I got to thinking about some of the rock compositions at crags that I climb at and was wondering if there were any rock climber geologists out there who could answer a few questions I had about some decisions I've made about what rock types I'll lead on and what rock types I won't. Specifically I've got questions about what I perceive to be metamorphic rock that's present at Carderock, Great Falls, Little Stony Man etc. I contrast this rock type with the Tuscarora sandstone that I perceive to be present at Buzzards, Sugarloaf, Seneca and Pond Bank. Anybody willing to answer a couple questions with some book learnin' would be much appreciated.
--Wannabe
P.S. Apologies about the double post but I don't really know where the "potomac region" or questions about "Mid Atlantic" climbing belong.
I'm a geologist and I can help you with your questions. The stuff at Carderock and Great Falls are both schist. Never been to Little Stoney Man in Shenandoah, but I've heard there's some columnar basalt in the area. Buzzards is made of Massanutten sandstone and Seneca is the Tuscarora sandstone. I don't know about sugarloaf or Pond Bank because I've never been there either.
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