Geologic Tour of the Blue Ridge Escarpment

[@davescott5582]

A main course of geomorphology, a side helping of nuanced humor and craftily drizzled with a glaze of great music. Wow!

[@mattheweisley8570]

That ridge-top eyesore is not a hotel. It's a condo building called Sugar Top on nearby Sugar Mountain. A visual blight for sure. It inspired a state law limiting the height of buildings on NC mountain ridges.

[@santiagoferguson3235]

I cringed and shook my fist at it every time I saw it from the AT

[@didntknoicouldchangethis]

I live in southwestern Virginia, ALMOST on Smith Mountian Lake, and whenever I see condos on the lake, this quaint, woodsy, and beautiful place, I want to vomit. These condos are a scourge on our lake. Glad to hear that there are limits protecting these beautiful mountians!

[@Burl-tw1yu]

..it reminded me of corn silos..it was such a visual shock first time seeing it

[@johnbirkhimer704]

Very well done. You got to the important stuff and covered it in an entertaining, yet understandable and factual way.

[@billy_g_44]

Great info! I was just hiking Grandfather Mountain a few weekends ago and got annoyed by the very same hotel at 7:53

[@Rob02138]

Really really nice job! Great 3D graphics really helped visualize what you were trying to convey. If you are planning on doing more of these in the future my only advice would be to slow down your presentation speed. For those of us without significant background knowledge we need a few seconds to process each fact or concept being presented. Appreciate very much your work on this! 👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼

[@timothyhosek3551]

I read somewhere that the Appalachian mountains were way older than the rockies and they are older than the alps they're just worn down by erosion.and plate tectonics. If true that's awesome

[@gregallen7045]

Are being built as they are getting eroded down

[@Multipotentialitis]

Upon formation, it is estimated the Appalachian mtns were as tall or taller than the Himalayan mtns, but have since eroded over time. And estimated to be over half a billion years old, that is surely lots of time for erosion!

[@jazzombi9680]

The appalachain mountains are older than trees which is crazy to think bout like when i look outside that shi used to just be rocks or those big stalky plant type things idk what theyre called lol… i can barely imagine it

[@bigaaron]

Rest in peace chimney rock

[@syork24]

Great job! You taught me a lot about the geology of this region.

[@peterbooker6342]

Great job! Well explained

[@judischarns4509]

That same hang glider was later killed hanging gliding from Grandfather Mountain. Shortly after that the hang gliding competitions at Grandfather were permanently cancelled. Thanks for a very informative video. I live in this area and have wanted a deeper understanding of the formations around me.

[@kevinp3550]

Is hang gliding still legal? I had a couple of friends who were into it from at least'76-79 and I am quite sure that they did some of it from Grandfather Mountain. IMHO, Grandfather Mountain is the most beautiful place in the Eastern United States! 😀

[@judischarns4509]

@@kevinp3550 hang gliding is still legal, although it is hard to find a place to launch from. Most landowners don’t want the liability and therefore don’t allow it on their private land. I’m pretty sure they still hang glide off Jockey’s Ridge in the Outer Banks, where I tried it and mostly failed.

[@kevinp3550]

@@judischarns4509 So Grandfather Mountain is out then? Not that I was thinking about it, I get sick thinking about the landing!

[@kevinp3550]

Oh, thank you for the reply!

[@judischarns4509]

@@kevinp3550 Grandfather is out. I don’t know of ant locations in the High Country.

[@dianespears6057]

Very well done. Thanks to all.

[@danacopeland7090]

Excellent review. Comprehensive, accurate, and clearly articulated.

[@holyworrier]

Good fun, if you've got 'rocks in your head'... which I do.

[@GranthamShaw]

I've stayed at the mountain top Condo's on Sugar Mountain, quick access to the Ski Slopes. There's another eyesore in Boone NC, called the Broyhill wind turbine at Appalachian State which was installed in June 2009.

[@rastan49]

Well there you go, I've never heard of the Great Escarpment here in Australia. I just assumed it was all the Great Dividing Range. But there you go, I came here to learn something about geology of the Appalachians. But I click away learning about the Appalachians, but also something of my own country.

