Memorial Rock is a boulder on State Highway 145 (SH 145) near Dolores in the US state of Colorado.

Rockfall

Rockfall, caused by

ice jacking Ice jacking occurs when water permeates a confined space within a structural support or a geological formation, ultimately causing structural fracture when the water freezes and expands. The force from this expansion can damage shorelines, rock fa ...

during freeze-thaw cycles in the

Rocky Mountains The Rocky Mountains, also known as the Rockies, are a major mountain range and the largest mountain system in North America. The Rocky Mountains stretch in great-circle distance, straight-line distance from the northernmost part of Western Can ...

, is cited as a "chronic hazard" at over 750 locations by the

Colorado Department of Transportation The Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT, pronounced See Dot) is the principal department of the government of Colorado, Colorado state government that administers state government responsibility for Transportation in Colorado, transport ...

(CDOT). On May 24, 2019, a

rockfall A rockfall or rock-fallWhittow, John (1984). ''Dictionary of Physical Geography''. London: Penguin, 1984. . is a quantity of Rock (geology), rock that has fallen freely from a cliff face. The term is also used for collapse of rock from roof or wa ...

from a mountain ledge occurred at milepost 22 of SH 145 near Dolores, completely covering and closing the highway. The largest rock in the rockfall left an trench behind it. Another, smaller boulder that weighed over and was long came down in the same rockfall and was blasted to fragments on May 26 by the state in order to reopen one lane of SH 145.

Designation as landmark

When it was deemed impractical to remove or destroy with explosives, Governor

Jared Polis Jared Schutz Polis ( ; ; born May 12, 1975) is an American politician and businessman serving as the 43rd governor of Colorado since 2019. He served one term on the Colorado State Board of Education from 2001 to 2007, and five terms as the Unite ...

declared the largest boulder would be named Memorial Rock as a memorial landmark and left where it came to rest; the highway would be rebuilt and rerouted slightly at a cost of over $1 million. The governor stated he hoped it would become a

tourist attraction A tourist attraction is a place of interest that tourists visit, typically for its inherent or exhibited natural or cultural value, historical significance, natural or built beauty, offering leisure and amusement. Types Places of natural beaut ...

, and the state would be seeking a matching designation and funding from the

U.S. Federal Government The Federal Government of the United States of America (U.S. federal government or U.S. government) is the national government of the United States. The U.S. federal government is composed of three distinct branches: legislative, execut ...

References

Landslides in 2019 Individual rocks Landslides in the United States Tourist attractions in Montezuma County, Colorado 2019 in Colorado {{Colorado-stub

Rockfall

Designation as landmark

See also

References