Debris
Precisely placed explosives carve the mountain like perforated paper. A typical blast produces 2000 to 3000 tons of rock debris. The blasted rock is crushed and removed with the help of heavy equipment, averageing 200 truck loads of debris per blast.
Mountain
The Crazy Horse Memorial is a sculpture in progress. In 1948 Chief Henry Standing Bear invited sculptor Korczak Ziolkowski to carve a mountain to honor the heritage, tradition and culture of North American Indians. When completed The Crazy Horse Memorial will be the largest sculpture in the world. His face alone is about 20 stories tall.
Landmark
Sculptor John Borglum and 400 stone workers worked 14 years to complete the faces of George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln to create the landmark Mt. Rushmore National Memorial.
Unforgettable
We found the extraterrestrial-like terrain of the South Dakota Badlands intriguing and unforgettable.
Textured
Horizontal ridges emphasize the rough textured buttes, pinnacles and spires. Trees are few and far between.
Critters
Sometimes the Badlands critters were so well suited to their rugged environment that they were almost indistinguishable from it.
Vacation
We thought a vacation to the Badlands of South Dakota would offer good photo opportunities. We became dizzy, however, as we sidled up to the edge of our butte to photograph a much braver photographer.
A Photo Journey 