San Andres Mountains - Geology

Geology

The San Andres Mountains form part of the eastern edge of the rift valley of the Rio Grande, and are made up of west-dipping fault blocks made primarily of San Andres Formation limestone, but also with extensive exposures of reddish Abo Formation sandstone on the western side, and quartz monzonite on the eastern side. Gypsum deposits washed from these mountains are the main source of the dunes in White Sands National Monument.

Significant summits include:

Mountain Height (ft) Height (m) Coordinates Prominence (ft)
Salinas Peak 8,965 2,733 33°17′55″N 106°31′53″W / 33.2986°N 106.5315°W / 33.2986; -106.5315 3,625
San Andres Peak 8,235 2,510 32°40′34″N 106°32′13″W / 32.6760°N 106.5369°W / 32.6760; -106.5369 2,525
Chalk Hills High Point 7,988 2,435 33°10′47″N 106°43′21″W / 33.1796°N 106.7226°W / 33.1796; -106.7226 1,728
Unnamed Peak 7,646 2,331 32°54′16″N 106°34′49″W / 32.9045°N 106.5803°W / 32.9045; -106.5803 1,899
Gardner Peak 7,534 2,296 32°49′27″N 106°33′45″W / 32.8242°N 106.5624°W / 32.8242; -106.5624 2,052
Black Brushy Mountain 7,521 2,292 32°35′51″N 106°31′08″W / 32.5976°N 106.5189°W / 32.5976; -106.5189 1,701
Capitol Peak 7,098 2,163 33°24′24″N 106°25′30″W / 33.4068°N 106.4249°W / 33.4068; -106.4249 1,833

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