Beachbeat
Tourist
Reged: 09/11/05
Posts: 10
Loc: UK
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The Racetrack is home to the rocks that appear to slide across the surface of the playa. Noone has yet witnessed the phenomenon, although the rocks certainly do move! Theories suggest that the surface of the playa becomes slick after rain, and at such times, winds provide the motive power. However, on close examination the rocks (all of whom have been named!) gouge through the mud, so the winds would have to be extremely strong. The phenomenon is unique to Death Valley. 
Edited by Beachbeat (09/14/05 12:14 PM)
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Hill
Master Guide
Reged: 10/31/04
Posts: 8378
Loc: Los Angeles
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HERE is an interesting web site explaining the investigation of these moving rocks.
Edit: There are two more recent posts on this subject that also have good information. take a look at Racetrack Playa - Moving Rocks and The Racetrack. But please make any replies to this thread.
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Beachbeat
Tourist
Reged: 09/11/05
Posts: 10
Loc: UK
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As the website points out though: Quote:
Despite years of interest and intermittent research investigations, no one has ever witnessed the rocks in motion. The mechanisms for these unusual events have been hypothesized and in some cases tested, but never proven. Gravity must be ruled out, since the rocks are generally moving slightly uphill (the northern section of the playa is a few centimeters higher than the southern end
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Beachbeat
Tourist
Reged: 09/11/05
Posts: 10
Loc: UK
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I did have one theory though: 
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MylesC
First Post
Reged: 12/27/06
Posts: 1
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My friend Jim & I know how the rocks move.
On February 15th & 16th 2003 we were camped out about 80' above and maybe 500' away from the area that they move in. When we arrived it was a day or so after rains had flooded the valley floor. As the day went on all of the water moved slowly south and became concentrated on the southern half of the valley - very beautiful. We could see the rocks on the floor and then, as the water moved south, sticking up out of the water. I would guess that it was no deeper than 8" and mostly less. That night there were VERY strong winds coming from the south. In the morning the water was all pushed up to the north end of the valley - again - very beautiful.
We walked out onto the playa and sure enough you could see the brand new tracks leading from the older tracks where the rocks had been sitting the day before.
We both took lots of pictures. We are both very experienced hikers and can distinguish newly churned earth from earth churned in the past (it was obvious) - and it was obvious where they had started because the direction of the channel changed and all of the new channels went in the same general direction.
The silty clay soil is very slippery when wet.
SO: Strong unidirectional winds when the valley floor is flooded several inches deep cause the rocks to move.
Myles
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an70n
First Post
Reged: 01/21/07
Posts: 1
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"On February 15th & 16th 2003 we were camped out about 80' above and maybe 500' away from the area that they move in. When we arrived it was a day or so after rains had flooded the valley floor. As the day went on all of the water moved slowly south and became concentrated on the southern half of the valley - very beautiful. We could see the rocks on the floor and then, as the water moved south, sticking up out of the water. I would guess that it was no deeper than 8" and mostly less. That night there were VERY strong winds coming from the south. In the morning the water was all pushed up to the north end of the valley - again - very beautiful.
We walked out onto the playa and sure enough you could see the brand new tracks leading from the older tracks where the rocks had been sitting the day before.
We both took lots of pictures. We are both very experienced hikers and can distinguish newly churned earth from earth churned in the past (it was obvious) - and it was obvious where they had started because the direction of the channel changed and all of the new channels went in the same general direction."
Yeah, but I am still not personally convinced of this theory.
sure, many of the rocks have long straight tracks, but there are some that have VERY unusual tracks.
One rock that comes to mind was about 2 and a half feet high and wide, big enough to comftorably sit on, and must weigh around 200+ pounds. It seemed that it would be a bit heavy and too rounded in shape for the wind to push it around.
If it was wind moving that rock, my guess is that it would have been spun around several times along its journey.
This particular rock had tracks that went back and forth in a semi-circle probably about 5 feet in diameter. From the look of the tracks, this particular rock seemed to have made that same general journey about 5 times back and forth.
"We walked out onto the playa and sure enough you could see the brand new tracks leading from the older tracks where the rocks had been sitting the day before."
UMMM... you did WHAT!!
Personally, if I had seen you out there on the wet playa I would have DEFINATELY reported you to a ranger. That is, if I was able to restrain myself from beating you senseless in the first place!
PLEASE do EVERYONE a favor and keep off of the playas when they are wet! Not only is it dangerous to be out there in those conditions, but you also leave your tracks behind in the mud!!! Personally, I do not want to see these beautiful places defiled by people, whether intentionally or unintentionally. I have already seen too many tracks (footprints and tire tracks) out on the playas in this region, The Racetrack included!
P.S. Please also do not mark/spraypain on the rocks, this is just stupid!
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VE6CPP
Tourist
Reged: 12/01/07
Posts: 8
Loc: Lethbridge, AB, Canada
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I first heard of these 'Moving Rocks' while watching a Discovery Channel Program last year. I find it just facinating! I have told my Wife that we will take a vacation their sometime.. as I want to see this for myself ! A very fragile Eco-system their I am sure.. so would definitely 'Tread Lightly' !
Not the most 'Friendly Environment' either from what I have read about it!
I personally think it is the Water Freezing with the night temps.. and the wind that is moving them.. but it must be swirling in different directions as some of the trails they leave behind are definitely not straight!.. and it must be 'Huge Winds' to be able to even move them a little!.. Nice Post and Pictures..by the way!
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mspelto
Tourist
Reged: 12/11/06
Posts: 200
Loc: Massachusetts
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Wind does not have the strength to move these. That can be easily tested and has in places such as Antarctica and even Mount Washington, where higher winds do not move boulders the size of a volleyball even. I would agree that you need water which can apply much greater force. But it is very interesting indeed.
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diane9247
World Explorer
Reged: 01/15/07
Posts: 1414
Loc: Californian stranded in Oregon
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I've never been to this place, and don't know a thing about the physics of it all. But, I do have experience with this type of soil when it gets wet. In the Badlands of South Dakota, the clay soil isn't just slippery - it's almost slimey! When it's damp, it sticks to shoes and you eventually end up walking on platform soles. But, when water puddles on the soil, the real fun begins. We never tried to skid a big rock across it, but I wish someone there would try. It might be hard to reproduce the same conditions as at the Playa - so, it sounds like a job for the Mythbusters! 
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dgt
World Explorer
Reged: 02/16/07
Posts: 1078
Loc: Anaheim, California
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I like Beachbeat's theory more than the rest of them.
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