High Altitude Fossils
Looking upstream from the Beartooth Lake outlet at the Butte of the same name.
"When you visit Beartooth Lake you will immediately notice the large butte on the opposite (west) shore of the lake. This is Beartooth Butte; a formation that has a completely different geologic origin than the surrounding area. During the Devonian period (420 - 360 million years ago) this entire region was covered by a vast sea. For several million years sediments deposited on that sea bottom compacted tighter and tighter to ultimately become sedimentary rocks. The resulting layer of rock, named the Beartooth Butte Formation, was at least 150 ft thick. Here on the Beartooth Plateau, the layer has been eroded away everywhere except here at Beartooth Butte.
The sedimentary rocks that make up Beartooth Butte are loaded with fossils from the various organisms that died and were buried in the ancient ocean. Geologists and rock hounds visit Beartooth Butte to sample rocks from the formation.
While Beartooth Butte is the namesake of the Beartooth Butte formation, the layer of rock is found in other mountain locations in Montana and Wyoming. Although these locations are hundreds of miles apart, there is no doubt that all of the areas were once part of the same inland sea."
montanahikes.com
Have a wonderful (and safe) Friday and weekend!
High Altitude Fossils
Looking upstream from the Beartooth Lake outlet at the Butte of the same name.
"When you visit Beartooth Lake you will immediately notice the large butte on the opposite (west) shore of the lake. This is Beartooth Butte; a formation that has a completely different geologic origin than the surrounding area. During the Devonian period (420 - 360 million years ago) this entire region was covered by a vast sea. For several million years sediments deposited on that sea bottom compacted tighter and tighter to ultimately become sedimentary rocks. The resulting layer of rock, named the Beartooth Butte Formation, was at least 150 ft thick. Here on the Beartooth Plateau, the layer has been eroded away everywhere except here at Beartooth Butte.
The sedimentary rocks that make up Beartooth Butte are loaded with fossils from the various organisms that died and were buried in the ancient ocean. Geologists and rock hounds visit Beartooth Butte to sample rocks from the formation.
While Beartooth Butte is the namesake of the Beartooth Butte formation, the layer of rock is found in other mountain locations in Montana and Wyoming. Although these locations are hundreds of miles apart, there is no doubt that all of the areas were once part of the same inland sea."
montanahikes.com
Have a wonderful (and safe) Friday and weekend!