Playa "Scraper" at Racetrack Playa

At Racetrack Playa, in the northern part of Death Valley National Park, numerous large rocks, such as this one, lie at the end of long trails, obviously carved out by the rock. The trails form very unusual patterns in some places. Researchers generally agree that during winter monthsk, when the playa is wet and extremely slippery, high winds can cause the rocks to slide across the wet playa and gouge out the tracks. Researchers do not agree, however, on the role of ice in the process.

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