Sliding Rock Next, we’re off to another island. Mist swirls


around us as we hike across a grassy ridge high above the sea. As the mist begins to break up, we see jagged towers of rock. T e towers poke up high above our heads,


but, believe it or not, gravity built them. T ese rocks didn’t tumble from a cliff , though. Here, gravity crushed rock and moved huge chunks of land. It caused a landslide violent enough to toss these giant pieces of rock. T e action here started in a layer of heavy


volcanic rock. Its weight pressed down on the layers of soſt er rock beneath it. It crushed the soſt er rock, breaking it into small pieces. T en the crushed rock slipped and slid.


It carried away the heavier rock. T e heavier rock slid downhill, cracking and tumbling as it moved. Some chunks flipped, and their bases dug deep into the ground. Today, rain and ice crack and chip these rocky towers. Eventually, they’ll disappear—just like the crushed rock they once rested on.


River of Ice Not all of the tumbled rock is jagged. Not far


away, we wander into what feels like a magical place. It’s a maze of miniature, grassy hills and winding paths. It’s called Fairy Glen. Like with the jagged peaks, rock crushed


rock here. Gravity tugged. Land slid. Giant chunks of rock broke and tumbled. T en another force changed the land. A


glacier, or giant river of ice, flowed here. T e ice pushed the tumbled rocks. It scraped the rocks, smoothing sharp points and polishing rough edges. Today, this river of ice is long gone, yet it has leſt behind tiny, smooth hills. Some are shaped like cones. Others are gently rounded. One rock sticks up like a little castle. We could spend hours here, but we’re tired and hungry. It’s time to head to our last stop.


22 NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC EXTREME EXPLORER


Wind-Whipped Meadows We end our visit with a picnic in a meadow.


Around us, wildflowers bloom and gently wave in the breeze. We don’t see jagged cliff s or even many rocks at all here. Yet weathering and erosion built this place, too. Waves splash on a nearby beach. T e water


breaks apart shells and algae, crushing them into little pieces. T e waves then wash the bits ashore, building a sandy white beach. When the winds howl, they pick up grains of sand and send them flying inland. T e winds eventually deposit the sand. It


piles up in gaps between rocks. It evens out the bumpy, rocky land. Grasses take root. Flowers grow. In spring, this place explodes with colorful blooms. All around us, these rocky islands continue


to change. Wind, water, ice, and gravity break rocks into pieces. T ey move rocks, pebbles, and sand. T ey tear down old landscapes and build new ones. Just imagine what we’d see if we could come back in a few thousand years!


An ancient glacier scraped across the land and smoothed these rocky hills.


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