Three Little Hills (Florida Mountains)
Published 2022-01-05
Three Little Hills are, as it name indicates, three small hills aligned in a row from east to west on the western most edge of the Florida Mountains. It is the westernmost named feature of interest for me in the Florida Mountains. Its notable features are a gradual slope on the northern flanks that steepens the higher you go, and steep cliffs all along the southern portions of each peak.
Three Little Hills bear the southern most exposures of the Rubio Peak formation (comprised mostly of brecciated polylithic volcanic clasts, intermixed volcanic and sedimentary sand and tuff matrix, and sedimentary clasts and conglomerates) which makes up a vast majority of the Three Little Hills. This rock type overlays the Lobo Formation (shale/mudstone, limestone conglomerates, siltstone, sandstone, and pebble-cobble conglomerates of which the upper most portions of the silt and mud stone are exposed here) with a subtle angular unconformity. The only significant exposures of the Lobo Formation within the Three Little Hills are on the southern and southwestern most portions of the feature.
I do not know if the monoclinal nature or the folding of the Florida Mountains explain why the Three Little Hills are shaped the way they are, or if it is simply due to the way it eroded over time. Despite my efforts, I am left with unanswered questions.
All photos and videos taken by Alexander F. O'Connor.
Video produced using Movie Maker (Version 2012) by Microsoft Corporation.
Soundtrack by Alexander F. O'Connor.
Music composed, performed, and recorded on a Yamaha Clavinova CVP 701 Digital Piano.
References:
Darton, N. H., 1916, Geology and underground water in Luna County, New Mexico: U.S. Geological Survey, Bulletin 618, 188 pp.
Corbitt, L. L., 1974, Geology of the Florida Mountains Luna County, New Mexico, El Paso Geological Society, Guidebook, 61 pp.
Clemons, R. E., 1998, Geology of the Florida Mountains, southwestern New Mexico, New Mexico Bureau of Mines & Mineral Resources, Memoir 43, 122 pp.
Full trip report:
peakbagger.com/climber/ascent.aspx?aid=1835933
Thank you for watching! :)
All Comments (4)
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Another excellent video , thank you polar bear 🐻❄️
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Those three little hills were always known as Tres Hermanas or three sisters. An extremely interesting portion of New Mexico’s desert southwest. We, at times used to see a lot of Persian ibex on these very same hills. Quite a view all the way south into Mexico isn’t it! From the top of Gym Peak you used to be able to see the old ASARCO stack in El Paso, Las Cruces, and the out skirts of Silver City with a spotting scope.
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those sunset pictures!
