How old is the granite on longs peak

Where it existed, the ice slowly slid downhill, plucking out blocks of rock and dragging them across the underlying bedrock, abrading it like sandpaper and dramatically deepening and widening the valleys. Upstream of the point, however, there was minimal abrasion, so little erosion occurred. The coloring agent is biologic. The pink color is from the presence of cryophilic algae. So, ice-loving algae are present. Surprisingly, the algae are not red algae.

They're actually green algae chlorophytes. Dozens of species of snow algae have been described and named in western America. The reddish color is from a carotenoid pigment. The green algae also have chlorophyll, of course. Home page. Article history received:.

This content is PDF only. Please click on the PDF icon to access. First Page Preview. Close Modal. You do not currently have access to this article. You could not be signed in. Librarian Administrator Sign In. Buy This Article. Alerts In Effect Dismiss. Dismiss View all alerts. Geologic Activity. Ancient schist glows on the west side of the park NPS The Beginning The park's oldest rocks were produced when plate movements subjected sea sediments to intense pressure and heat.

Paleozoic Era During the long Paleozoic Era, the park area frequently submerged, lifted up and eroded. Mesozoic Era Early in the Mesozoic Era, approximately million years ago, dinosaurs roamed the shoreline of a shallow sea which extended from the Gulf of Mexico to the Arctic Ocean.

Glacial Period Differential movement along faults disrupted drainage patterns, resulting in higher mountains, waterfalls and large valley areas such as Estes Valley.

Chasm Lake lies in a glacial cirque. The rounded rocks of Lumpy Ridge include Balanced Rock. NPS The few small glaciers and snowfields now occupying the tops of glacial valleys are only hints of what the ice age was like.

Last updated: May 7, Stay Connected. Although many of its mountaintops have been flattened by ancient erosion, recent glaciation has left steep scars, U-shaped valleys, lakes and moraine deposits Ancient schist glows on the west side of the park NPS The Beginning The park's oldest rocks were produced when plate movements subjected sea sediments to intense pressure and heat.