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<br />. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />16 <br /> <br />- <br />.... <br /> <br />d. Within the canyon are excellent exposures of Cambrian, <br /> <br />c: <br />4~ Ordovician, and Mississippian strata. <br /> <br />- <br /> <br />-, <br /> <br />e. Within the canyon are displayed excellent examples of the <br /> <br /> <br />results of the mass wasting process (See page 5). <br /> <br />c <br /> <br />f. In addition to its many geological attributes, Cross Moun- <br />tain Canyon has great scenic value. Not only are its vistas magnificent, <br />but also it is, one of Colorado's very few remaining natural canyons - <br />unaltered by the influence of Man - outside areas administered by the <br />National Park Service. <br /> <br />g. Because of the features mentioned above, and others, Cross <br /> <br />Mountain Canyon has great potential as a Natural Geological Study Area - <br /> <br /> <br />a place where students could be taken to walk through the entire canyon to <br /> <br />observe geological processes in action, and to investigate and discuss the <br />many outstanding geological features of this marvelous natur~l laboratory. <br /> <br />2. Cross Mountain Fault -- The fault which borders the western flank <br /> <br />of Cross Mountain Anticline is one of the finest examples of a high angle <br />reverse fault in Colorado. It is so exemplary because the amount of verti- <br /> <br />cal displacement is great (east side relatively up approximately 5000 feet), <br /> <br />because it is very well-exposed and easy to see,where Paleozoic strata on <br /> <br />the east side are in direct contact with Mesozoic strata on the west side, <br /> <br />and because the Mesozoic strata on the west side of the fault are spectacu- <br /> <br />larly overturned by the movement on the fault. It is worth noting at this <br /> <br />point that, although the main movements along this fault and others in the <br />area occurred millions of years ago during the time of the Laramide Orogeny, <br />there is a slight chance that these faults could again become active at any <br /> <br />time. There is well documented evidence elsewhere in Colorado of sizeable <br /> <br />.. : ...-'- <br />