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Rockfall Hazards and Ingress/Egress Blockage <br /> • Colorado Geological Survey Rockfall Hazard Information <br /> • Definition: Rockfall is the falling of a newly detached mass of rock from a cliff or <br /> down a very steep slope. Rocks in a rockfall can be of any dimension,from the <br /> size of baseballs to houses. <br /> • Improper utilization of rockfall areas is any use for which occasional, <br /> unpredictable, rolling,bounding,or falling of rocks could constitute a threat to <br /> life or property. <br /> • Areas of potential rockfall are subject to constraints similar to those of active <br /> rockfall areas. However,if activation can be prevented,such areas could be used <br /> safely,but the cost of protection from the potential hazard can in man cases <br /> ases <br /> exceed the economi ain from the chafe in land use. <br /> • Man's activities often cause rocks to fall sooner than they would naturally. <br /> Excavations into hill and mountainsides for highways and building frequently <br /> aggravate rockfalls. Vibration from passin-trains or blasting can trigger them,as <br /> can changes in surface and ground water conditions. Rockfalls have been <br /> attributed to earthquakes and sonic booms. <br /> • Little Turkey Creek Rockfall Hazards <br /> o Little Turkey Creek canyon has near vertical walls in places and narrows to a <br /> few hundred feet. The vertical walls are primarily composed of the highly <br /> fractured Pikes Peak Granite and possible unmapped faults. With regular <br /> blasting in the quarry acting as a trigger,the rockfall hazard would be greatly <br /> increased. <br /> o The only access to the homes and cabins in the canyon above the proposed <br /> quarry site is an unpaved road following the creek bed. With the canyon <br /> narrowing, the road is forced to approach the base of the vertical canyon <br /> walls. The width and character of the roadbed and the stream do not permit <br /> any vehicle traffic to maneuver. <br /> o The confinement and proximity of the vertical walls would: <br /> ■ Make travel dangerous <br /> ■ A medical emergency in the canyon could block individuals in the <br /> canyon without emergency vehicle access or evacuation. <br /> ■ Emergency helicopter service would be difficult and dangerous <br /> • Map and photos will be provided <br />