Shiprock

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Shiprock, known in Navajo as Tsé Bitʼaʼí, is a tall rock formation rising from the high desert of the Navajo Nation in northwestern New Mexico. It stands about 1,583 feet (482 meters) above the surrounding plain and reaches 7,177 feet (2,188 meters) above sea level. This formation is the volcanic neck of an ancient volcano, made of fractured volcanic breccia with dark igneous minette dikes. It formed around 27 million years ago and was exposed by erosion over time. The peak’s silhouette looks like a giant clipper ship, which is how it got the name Shiprock; the Navajo name means “rock with wings.”

Shiprock is a sacred landmark in Navajo tradition and appears in many myths. Because of its cultural importance and safety concerns, climbing has been illegal since 1970 on Shiprock and other sacred monoliths within the Navajo Nation. The site was designated a U.S. National Natural Landmark in 1975. The first documented ascent occurred in 1939 by a Sierra Club party, using expansion bolts; since then a few very challenging routes have been climbed, but today climbing Shiprock is prohibited. The nearby town of Shiprock takes its name from the peak.