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<br />slopes. All material on hillslopes is influenced by downslope gravita- <br /> <br />tional stress. Direct evidence that soil creep is active includes disrupted <br /> <br />vegetation and soil ripples (Rogers and Soule, 1976). Soil creep is fre- <br /> <br />quently found in association with landslides, debris-avalanches and debris- <br /> <br />slides which are discussed below. Consequently, areas of soil creep may <br /> <br />serve to indicate more serious hazards or sites where such hazards could be <br /> <br />aggravated by man's activities. <br /> <br />Landslides. Landslide.s and areas susceptible to landsliding are most <br /> <br />commonly located on north-facing, moderate to steep slopes where colluvium <br /> <br />thickness is 1 to 2 m or greater. Colluvium derived from metamorphic rock <br /> <br />appears to bemore susceptible to landsliding than that composed of granitic <br /> <br />grus. Both severity and extent of landslide hazard appear to increase as <br /> <br />slope or thickness of colluvium increase. Predominantly north-facing slopes <br /> <br />tend to be associated with hazard because they retain moisture longer in <br /> <br />winter and can support a relatively dense coniferous forest. The binding <br /> <br />together of the regolith by tree roots promotes the relatively thick ac- <br /> <br />cumulation of colluvium. Most of the classical evidence for landsliding <br /> <br /> <br />discussed by Sharpe (1938) and Varnes (1958) is applicable to the Big Thomp- <br /> <br /> <br />son Canyon. Of special note, however, is the widespread occurrence of land- <br /> <br /> <br />slides caused by the undercutting of slopes by the Big Thompson River and <br /> <br />its tributaries during the recent flooding. <br /> <br />Rockfalls and rockslides. As it is apparent to even the most casual <br /> <br />visitor to the Big Thompson Canyon, rockfalls and rockslides are nearly <br /> <br />ubiquitous on very steep slopes. Scree deposits, other rockfall debris, <br /> <br />jointed bedrock cliffs, and loose, fresh cobble to large boulder size <br /> <br />material on hills lopes are all indicative of rockfall and rockslide hazard <br /> <br />areas. Although general identification of rockfall and rockslide hazard <br /> <br />28 <br /> <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />