On the south shore of Mono Lake, you can walk right up to these limestone formations known as tufas. A tufa is a limestone formation created when fresh-water springs welled up through the alkaline lake water. The tufas are relatively young in geological terms -- 200 to 900 years. They have an other-worldly look about them. Another type of tufa, the sand tufa, was created slightly differently, with the formation occurring under the lake's sand floor.
These photos were taken May 20, 2003.