Outdoors Magazine

Geo-challenge: Hiking on (not In) a River Valley

Posted on the 11 December 2015 by Hollis

Geo-challenge: hiking on (not in) a river valley

Where on Google Earth are we?

Some hints ...
Arrows point to stream deposits from roughly 20 million years ago. Obsolete names date from the late 1800s.
Geo-challenge: hiking on (not in) a river valley

Stream deposits cap a ridge (inverted topography); Devils Smoke House and Gabriels Castle behind. Note spectacular unconformity.
Geo-challenge: hiking on (not in) a river valley
The trail on the ridge crest passes through stream deposits turned to rock and photogenically eroded. 

Geo-challenge: hiking on (not in) a river valley

Layers of sand, pebbles, cobbles record changes from about 20 million years ago.

Geo-challenge: hiking on (not in) a river valley

Cemented layer, above siltstone nodules in fine matrix, above unconformity; cross-bedding near top of photo. 

Geo-challenge: hiking on (not in) a river valley

Mostly siltstone nodules.

Geo-challenge: hiking on (not in) a river valley

Crystalline clasts from the Rocky Mountains.


I found many puzzling weathered forms in cemented sand. Here are a few:
Geo-challenge: hiking on (not in) a river valley
Geo-challenge: hiking on (not in) a river valley

Geo-challenge: hiking on (not in) a river valley

Happy dog for scale.

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