Eroded glacial rock formations

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Eroded glacial rock formations. Road passing through several rock formations that are part of the Pyramides d'Euseigne, in the Herens valley, Valais, Switzerland. The rocks are what is left of a large deposit of moraine (ground-up rock debris, lighter rock) and boulders (darker color) left behind by a glacier retreating at the end of the last Ice Age some 10,000 years ago. Since then, most of the moraine has eroded away, except where it is protected by the more resistant boulders. This has formed the columns of moraine seen here, with boulders balanced precariously on top. These structures can be used to estimate this region's maximum past earthquake intensity.

Michael Szoenyi / Science Source

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