scot'teryx Posted November 25, 2002 Posted November 25, 2002 Does anyone know what kind of rock that is? Coolest climbing in that whole area for sure Quote
Uncle_Tricky Posted November 25, 2002 Posted November 25, 2002 Someone told me the Fidalgo Complex is an ophiolite. Ophiolite is formed in areas of rifting where two oceanic plates are being forced apart by addition of new magma from below. The types of rocks which form at spreading ridges are strongly influenced by both igneous and metamorphic processes. This region was a mixing zones, where both solids (lavas) and fluids from the Earth's crust and mantle interact with seawater, resulting in extensive low temperature and low pressure alteration of existing minerals and precipitation of new ones. Quote
Dru Posted November 25, 2002 Posted November 25, 2002 Ultramafic rock. Sort of like Twin Sisters range. Quote
bobinc Posted November 25, 2002 Posted November 25, 2002 I always thought it was olivine (like Dru sez, more or less) with high i-ron content (hence the color). Quote
Uncle_Tricky Posted November 25, 2002 Posted November 25, 2002 Ultramafic, eh? Now that's a cool name for rock! Too bad that's not what they named granite. ("Dude, I'm going to go climb some ultramafic crack routes.") Quote
iain Posted November 25, 2002 Posted November 25, 2002 ophiolites, ultramafics, Mohs hardness....is today Lyell's birthday or something? next we'll have a diagram showing the eutectic of horsecock Quote
Dru Posted November 25, 2002 Posted November 25, 2002 There are other ultramafic rocks than olivine, they are just rarer, and only found in...ophiolites. Â But hey: check out this website for an explanation: Â interesting website Quote
Uncle_Tricky Posted November 25, 2002 Posted November 25, 2002 Dru wrote quote: But hey: check out this website for an explanation: OK, so if I understand you correctly, Mt. Erie is actually just a big concretion of petrified ancient meat-eating hippo poo? Quote
iain Posted November 25, 2002 Posted November 25, 2002 the big deal about ophiolites is that it is a rare occurance indeed when a chunk of the sea floor survives subduction and winds up where we can see it. Leads to some very cool rox to look at. There is a good one down in Oregon, Rogue River area. Quote
bobinc Posted November 25, 2002 Posted November 25, 2002 Actually, a lot of ophioloitic formations are found in California. Get ahold of Assembling California, by John McPhee. Quote
Dru Posted November 25, 2002 Posted November 25, 2002 The worlds largest exposed ophiolite is in Newfoundland and a relict of the closing of the ocean which preceded the Atlantic, IIRC. But honestly, just because we live on coastlines we thinbk they are common as mud...we dont know how lucky we have it. I bet there are literally thousands of disadvantaged geologists out there who have never seen an ophiolite. I will trade some to them for a chunk of nepheline syenite. Quote
snoboy Posted November 25, 2002 Posted November 25, 2002 quote: Originally posted by Dru: The worlds largest exposed ophiolite is in Newfoundland Where? Quote
scot'teryx Posted November 25, 2002 Author Posted November 25, 2002 Thanks for all the info, more than I can comprehend for sure. Where else in Western Washington can you find this type of rock? Â "Orange Wall" Quote
Cpt.Caveman Posted November 25, 2002 Posted November 25, 2002 The coolest line would be if DFA or Peter Puget and co. rap bolted the big buttress before orange wall on the prow. I bet it would reveal 2 pitch climb of good quality on the arete. Quote
Dru Posted November 25, 2002 Posted November 25, 2002 Twin Sisters, Old Settler, Sunshine Mountain Quote
Dru Posted November 25, 2002 Posted November 25, 2002 quote: Originally posted by snoboy: quote:Originally posted by Dru: The worlds largest exposed ophiolite is in Newfoundland Where? Avalon Formation wherever the hell that is. Do not ask for more beta as my system is approaching max capacity. Quote
scot'teryx Posted November 25, 2002 Author Posted November 25, 2002 quote: Originally posted by Cpt.Caveman: the big buttress before orange wall on the prow. I bet it would reveal 2 pitch climb of good quality on the arete. Do you mean "The Cirque"? I know there is one line that is bolted already that runs at 11d or something Quote
Cpt.Caveman Posted November 25, 2002 Posted November 25, 2002 quote: Originally posted by scot'teryx: quote:Originally posted by Cpt.Caveman: the big buttress before orange wall on the prow. I bet it would reveal 2 pitch climb of good quality on the arete. Do you mean "The Cirque"? I know there is one line that is bolted already that runs at 11d or something I doubt the line I was looking at would be harder than 10a. But sounds like the area...... Quote
plexus Posted November 25, 2002 Posted November 25, 2002 Uncle Tricky wins the geology question of the day. I did an interview with a geology prof from WWU a couple of years ago and asked him what Erie was made out of. Â Apparently the rock is less resistent to normal erosion, which is why it is still there and is really devoid of classical crack lines. Thing I've always wondered was why the stuff down at Shady Hallow, Black Wall and the Boulder Gardens (ie Goliath Boulder) was slick and dark compared to he really sharp volcanic feel of stuff on Orange Walls, Madrone Wall Slabs and Orange Wall Slabs to the inbetween stuff on the Main Wall and Skyline area. Â FYI Dallas has gone back and bolted a number of good routes (5.8-5.10) up around the Skyline and Main Wall areas. Was out at Skyline yesterday and had a wonderful time up on Sidewinder, Convulsions and Ain't it Nifty to Be Fifty. Â Hopefully heading out tomorrow if I can find a partner. Quote
plexus Posted November 25, 2002 Posted November 25, 2002 The impressive line on The Cirque does go in the 11s. Caveman's personal friend Smoot got it wrong in saying that its a popular line. I think me and Dallas are the only ones I've seen climbing there. Turtleback Arete on the left side of the Cirque is a good climb, scant pro, but moderate. Quote
slothrop Posted November 25, 2002 Posted November 25, 2002 quote: Originally posted by scot'teryx: quote:Originally posted by Cpt.Caveman: the big buttress before orange wall on the prow. I bet it would reveal 2 pitch climb of good quality on the arete. Do you mean "The Cirque"? I know there is one line that is bolted already that runs at 11d or something That's 5.11d in the SDS (Scot'teryx Decimal System). Quote
snoboy Posted November 25, 2002 Posted November 25, 2002 quote: Originally posted by Dru: The worlds largest exposed ophiolite is in Newfoundland And here's paper about it for all you geo paper  [ 11-25-2002, 03:03 PM: Message edited by: snoboy ] Quote
iain Posted November 25, 2002 Posted November 25, 2002 5.11d C (cougars on route, stiffens the grade a bit) Quote
Dru Posted November 25, 2002 Posted November 25, 2002 doesnt SDS mean Snafflehound Direct Start ( i know I know, page top in 2 ) Quote
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