Colorado National Monument

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colohank
Posts: 119
Joined: Sat Jul 24, 2021 6:07 pm
Location: Fruita, Colorado, USA

Colorado National Monument

Post by colohank »

Not exactly in my backyard, but pretty close. The West Entrance to this 20,450-acre reserve is only a mile from my home. Established in 1911, the monument was the 25th unit of our National Park System. Now retired, I was privileged to serve as the monument's Chief Park Ranger for many years.
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Pau
Site Admin
Posts: 6168
Joined: Wed Jan 20, 2010 8:57 am
Location: Valencia, Spain

Re: Colorado National Monument

Post by Pau »

This must be a wonderful place for living and working.

At your beautiful landscape picture I can see an excellent example of angular disconformity, am I right or is it the eroded monoclinal with the perspective effect?
Pau

Chris S.
Site Admin
Posts: 4100
Joined: Sun Apr 05, 2009 9:55 pm
Location: Ohio, USA

Re: Colorado National Monument

Post by Chris S. »

Colorado National Monument is indeed a special place.

It is additionally wonderful to me because, circa 20-30 years ago, a friend and I visited in the off-season. A deeply knowledgeable ranger dropped what he was doing and spontaneously offered to walk with us and show us around. He took quite a bit of time with us. He taught us to identifying at least two types of falcon, other birds, numerous plants, and geographic and historic features. Our visit was immeasurably elevated by this gentleman's sharing his time and deep knowledge. No other ranger, in the many other parks and monuments I've visited, has ever come close--though I've met and walked with some very good ones.

I now return to the area every couple of years. My enjoyment and appreciation are enhanced by what I learned from this ranger. (Although I likely retain only a small part of what he taught us, and have often wanted to reprise this walk and get another chance to absorb knowledge.)

Colohank, could you have been that exceptional ranger?

Best,

--Chris S.

colohank
Posts: 119
Joined: Sat Jul 24, 2021 6:07 pm
Location: Fruita, Colorado, USA

Re: Colorado National Monument

Post by colohank »

Pau:

The tilted "flatiron" at center-right is a remnant of a monoclinal fold over a prominent high-angle reverse fault which defines a northeastern margin of the Uncompahgre Uplift. Vertical displacement along the fault totals thousands of feet. Exposed at the base of the cliffs are dark and resistant meta-sedimentary and meta-igneous rocks of Early Proterozoic age -- about 1.74 billion years old. Lying above them, unconformably, is a sequence of much younger, softer, colorful Mesozoic sediments ranging in age from the Upper Triassic to the Upper Cretaceous. The gap between Proterozoic and Triassic times, the so-called Great Unconformity, represents a lapse in the geologic record amounting to 1.17 billion years.

Chris:

Was I your guide that day? Probably not. I retired 29 years ago. The National Park Service strives to employ talented, enthusiastic, and dedicated folk as career and seasonal rangers. Any you encountered would have been qualified and delighted to serve you. I'm pleased that you enjoyed this special place and the treatment you received while visiting.

Pau
Site Admin
Posts: 6168
Joined: Wed Jan 20, 2010 8:57 am
Location: Valencia, Spain

Re: Colorado National Monument

Post by Pau »

Thanks for the geological info!
Pau

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