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Where in the U.S. has the closest access to at least 4 rock types?
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Many climbing areas have 2 or 3 different rock types, but what areas have 4 or more? I understand that climbers lump rock types into groups that geologist might not consider the same type of rock. An example is what climbers call granite. Many "granite" climbing areas are not actually granite. They are usually a rock type that has a very similar mineral content to that of granite. (Any geologist out there feel free to give us a full spray down on rock types) As climbers I think our main rock types that we go cragging on are 1) granite 2) basalt 3) Sandstone 4) limestone 5) conglomerate such as cobble 6) welded tuff 7) gneiss / schist Hypothetically where in the US would you start at, to drive the shortest distance, to climb at least 4 rock types? |
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Flagstaff is a strong contender. Limestone, Sandstone, Basalt, and Dacite in close proximity to town. --- Golden, CO is another contender. Basalt at North Table. Gneiss in CCC. Sandstone at Morrison and Matthew Winters. There's granite in various spots nearby, not sure which is the closest. Maybe at 3 Sisters. --- Honorable mention to Sinks Canyon, WY. Granite, Limestone (Dolomite, technically), and sandstone all in a few miles of one canyon. But that's only 3 rock types. Not sure how far you'd have to go to find a 4th. |
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Front Range comes close Sandstone Granite ( bocan and clear creek technically different stone. Basalt Limestone at shelf ( more driving) |
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A lot of the Colorado plateau is likely to have a good mix of that in relatively close proximity. Speaking from Albuquerque, every single rock type you list is within a day trip from town. Santa Fe probably has all that within an hour drive, with the exception of sandstone (closer to 2 hours). |
JCMwrote: I have climbed in the sinks, and thinking of that place actually sparked this topic in my mind. |
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Las Vegas is another one. Most famous for the ample limestone and sandstone, but there's also some granite (Keyhole Canyon) and various volcanic rocks (tuff and basalt, etc, near Lake Mead). But this is still spread out by about 45 min driving, so it's not the smallest area that offers 4 rock types. --- Re: Front Range: The gneiss in CCC should definitely be considered a different rock type than the various nearby granite crags. Different origin, looks different, climbs different. Totally different rock type, should not be lumped with granite. --- Mammoth Lakes, CA: Predominately granite and tuff, but also gneiss (at Way Lake), Quartzite (June Lake), and Quartz Monzonite if you count that separately from the granite. --- Outside the US, but North Wales. Limestone, slate, rhyolite, quartzite in close proximity. --- Another international spot: Val Durance, France. Granite, gneiss, limestone, quartzite, and conglomerate is a fairly compact area. |
slo tawrote: Exactly my thought. A lot of different stuff in a radius from Taos. Quartzite, conglomerate, sandstone, basalt, granite domes, other types of granite, tuff. |
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2 hours drive from Los Angeles has granite (and quartz monzonite and other granite like rock), sandstone, conglomerate, volcanic rock, and even a tiny limestone crag. I don't know what kind of rock Dry Falls is. |
Shaun Johnsonwrote: Columbia River from China Bend down to Vantage Basalt, granite, gneiss, limestone, and alpine granite all within 30-90 minutes. The china bend limestone is weird and has bands that feel like sand stone. It is all a result of the Great Missoula Flood |
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Grand Junction has granite, basalt, sandstone, conglomerate, metamorphic within 1 hour. Limestone is 1 1/2 hours to Rifle. Welded tuff you'd have to drive over 2 hours to extremely chossy stuff in the San Juans |
slo tawrote: There’s some (mediocre) sandstone bouldering about 30 min from town |
Emilio Sosawrote: Count it. I was thinking of Roy or Grants in the 2ish hour range. |
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How big a radius are we looking at here? Some of these places named are super compact areas, with all 4 rock types within 20 minutes drive (Flagstaff). Other posters are naming places with 2+ hour driving radius. If we're looking at a 2+ hour radius, here's a relevant thread: Climb 10 Rock Types in Norcal in 2022 Basically, in that thread I set a goal of climbing as many rock types as possible within my home region (Norcal) in 2022. In the end I climbed on 13 rock types. 11 of these were within 2.5 hours of home (Sacramento). There's a couple other rock types within a 2.5 hour radius I didn't make it to this year. A dozen+ different rock types (on good quality, established areas) within easy weekend distance is something that few areas can claim, I'd guess. But it is a different situation than 4 rock types in a very small area. |
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If I remember correctly St George, Utah has seven different rock types all very close to town! |
JCMwrote: I think the issue here is lack of an explicit objective function. Really, it should be something like 'the specific location that has the shortest summed back-and-forth travel distance to 4,5,6,etc. rock types.' Where's that guy that's always overlaying maps with different data? Just looking at a map, the problem seems far too difficult to solve visually - geologictimepics.files.word… |
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As mentioned above, St. George, UT. is a definite contender with sandstone, basalt, and limestone basically within the immediate environs and conglomerate a short way above on the plateau. The general open environment of the area also makes the varied geology readily apparent—the volcanic cones, in particular, look like they just stopped erupting last week!!! On a much smaller scale my home area ( the Amherst/Northampton area in western MA) has 5 rock types within roughly a 20 minute/1/2 hour radius—gneiss, schist, granite, sandstone conglomerate, and volcanic ‘traprock’ ( never been clear if it is basalt, dolerite, or something else—possibly we have bits of several types of volcanics). Again none of these are major areas ( some are very tiny) but it still provides us with good variety. |
Alex Gwrote: I was in St George when I started typing 9ut this tread. I felt like it would be a contender. I am just not super familiar with all the climbing spots there |
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Ok lets make it more specific and challenging. What area could someone possibly climb 4 rock types in the same day. So let's say 30 minute radius. |
Shaun Johnsonwrote: For the Front Range, based out of the Golden area BoCan or Mill Creek (Granite) > Clear Creek (Gneiss/Schist) > North Table (Basalt) > Morrison (Sandstone). Additionally, the conglomerated sandstone from Eldo climbs and looks pretty different to the Dakota Sandstone of Morrison if you wanted to count that as separate rock, meaning you could get 5 unique climbing experiences in a day fairly easily all within 30 minutes of home - some within 5 or less. There's also the flatirons for sandstone as well which I'd consider unique climbing styles from Morrison and Eldo as well but I haven't done enough mileage to feel good about that claim. And if you take the path listed above, pretty much every climbing area is <15 minutes away from each other in that radius. |
Alan Rubinwrote: Where do we have schist and granite near Amherst? I lived there for several years and know what you're referring to with the gneiss, conglomerate, and traprock, but I haven't heard of any granite/schist. |
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How has Salt Lake City not been mentioned yet? The granite of LCC and the quartzite of BCC are right in our backyard. LCC also has some limestone in it, altho more/better limestone can be found 30 minutes away in American Fork Canyon. Conglomerate is a little under 2 hours away in Maple Canyon. There's probably another type of rock closer than 2 hours away tham I'm forgetting about, but those 4 come to mind immediately. |
