Twisted Frosty Coffee Toffee?

Sorry, it's not Twisted Frosty Coffee Toffee ? Giant termite hills? Nope. A Verde Valley moonscape? Guess again. Locals have simply adopted the name "Teepee Rocks" for these formations south of Camp Verde, Arizona. The swiss-cheese look in these rocks is the result of a volcanic eruption millions of years ago. Searing heat drew water out of sandy soil and into pointy vents, called fumaroles. These vents served as chimneys to discharge steam and volcanic gases, similar to the ones found today in Yellowstone National Park. A large amount of calcite deposited within the fumaroles give them their cemented look and sandpapery feel. The holes and tunnels on the surface are the result of air pockets that "burst." The Teepee Rocks, or Cottonwood Basin Tuffs as geologists call them, are among the few remnants of fossilized fumaroles found anywhere in the United States. To give them some scale, I had my wife stand (barely visible) in the center of this picture. February 4, 2009