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Geology Pictures of the Week, June 19-25, 2005: Spider Rock and Bicentennial Column
Various

Posted on 06/20/2005 2:10:48 PM PDT by cogitator

Variations on a theme (I like themes):


Spider Rock, Canyon de Chelly, Arizona


Bicentennial Column, Ogle Cave, New Mexico


TOPICS: Arts/Photography; Education; Outdoors; Science
KEYWORDS: aboveground; canyons; caves; columns; limestone; records; sandstone; underground
Spider Rock and Bicentennial Column kinda, sorta have something in common. A virtual pat on the back to anyone with the time and perseverance to figure out what it is. Hint: I found both of them using the same Google search keywords.
1 posted on 06/20/2005 2:10:50 PM PDT by cogitator
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To: 2Trievers; headsonpikes; Pokey78; Lil'freeper; epsjr; sauropod; kayak; Miss Marple; CPT Clay; ...

** ping **


2 posted on 06/20/2005 2:14:20 PM PDT by cogitator
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To: cogitator

I think they were both used in Clint Eastwood movies. Spider Rock in "The Eiger Sanction", and the other in "The Gauntlet"


3 posted on 06/20/2005 2:15:20 PM PDT by theDentist (The Dems have put all their eggs in one basket-case: Howard "Belltower" Dean.)
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To: theDentist

You're right about Spider Rock and "The Eiger Sanction", not sure about "The Gauntlet" (I'd be very impressed if you're correct). The "similarity" to which I alluded was more general.


4 posted on 06/20/2005 2:19:56 PM PDT by cogitator
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To: cogitator
They're both made of stone?

:) ?

5 posted on 06/20/2005 2:29:35 PM PDT by theDentist (The Dems have put all their eggs in one basket-case: Howard "Belltower" Dean.)
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To: theDentist

Well, that's true, (and I realized that my initial comment was pretty vague). The "similarity" concerns their status in the record books, at least in terms of finding references to them on the Web. Thanks for being interested!


6 posted on 06/20/2005 2:32:07 PM PDT by cogitator
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To: cogitator

I probably goofed by making my comment on the other thread...

Both are columns, though they were created differently. Spider Rock was probably created by erosion, although that's a curious circumstance given the apparent composition.

The Bicentennial Column looks to have been created as a tradtional stalactite/stalagmite formation, with mineral deposits left by trickling water over the ages.


7 posted on 06/20/2005 2:34:39 PM PDT by HiJinx (Remember, you have to seal the dike before you can drain the swamp.)
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To: HiJinx

Yes, and they are both (according to the Web) very special columns in their respective locations (i.e., surface and subterranean), because...


8 posted on 06/20/2005 2:39:03 PM PDT by cogitator
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To: cogitator

Well, shoot, looks like I'm going to have to go do some googling...

Right off the bat, I'd say size. I believe Spider Rock may be the largest free-standing spire of it's kind above ground.


9 posted on 06/20/2005 2:41:17 PM PDT by HiJinx (Remember, you have to seal the dike before you can drain the swamp.)
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To: cogitator

Please add me to your Geology Pictures of the Week ping list! Thanks!


10 posted on 06/20/2005 2:53:11 PM PDT by mwyounce
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To: HiJinx

You're on the right track. Thanks for your interest!


11 posted on 06/20/2005 3:28:00 PM PDT by cogitator
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To: cogitator

i would be suprised if spider rock isn't the remains of a lava tube. It looks like around it is a collapsed lava cave, making it more striking.


12 posted on 06/20/2005 3:37:55 PM PDT by Lokibob (All typos and spelling errors are mine and copyrighted!!!!)
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To: cogitator
Yes, and they are both (according to the Web) very special columns in their respective locations (i.e., surface and subterranean), because...

they're so talllll?

Seriesly, though. I love Canyon de Chelly. Made a recent trip to Carlsbad, too. But it's been so dry that most of the pools were empty.

13 posted on 06/21/2005 4:45:56 AM PDT by Lil'freeper
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To: Lil'freeper

Ack - don't forget to close yer tags!


14 posted on 06/21/2005 4:46:14 AM PDT by Lil'freeper
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To: Lil'freeper; HiJinx
they're so talllll?

Pretty much right. Spider Rock is the tallest free-standing rock column in the world; Bicentennial Column was referred to on the Web as the second-tallest cave column in the world. However, a bit more Googling indicated that Bicentennial Column is probably not #2, but somewhere between 4-6 in this category, because there are some extraordinary tall ones listed in China. (~70 meters vs. the 38m height of Bicentennial Column). Still, a 115-foot cave column is pretty impressive.

The Carlsbad area is just plain amazing. There are so many caves and so many features there. I'd never heard of Ogle Cave before I did this picture search.

15 posted on 06/21/2005 7:43:40 AM PDT by cogitator
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