The next morning, Dusty and I got up to watch the sunrise. (Is anyone else laughing? Because I don't get up to watch the sunrise.) We would have had the perfect view, had it been a nice sunrise. Instead, it was pretty immemorable, so we decided to clean the truck. At 6:20 in the morning, y'all. For an hour and a half. For real. That happened. White SandsThe area of White Sands used to be buried under the Permian Sea. Millions of years ago, when the sea retreated, it left behind deep layers of gypsum, or hydrated calcium sulphate. As plates shifted, the mountains rose and took this gypsum with them. Over thousands of years, water has eroded this white mineral back into the valley below, where it essentially becomes "stuck" in a geologic bowl, somewhat held together by groundwater below. What makes this place remarkable isn't just the 275 square miles of white sand, but the way the surface sand shifts with the wind. Sand dunes move up to 35 feet per year. Plants and animals have adapted over time to survive in this harsh environment. Yucca plants have a tendency to grow taller as they struggle to stay above the sand. When the dune moves past them, they'll topple over from being so top heavy. The yucca pictured on the left likely has other leaves buried several feet below. The cottonwood (center) is about to be consumed by the dune. Hopefully the leaves peeking through the top will be able to sustain the tree below the dune. Right is a sumac that has developed deep, dense roots to both get water from down below and keep the leaves above the dune. The water in these roots permeates into the sand, turning it into a hard pedestal that becomes homes for animals and insects. When the dune moves on, the pedestal is left behind. We spent some time in the visitors center working on Junior Ranger books, then went on a nature hike. Mostly, we didn't find a whole lot to do at White Sands except the one thing everyone told us we had to do: sled! It was kind of bizarre sledding down white hills that weren't cold, wearing shorts and t-shirts! Overall, we had a great day, but warn other visitors that there just isn't a whole lot to do at this park. Even the ranger told us that once you stop at one dune, you've kind of seen all of them. I'm curious to know if any of you have been, and if so, what did you find most interesting? And where did you stay? Is there more to see and do in a bordering city that isn't Alamogordo?
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