By Islam El-Sakka
Two iconic rock formations in northwestern New Mexico — the Alien Throne and the King of Wings — have collapsed after back-to-back storms saturated the region, toppling landmarks that had drawn tourists and photographers to the remote Ah-Shi-Sle-Pah Wilderness area.
Storms trigger collapses
Tour guide Kialo Winters, founder of Navajo Tours USA, discovered the Alien Throne in pieces on October 30 after poor road conditions delayed his visit. The nearby King of Wings had collapsed weeks earlier, with visitors documenting the fallen slab on social media in early October. Experts estimate more than 20 trillion gallons of rain fell across the Four Corners states and Nevada in late October and early November, causing widespread flooding, road washouts, and hundreds of millions of dollars in damage.
Cultural significance for Navajo Nation
For Winters and other Native Americans from the region, the formations are more than geological curiosities. They served as waypoints guiding ancestors along trade routes for thousands of years and feature in stories passed down through generations. “They are culturally relevant to our identity and our stories,” Winters said, urging people to let the sites rest and not climb on remnants or remove pieces.
Visitors reflect on loss
Photographers and travelers expressed condolences online, some grateful they had captured the formations before they fell. Alan Studt of Parma, Ohio, who visited in 2019 and again in April 2026, noted visible weathering such as new holes in the throne and cracks at the wing’s base, signaling the formations would not last forever. “It is really so magical to be out there,” he said.
