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<br />00 <br />':\.I <br />00 <br />C'J <br /> <br />GENERAL DESCRIPTION <br /> <br />The Region <br /> <br />The most striking geographical feature we~t of the slopes <br /> <br />of the Rocky Mountains in Colorado is the immense ancient table land <br /> <br />called the Colorado Plateau. It is recognizable as a plateau only <br /> <br />by the geologist, for it has been deeply cut by the present stream <br /> <br />systems;. intrusions of igneous rock, the movement of huge faults <br /> <br />and the flow of great sheets of lava have all tended to conceal the <br /> <br />appearance of what was ence a very uniforn plain. <br /> <br />The Colorado River as the largest of the streams has cut <br /> <br />the ~eepest channel into this area and where the river enters the <br /> <br />plateau west of Glenwood Springs, after crossing the last barrier of <br /> <br />:1 <br /> <br />uplifted granite, a very characteristic valley was eroded in the softer <br /> <br />sedimentary rocks of the plateau. This valley about 40 miles in <br /> <br />length has a Qifferent character on each side of the Colorado River. <br /> <br />On the north side the valley differs very little fram those typical <br /> <br />~~ <br /> <br />", <br /> <br />of harder sedimentary formations, due to the upheaval of the great <br /> <br />block of the Grand HogbaCk Fault. <br /> <br />On the south side of the Colorado River the valley has the <br /> <br />~, <br />~: <br /> <br />z <br /> <br />form characteristic of valleys cut in the softer sediments. From <br /> <br />", <br />'. <br /> <br />the rim of the valley 25 miles south of the river, Garfield Creek, <br /> <br />Divide Creek, Marnm Creek and Beaver Creek with their numerous <br /> <br />tributaries drain the north slope of this divide and cut the ancient <br /> <br />river terraces below into a rolling hilly country, so that its <br /> <br />terraced character is almost obscured. <br /> <br />"1 <br /> <br />5 <br />