What Are Hoodoos?

What Crafty Clover says in this video

Intro

Hi there, curious minds! I'm Crafty Clover! Let's discover something amazing. What are hoodoos?

The Big Idea

Hoodoos are tall, skinny towers of rock with a harder cap on top. Rain, ice, and wind carve them slowly. They take thousands of years to form, so each one is very old.

Hard Cap, Soft Rock

Step one: a hard cap sits on softer rock. Hard rock on top can stand up to weather better than the softer rock below. The cap is like a little hat that shields the softer rock below.

Weather Wears Away

Step two: weather wears away the softer rock. Rain, ice, and wind wash away the soft rock around the cap. The cap acts like an umbrella for the rock right below it.

A Pillar Remains

Step three: a pillar is left standing. Over thousands of years, a slender tower of rock remains, with a hat on top. You can see hoodoos in Alberta's badlands near Drumheller and along the Bow Valley in Banff.

A Closer Look

Let's take a closer look at a hoodoo! On top sits a harder cap. Beneath it is softer rock. Rain, ice, and wind wash the soft rock away. What is left is a tall tower with a hat.

Quick Facts

Quick facts! Some hoodoos are taller than a house. The cap protects the pillar below it. Hoodoos keep wearing away, so they do not last forever. Enjoy them from trails, and stay back from crumbly edges.

Think Like a Scientist

Now, think like a scientist! Stack a flat cookie on a tall blob of sand. Gently spray water on it with a spray bottle. Watch the sand wash away, while the cap protects its pillar. Do it on a tray.

Outro

Hoodoos are towers shaped by time. Science is amazing! Crafty Clover can be found on Amazon Books, Google Bookstore, and Apple Books. Available for purchase or download! Bye for now!