Lena Pillars Nature Park, Russia

This park is located on the Lena River in central Sakha (Yakutia) in the Russian Federation. The park is known for its spectacular rock pillars that are approximately 100 m tall that are the product of the extreme continental climate in the region, which has a local annual temperature range of nearly 100 °C (−60 °C in the winter, +40 °C in the summer). The deep and steep gullies that separate the rock columns are formed by frost crushing along the joints that divide the rock columns. The infiltration of surface water contributes to the cryogenic (freeze-thaw) process and causes further expansion of the gullies between the pillars. River processes are also an important factor in the formation of pillars. The heritage site also contains numerous Cambrian fossils, including several unique species.