Arkansas River Valley

[RGINN]

Went down here today and over into the Fourmile Rec area where I camp quite a bit through the winter. Saw where somebody with a lot of free time made a rock circle out of quartz chips. Checked out these three rocks again that are a puzzle to me. They might mean somethin, but no tellin. The nearest rocks of that size are a quarter mile away. The two rocks on the left are about 10ft. apart and on a north-south line. The other rock at 4 o'clock points south east. No tellin if they mean anything at all, but fun to ponder.

 

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[Davers]

As for the rocks ....YNK

Beautiful Pictures Tho.

Really like the RR shot.

 

[Jason in Enid]

Your mystery rocks are likely remnants from the last glacial tsunami that swept the valley (I think there have been 3 total). If you haven't heard about the floods, say the word and I'll post the quick version.

 

[RGINN]

Your mystery rocks are likely remnants from the last glacial tsunami that swept the valley (I think there have been 3 total). If you haven't heard about the floods, say the word and I'll post the quick version.

No, not glacial deposits I don't think, cause they're too high up, Jason, but it's one of those things that you'd have to be on the ground there and you would see it. And by all means post that about the glacial tsunamis.

 

[WannaDig3687]

Love the photos!

 

[Peyton Manning]

you get to live in beautiful country dude

 

[Jason in Enid]

No, not glacial deposits I don't think, cause they're too high up, Jason, but it's one of those things that you'd have to be on the ground there and you would see it. And by all means post that about the glacial tsunamis.

IIRC, about 10,000 years ago was the last of 3 periods of glaciation in the Arkansas valley. 3 glaciers built and moved down the mountain vallies in the area of clear creek. They merged and formed an ice-dam below what is now the town of Granite. As temperatures rose, the valley behind the glacier turned into a lake extending almost to Leadville and estimated at 500 feet deep. The water level built behind the ice-dam rose until it crested the critical 90% level. Once at that level, the ice damn attempted to "float". Once water began flowing under the base, scientists say it was a matter of moments before the entire dam disintegrated sending a 500 foot wall of water down the valley. Glacial moraine at the head of the dam was swept clear, moving boulders the size of houses miles down the valley. The depth of water has been seen in evidence of these boulders deposited on the sides of mountains.

Theres some great reading on the subject if you're bored and want to play in google for a few hours. I was hoping to glean some prospecting insights from the info, but all that could determine is that theres probably gold spread from east to west across the entire valley, as deep as the flood scoured.

 

[tamrock]

I'm over here in Blair Nebraska right now. I did see the Missouri river in the dark and it ain't a deep blue color like the Arkansas. It was solid white. Tomorrow I'll cross back over it and then come back from there again. I haven't seen a thermometer go above 9° in three days now. Maybe I'll be able to finally get some pictures tomorrow?

 

[tamrock]

IIRC, about 10,000 years ago was the last of 3 periods of glaciation in the Arkansas valley. 3 glaciers built and moved down the mountain vallies in the area of clear creek. They merged and formed an ice-dam below what is now the town of Granite. As temperatures rose, the valley behind the glacier turned into a lake extending almost to Leadville and estimated at 500 feet deep. The water level built behind the ice-dam rose until it crested the critical 90% level. Once at that level, the ice damn attempted to "float". Once water began flowing under the base, scientists say it was a matter of moments before the entire dam disintegrated sending a 500 foot wall of water down the valley. Glacial moraine at the head of the dam was swept clear, moving boulders the size of houses miles down the valley. The depth of water has been seen in evidence of these boulders deposited on the sides of mountains.

Theres some great reading on the subject if you're bored and want to play in google for a few hours. I was hoping to glean some prospecting insights from the info, but all that could determine is that theres probably gold spread from east to west across the entire valley, as deep as the flood scoured.

I've never heard of the hypothesis before. It's very interesting. I've done a fair amount of exploring on foot up and down the Arkansas when I lived in BV.

 

[RGINN]

I was wondering if Elephant Rock was deposited by glaciers. It's a little too far off to have just fell off the mountain side.

 

[tamrock]

I was wondering if Elephant Rock was deposited by glaciers. It's a little too far off to have just fell off the mountain side.

Well maybe it was moved there by this 500ft torrent of water during that event long, long ago

 

[Johnnybravo300]

Look up the three glaciers flood Arkansas river colorado. It's an interesting read and you can still see the remains of that blow out on the high rock walls along there and the fan of smaller boulders it deposited just after the valley widens to the South.
The glaciers ripped through solid granite when it failed.

There's a PDF file, very awesome read.

 

[civil_war22]

Went down here today and over into the Fourmile Rec area where I camp quite a bit through the winter. Saw where somebody with a lot of free time made a rock circle out of quartz chips. Checked out these three rocks again that are a puzzle to me. They might mean somethin, but no tellin. The nearest rocks of that size are a quarter mile away. The two rocks on the left are about 10ft. apart and on a north-south line. The other rock at 4 o'clock points south east. No tellin if they mean anything at all, but fun to ponder.

Where was this at. Looks familiar. I’m from Van Buren

 

[tamrock]

Look up the three glaciers flood Arkansas river colorado. It's an interesting read and you can still see the remains of that blow out on the high rock walls along there and the fan of smaller boulders it deposited just after the valley widens to the South.
The glaciers ripped through solid granite when it failed.

There's a PDF file, very awesome read.

I believe I've read the Arkansas river had once flowed down the San Luis Valley, before some kind of geologic forces created Poncha pass and cut off the Arkansas River changing it to its current course.

 

[tamrock]

Where was this at. Looks familiar. I’m from Van Buren

Chaffee County Colorado

 

[civil_war22]

I knew it looked familiar. My uncle has some property down in Colorado. Done some panning out there just for the heck of it