thought Shiprock was a huge challenge. There were rumors of a $1,000 prize for anyone who could climb it! Many people tried, both experienced and new climbers. Since the first climb, at least seven different routes have been found. All of them are very difficult and need special climbing skills.

Why Climbing is Now Banned

Even though Shiprock is a famous climbing spot, climbing there has been against the law since 1970. This is because Shiprock is a sacred place for the Navajo people. Also, there have been serious injuries to climbers. In March 1970, three climbers were hurt. Because of this, the Navajo Nation decided to ban rock climbing not just on Shiprock, but on all similar rock formations and in tribal parks.

The Navajo Nation has made it clear that the ban is "absolute, final and unconditional." They want people to respect their land and traditions. The Navajo Parks and Recreation Department has said that any claims about them allowing climbing are false. They ask visitors to respect the religious importance of these sites. As a park manager once said, "The Monuments are sacred to the Navajo people... Please abide by the humble religious requests of the Navajo people and do not climb the Monuments."

Shiprock's Sacred Stories

A Home for the Navajo People

Shiprock and the land around it are very important to the Navajo people. Many of their myths and legends mention this peak. One of the most important stories tells how Shiprock helped bring the Navajo to the southwest. The legend says that after being carried from another place, the Navajo lived on the monolith. They would only come down to farm and get water. One day, lightning struck the peak, destroying the path. This left the women and children stuck on top, where they sadly starved. Because of this, people are not allowed on the peak. This is "for fear they might stir up the chį́įdii (ghosts), or rob their corpses."

The Goods of Value Mountain

Another Navajo legend places Shiprock as part of a much larger figure. This figure is called the "Goods of Value Mountain." It is a giant mythical male figure made up of several mountain features in the region. The Chuska Mountains form the body, Chuska Peak is the head, the Carrizo Mountains are the legs, and Beautiful Mountain is the feet. Shiprock is said to be either a medicine pouch or a bow carried by this giant figure.

Monster Slayer and the Bird Monsters

Navajo stories also tell of Bird Monsters (Tsé Ninájálééh) that lived on Shiprock. These monsters would eat human flesh. According to the legend, Monster Slayer, one of the Warrior Twins, defeated a monster at Red Mesa. Then, he killed two adult Bird Monsters at Shiprock. He changed two young Bird Monsters into an eagle and an owl. Shiprock is also mentioned in other important Navajo ceremonies and chants.

Climate

Gallery

See also

• Rock formations in the United States
• Volcanic plug
• Diné Bahaneʼ