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TR - A Taste of the Gunks 12-Jul-2013 At 6:44:13 AM pmonks

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On 11/07/2013 mikllaw wrote:
>much stronger I believe.

Which is a bit counter-intuitive, given that it's less monolithic than Araps (more breaks / weaknesses). Some sections almost look like the exfoliation flakes you see in road cuttings in the Sierras (though obviously a completely different geological mechanism).

I wonder if the breaks were sedimentary layers of softer rock, which are now preferentially weathering out (like the shale breaks in the Blueys)? I couldn't see much difference in rock composition in the shallower breaks and scoops, though the quartz cobbles clearly come in bands and layers - perhaps the rock is all super-hard, but the cobbles provide an extra level of erosion resistance? As I understand it solid quartz is mostly impervious to water & chemical erosion - about the only thing that'll wear it down is tumbling. I wonder if frost fracturing is a factor? The Gunks certainly gets pretty iced up each winter - the carriage road doubles as a cross country ski trail.

mikl, Neil - did you get on any of these steep, blocky, "inverted staircase" overhangs? They look awesome!