Lena Pillars Nature Park
The Lena Pillars Nature Park features spectacular rock pillars that are about 100 meters high and are located along the Lena River in the central part of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia). The pillars were formed by the extreme continental climate of the region, with an annual temperature difference of nearly 100 degrees Celsius (-60 °C in winter and +40 °C in summer). The pillars form rock buttresses separated from each other by deep and steep gullies formed by frost fragmentation along the direction of the intermediate joints. Water seepage from the surface promoted cryogenic processes (freeze-thaw) that widened the gullies between the pillars, resulting in the isolation of the pillars from each other. Fluvial action was also crucial for the pillars. The site also contains a large number of Cambrian fossil remains, including many species, some of which are unique.