A flatiron in geomorphology

Geomorphology

Geomorphology is the scientific study of landforms and the processes that shape them...

 is a steeply sloping wedge-shaped landscape feature created by differential erosion of a resistant rock layer

Stratum

In geology and related fields, a stratum is a layer of sedimentary rock or soil with internally consistent characteristics that distinguish it from other layers...

 which is inclined

Strike and dip

Strike and dip refer to the orientation or attitude of a geologic feature. The strike line of a bed, fault, or other planar feature is a line representing the intersection of that feature with a horizontal plane. On a geologic map, this is represented with a short straight line segment oriented...

 in the same direction as, but at a steeper angle than the exposed mountain slope. Flatirons are associated with hogback

Hogback (geology)

A hogback is a homoclinal ridge, formed from a monocline, composed of steeply tilted strata of rock protruding from the surrounding area. The name comes from the ridge resembling the high, knobby spine between the shoulders of a hog. In most cases, the two strata that compose a hogback are...

 ridges. The name flatiron was derived from the resemblance to an upended household flatiron.

The Flatirons

Flatirons

The Flatirons are rock formations near Boulder, Colorado consisting of flatirons. There are five large, numbered Flatirons ranging from north to south along the east slope of Green Mountain, and the term "The Flatirons" sometimes refers to these five alone...

 near Boulder, Colorado, are a notable example of the landform. Other well developed flatirons are found in the eastern Uinta Mountains

Uinta Mountains

The Uinta Mountains are a high chain of mountains in northeastern Utah and extreme northwestern Colorado in the United States. A subrange of the Rocky Mountains, they are unusual for being the highest range in the contiguous United States running east to west, and lie approximately east of Salt...

 in northwestern Colorado and on the flanks of the Marathon Uplift

Marathon Uplift

The Marathon Uplift is a Tertiary-age domal uplift, approximately in diameter, in southwest Texas. The Marathon Basin was created by erosion of Cretaceous and younger strata from the crest of the uplift...

 in west Texas

Texas

Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...

.