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<br />-6 <br /> <br />The l'linturn Formation is exposed in the Red Sandstone Creek vicinity <br />,ind is the oldest sedimentary 1^0d: in the area.llS It is composed of <br />medium to very coarse-grained, gray to reddish brown sandstone, con- <br />glomeratic sandstone, thin beds of reddish brOlm siHstone and sandy <br />silty shale and pinkish gray to g,oay 1 'rlestone beds. <br />D. Basi n Format i_on __~nd_(~har,'c_te!~ <br />Gore Creek has eroded deeply into the i~inturn FOl'mation by a combi.- <br />nation of glaciation and alluvial &ction. The basic valley shape through <br />much of the main Gore Valley is the classic U-shape typical of gl!cier <br />action. This glacial erosion occurred mainly during the late Pleistocene <br />period and the valley floor near the T')'tln of Vail at ~;ome time has been <br />much deeper. The alluvial deposits within the valley currently exceed <br />100 feet in depth and are interfinger'2d with coarser side tributary ta'lus <br />and slope wash deposits. Layers of peat or high organic content layers <br />are found at infrequent levels throughout the alluvium. The upper end <br />of most of the side tributaries, such as Booth, Pitkin on the north side <br />of the basin and numerous smaller tributaries on the south side of the <br />basin are formed in bow'J shaped depressions that were created by "hanging" <br />glaciers or nivation hollows during the Pleistocene period. The lower <br />levels of the bowls are foun,led on erosion resistant or harder sandstone <br />or limestone members of the Minturn FO)"ITlation. The sections of~he side <br />tributaries that pass through thesel10re rE~sistant members i~; typified <br />by very steep gradients and serhs of cliffs. <br />There are various locations throuqh the valley ",here larqe mass <br />wasting or rock.,soil slides have occu'^red. Many of these are associatf~cl <br />with downward dipping or badly jointed shale or mudstone layers that pro- <br />vided planes of weakness. <br />