2 January 2013
Upturned Paleozoic strata on Highway 16, Bighorns, Wyoming
Posted by Callan
Here’s a terrific outcrop to start off the new year at Mountain Beltway. We’re back in the Bighorns of Wyoming here, on highway 16, traversing the southern portion of the range en route from Buffalo to South Pass City.
Click to enlarge
Annotated, expanded, and Easter-egg-embedded:
Click to enlarge
From a different perspective (uphill a tad, looking north), consider this GigaPan I shot at the time:
The best part is this central region, with its early Paleozoic (Cambrian-Ordovician) sequence of strata. Younging direction is to the right.
The Gros Ventre Formation has some lovely flat-pebble conglomerates:
The Hardin Sandstone bears some Skolithos (here, viewed end-on) in places:
This outcrop was the first stop on my Summer 2011 Wyoming Energy field trip, run by Sheridan College. I aim to get that whole trip (finally) blogged this month.
Callan Bentley is an assistant professor of geology at Northern Virginia Community College in Annandale, Virginia. He is particularly interested in structural geology and the evolution of the Appalachian mountain belt. Callan draws cartoons and writes for EARTH magazine. He lives in the Fort Valley of Virginia.
James Jacobs said on 14 January 2013
If you are still in South Africa and pass Mossel Bay (Halfway between Cape Town and Port Elizabeth) do yourself a favour and look at some beautiful rock folds in cutouts in Louis Fourie road.
1) Next to the slipway on the downhill side where Louis Fourie crosses below Marsh street.
2) From here continue downhill in Louis Fourie to the first traffic lights that you get from “1″ above. The folds are on the left.
I “found” these and are very excited about them at age 50 with no knowledge of geology.
I have some questions about some very strange rocks I have seen. I will appreciate it if you can bring me in contact with one of your students that may be willing to answer a few questions.
Callan said on 14 January 2013
I was in SA more than a year ago, but I’ll keep this in mind for next time! And it may be useful to other readers…