iain

hah! I always thought it was clive barker

I'm sure Meadows is throwing out an outlandish idea that Riley knows has no chance of getting approved. Once rejected, he'll come back with another outlandish proposal, but slightly less outlandish than the first one. This makes Meadows look like a reasonable, honest company willing to compromise, though history shows that only law enforcement keeps that company from chairlifting the entire range.

they don't really sound like your mother....at least not like she sounded last night ba-dumching

wow I wouldn't want something like the garmont towers on lib ridge. Too cold in my opinion. If you get stuck up there I would think your toes are screwed!

a-fox's computer:

Did you accidently chug Olestra?

Agree with the caveman. Didn't see the post but you can't remove it just because it is critical. People post stuff that makes them look like total jerks but the posts have remained. It looks like he had some good points to talk about too.

Perhaps you already have this experience, but you might try some not-so-technical scrambles with knowledgable friends to get some experience living above treeline, dealing with weather, cold, snow, exposure, etc. Being comfortable in that environment to begin with can make a difference on whether you make it to the top of something or not. It just takes time to develop the discipline to take care of the little things, and it's the little things that add up to become big advantages or big liabilities during a climb! No book will teach you this stuff.

eh hem, that would be Mount Adams Meadows.

http://www.cascadeclimbers.com/threadz/showflat.php/Cat/0/Number/267776/page/0/view/collapsed/sb/5/o/all/fpart/1/vc/1

Ice and rock

I would do just about anything when being faced with burning to death. If I worked in an office that high I would have base jumping gear in the bottom drawer of my desk. I'm not kidding.

Often it comes down to looking at a thin-section under the scope of diorite and granite to tell them apart, as they have very similar texture when you just look at them. Sometimes it's easier though. Maybe I just need more experience at it. Fun times!

You wouldn't be too wrong, since there is a chemical distinction, but you would avoid being labeled a total geek. I am not sure what Dragontail is, actually. I never read anything about it. This is exactly what the iron ore extraction business is all about.

A mixture is a good way to put it actually, as it forms in a mixed-up liquid state in the continental crust. Based on how it cools, and what it picks up as it does so, various minerals crystallize out at different temperatures. This is why there are a million kinds of "granite" out there, hence all the ridiculous sub-names. Doesn't really matter unless you work for Exxon or carry a rock hammer as a profession.

Granite is what's known as a rock!

as for quartz, it has a definite crystal structure, a uniform hardness, a uniform chemical composition, etc. It's a mineral by these definitions. It is one of the primary minerals in granite, however.

Because granite is a mixture of many other minerals, such as feldspar and quartz. It is formed through relatively slow cooling, hence the large crystals it typically has. It is the same as rhyolite (as dru said), but rather than cooling quickly, it has cooled slowly, usually at depth.

To repeat, granite is most definitely not a mineral. It has a bunch of quartz in it.

haha you guys are posting way to fast for me now I look like an idiot! (par for the course, I suppose)

granite is not a mineral. quartz is, however. diorite can be quite common. It is basically granite with less potassium feldspar, the pink stuff. It is much more "black and white" in appearance, though that is not a definitive description. so does monzonite ever have monazite in it? gawd I'm glad I'm not studying this stuff anymore.