Badlands Guardian

The Badlands Guardian is a geomorphological feature located at 50°00′38.20″N 110°06′48.32″W near Medicine Hat in the south east corner of Alberta, Canada. Viewed from the air, the feature bears a strong resemblance to a human head wearing a full native American headdress. It also appears to be wearing earphones.

File:Badlands Gardian.jpg

Satellite view of Badlands Guardian.‎

The head is a drainage feature created through erosion of soft, clay-rich soil by the action of wind and water . The arid badlands are typified by infrequent but intense rain-showers, sparse vegetation and soft sediments. The 'head' may have been created during a short period of fast erosion immediately following intense rainfall. The apparent earphones are a road and an oil well, which has been in place only a few years, and will likely become invisible once the well falls into disuse and its superficial features are eroded. The feature is best viewed from Google Maps (satellite view). The lighting is ideal for bringing out the apparent facial features. Although the image appears to be a positive feature, it is actually a negative feature (a valley).

Originally discovered by Lynn Hickox (screen name "Supergranny" on Google Earth), suitable names were canvassed by CBC Radio One program As It Happens. Out of 50 names submitted, seven were suggested to the Cypress County Council. They altered the suggested 'Guardian of the Badlands' to become Badlands Guardian.

See also

• Cydonia Mensae
• Old Man of the Mountain

External links

• Gran's canyon is a net sensation, The Sydney Morning Herald. Published 13 November 2006.
• Google Earth Community [1] page about the discovery of the feature.
• CBC Radio Show As It Happens. Story and Radio interviews with Supergranny, the person who discouvered the feature on Google Earth [2]
• 3D diagram of Badlands Guardian topography, prepared by Lutz Perschon for CBC Radio [3]