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Optimistic
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Sep 11, 2014
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New Paltz
· Joined Aug 2007
· Points: 450
Ok, of course plenty of times they do. But I was just thinking today that it seems like, more often than not (at least here in the northeast), crack climbs require several moves of face or slab to get into them. Does anyone know why this is? My guess was that snow cover or the heat of the ground itself keeps ice from forming in cracks at the base of the cliff, and it's mostly ice (isn't it?) that forms cracks.
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BBQ
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Sep 11, 2014
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Unknown Hometown
· Joined Apr 2009
· Points: 554
Cracks form in most types of rock as a way to relieve pressure that built up when the rock was forming. Ice may be a small factor in the formation of the crack but more than likely is not going to add to any geological forces that took place eons ago. What you described is common in the black hills as well, and can be a total bummer, but I doubt a few more winters of ice or snow is going to make those cracks grow towards the ground.
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Dan 60D5H411
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Sep 11, 2014
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Colorado Springs, CO
· Joined Mar 2006
· Points: 3,239
I think the appropriate question is, "Why doesn't the ground reach those cracks?"
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Dave Bn
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Sep 11, 2014
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Boise, ID
· Joined Jul 2011
· Points: 10
This book is well worth the time:
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Marc801 C
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Sep 11, 2014
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Sandy, Utah
· Joined Feb 2014
· Points: 65
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Tronald Dump
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Sep 11, 2014
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Unknown Hometown
· Joined Jul 2013
· Points: 10
erosion of the ground..... plus water runs from the top down so.... the higher the rock the earlier it had water running through weaknesses.... and it probably hadn't eroded the crack down to the ground yet before it found a weak spot to exit.
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Morgan Patterson
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Sep 11, 2014
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NH
· Joined Oct 2009
· Points: 8,960
At smaller crags it could formed by glacial processes as well as freeze thaw.
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Chris Rice
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Sep 11, 2014
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Unknown Hometown
· Joined Jan 2013
· Points: 55
Your crack doesn't reach the ground because your legs are too long :) Sorry - couldn't help myself.
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Limpingcrab DJ
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Sep 11, 2014
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Middle of CA
· Joined Nov 2010
· Points: 1,055
Probably varies by rock type and stuff but because rocks form underground with intense pressure they expand once they're exposed at the surface. More exposed means more expansion so where the rock is at ground level it has not had the time or release of pressure to expand. And weathering. And other geology nonsense
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Greg D
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Sep 11, 2014
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Here
· Joined Apr 2006
· Points: 883
Although Kim Kardashian's cracked doesn't reach the ground currently just wait 15 or 20 years.
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Optimistic
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Sep 11, 2014
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New Paltz
· Joined Aug 2007
· Points: 450
Why do I feel like maybe we haven't quite hit on the definitive answer yet?
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Optimistic
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Sep 11, 2014
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New Paltz
· Joined Aug 2007
· Points: 450
Dave Bn wrote:This book is well worth the time: I don't have this book...is the answer to my question in there?
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good pro
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Sep 11, 2014
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Unknown Hometown
· Joined May 2014
· Points: 25
hmmm.... interesting geological info on here. Thanks y'all!
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Morgan Patterson
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Sep 11, 2014
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NH
· Joined Oct 2009
· Points: 8,960
limpingcrab wrote:Probably varies by rock type and stuff but because rocks form underground with intense pressure they expand once they're exposed at the surface. More exposed means more expansion so where the rock is at ground level it has not had the time or release of pressure to expand. And weathering. And other geology nonsense Good call... and I think I have an interesting conter thoug. In the West erosion is a major factor and is an active cliff building process. Erosion here back east isn't so much of a significant process comparatively speaking on a macro scale as it is out there. In fact I would say most cliffs are exactly the opposite, they are being filled in by the accumulation of biomass. My thought was most exposed cliff in the NE were covered by glaciers at one point. Many of them were subject to ramp and pluck process where the outcropping is weighted downwards and cracks from the weight of the glacier and blocks are plucked off the backside. Those cracks are then further expanded and grow from freeze thaw.
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Limpingcrab DJ
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Sep 11, 2014
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Middle of CA
· Joined Nov 2010
· Points: 1,055
^^^^^ Cool, didn't know about cracks formed from the weight of glaciers.
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