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Geological wonders draw
top volcanologists to Jalisco
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By John Pint The small town of Tala, located about 27 kilometers west of Guadalajara, harbors geological secrets so extraordinary that a team of the world’s leading volcanologists traveled here in October of 2024, spending ten days in the field to investigate them. The story began in 1976, when British scientist John Wright visited Jalisco’s Primavera Forest to study the aftermath of a powerful volcanic explosion that occurred 95,000 years ago. Wright was struck by the unusual rock formations near Tala. These formations, known as ignimbrites, are created when a thick layer of incandescent ash fills a caldera (the crater left by a volcanic explosion) and spreads over vast distances. Over the years, many of Wright’s notes and photographs were lost, but his findings on La Primavera were published in one of his books in 1987. In the meantime, Wright became one of the world’s most renowned volcanologists, co-authoring a 1,870-page textbook on the subject. Yet, he never forgot the peculiar rocks of Tala. These unusual formations include natural cylinders known as fumarolic or steam pipes, round or obelisk-shaped rocks now nicknamed “goblins,” and long meandering “walls” that appear man-made but are entirely natural.  British
volcanologist Dr. Steve Self communing with the curious horizontal
cylinders of The Great Wall of Pipes.
 Dr.
John Wright takes a wobbly step. Almost every field trip begins at a
locked gate or a barbed-wire fence.
In 2021, thanks to the internet, Wright discovered my own fascination with these strange shapes and the photographs I had shared. This sparked a collaboration, and I contributed observations of formations I had encountered, helping to expand Wright’s map. Together, we estimated that the rock formations around Tala covered at least 80 square kilometers. Recent studies of similar features at Crowley Lake in California and the Bandelier Tuff near Valles Caldera, New Mexico, had shed some light on their formation—but also raised many new questions.  Columns
at Lake Crawley. Photo credit: Sierra Adventure Center
The sites in New Mexico and California, however, are minuscule compared to the expanse of formations around Tala. “Mexico seems to have the world’s largest collection of these phenomena,” Wright noted. “It’s time we took a closer look.” Thus, Wright, along with fellow volcanologists Stephen Self and Noah Randolph-Flagg, arrived in Guadalajara. They were warmly welcomed by the small community of Pinar de La Venta, where locals John Scullion and Andrea Borayo graciously hosted them, providing not only accommodations but solutions to every challenge, from meals to car rentals.  A
road cut on a Guadalajara expressway reveals hundreds of pipes or
cylinders formed 95,000 years ago.
Into the field Fieldwork was arduous. Two geographers from the University of Guadalajara, Luis Valdivia and Rocio Castillo Aja, joined the team daily, guiding them to the most intriguing locations. For ten days, the group explored canyons, meadows, and forests that were virtually unknown to locals. As is often the case in Mexico, their hikes began with navigating locked gates or barbed-wire fences—whether by climbing over, crawling under, or squeezing through. Additional obstacles included rivers to ford, slot canyons to traverse, and dense vegetation (known as maleza) filled with thorny plants like uña de gato (cat’s claw), mala mujer (nettles), and huizapoles (sticky burrs). Among the most dramatic formations they studied was the Great Wall of Pipes, a structure measuring approximately 70 by 25 meters. It features hundreds of cylindrical and bun-shaped formations, many over 50 centimeters in diameter. Uniquely, all the pipes are oriented horizontally. “How this wall of horizontal pipes formed remains a mystery,” said Wright. “But one thing is certain—nothing like this has been reported anywhere else in the world.”  Noah
Randolph-Flagg takes notes at the foot of The Great Wall of Pipes.
Unlocking the mysteries During a break, I spoke with the team’s youngest member, Noah Randolph-Flagg. “I’m from Hawaii, so you could say I grew up with a natural interest in volcanoes,” he said. “At Berkeley, I studied under Steve Self, who had been investigating strange columns in Bishop, California—similar to what we’re now finding here in Tala. When we discussed this with John Wright, he said, ‘I have the best ones of all,’ and suggested we come to Jalisco.” Randolph-Flagg explained that the team was searching for a model to explain the formations. “A simple explanation is always better. When you have a thick layer of ash at around 500°C and add water, minerals called zeolites form. These minerals cement the ash, hardening it, and we believe zeolites are present in the columns we’re studying.” He added, “Tala offers far more examples than anywhere else I know. Here we have a hundred times as many of these features than everywhere else in the world combined.” During their stay, the team collected numerous rock samples for analysis in the United States. I wondered how they would manage to transport so many specimens until one member told me, “It’s simple—I’ll wear every piece of clothing I possess to free up space in my suitcase.” What’s next? When asked about the project’s future, Wright clarified, “I wouldn’t call this a project—more of an exploration. But with the data we’ve gathered, I believe a formal project will emerge soon. I expect it will take shape in the very near future.”  At their final wrap-up meeting, the
British, American and Mexican scientists agreed: “We are ready to start
a project.”
Collaborators in the Ghosts and
Goblins study
 The King of the GoblinsFor more on Tala's Ghosts and Goblins, see our blog. |