[@ronaldholden7551]

White Rocks Mtn. In Carter Co. TN has some features similar to Stone Mtn. It has granite cliffs on the soutwest face, which leads me to believe to in the distant future as erosion occurs it will look like Stone Mtn.

[@seanshafer2253]

We have 2 monadnocks in the Piedmont, Little Mountain and Paris Mountain

[@glenhatchell5635]

Great video. Well done!

[@raycooper3269]

Tryon , NC is the most charming small town at the base of the escarpment. The towns south border is the SC state border. In Tryon see the historical home of Nina Simone

[@KathrynHaugan]

Thanks...good information well presented.

[@timothyconover9805]

The "Blue Wall" section viewed from Traveler's Rest SC is an impressive escarpment. Truly looks like a wall.

[@garyhooper1820]

Thanks , hope to travel the Blue ridge . I will have some clue to its formation now .

[@bjswope8797]

16:50 are there any escarpments on the western sides of continents. Every example shown was on the south eastern side of the continent.

[@jayroc1502]

Sheldon says that geology is not a real science. Bazinga!

[@danielmeehan2344]

That hang glider flight was possible. A friend who flew traditional sailplanes would follow the ridges from Eastern Pennsylvania down into the Shenandoah Valley in Virginia to the Harrisonburg area. The conditions have to such to allow this, and the pilot needs to have the skills to take advantage of the conditions. These flights normally would not be documented.

[@loganv0410]

Interesting note: Blacksburg sits just below the eastern continental divide. Our apartment on Jefferson St between Washington and Clay afforded me a view across the ridge top.

[@dennistate5953]

Lotta hangliders round here (Chattanooga area) they tell the GF Mtn story too. I was impressed when Chris Palmgren made a 6m SSB convo back to here from there.

[@cacambo589]

Hey Amanda. Nice to see a fresh face doing science. Good luck.

[@rj66600]

So is Caesars Head and Table Rock in SC apart of this same escarpment?

[@timothyconover9805]

Yes. There is a moment where you can see the squiggly line on their map bends south in Oconee County to the ridge above Walhalla.

[@stephenburden8947]

Thank you so much for the info!

[@timothyconover9805]

The Grandfather Mountain Window is mind-blowing.

[@juliamacdonald3767]

Absolutely love this. What a high quality video.

[@valoriel4464]

Sweet, hiked many of these. Wish y'all had seen Looking Glass Rock in Pisgah Forest, NC. Thk it's a Pluton. Grt vid. Thx ✌🏻

[@mackigator]

Yes, pluton. Looking Glass is one of several in a zone stretching from Brevard to Franklin and thereabouts.

[@jerryjohns7358]

Like your humor.

[@jcmtaz4]

Thanks

[@SloopADoopy]

Very informative. Does that also explain Pilot Mountain in NC?

[@dennistate5953]

My dog & i have that very uniform! Reunite Pangea!❤

[@mansize6622]

Good job.

[@amacuro]

Hey thank you for the video, very nicely done! I have a quick question please, when talk about Chimney Rock's first metamorphism event during the opening of the Iapetus ocean, how do you get metamorphism from the extension associated with the opening of an ocean please?

[@Aetna500]

Well done.

[@eldjibheryr3546]

that hotel on top of the mountain is responsible for a series of laws preventing another eyesore like it from ever being built; iirc there is a clause that states if it ever comes down it can't be rebuilt. source: avery county expat

[@edstein5642]

Some of the oldest rock on the planet can be found exposed atop Clingman’s Dome in the Smokeys. It’s pre-fossil of course & kinda resembles moon rock.

[@bjswope8797]

6:56 “and a great example of a snail on a stick” 😂

[@dennistate5953]

Rock on!❤

[@danielmedrea8184]

I found a meteorite in North Carolina and I’m thinking to sell it. What is gonna be the value?

[@ronaldholden7551]

The monstrosity on Sugar Mtn. is despised by the locals.

[@vm.999]

❤

[@jamesturnage2405]

The escarpment is slowly de-escarping from north to south, that is much of the area north of the Roanoke river used to be the same thing, with rivers generically heading west. Through a process of river piracy, east bound streams cut into the mountains and eventually pirated those rivers, eg, Potomac, James and yes the Roanoke river captured those waters, south of the Roanoke that's not true but you can assume one day the upper sections of the New River will be captured also.

[@longfalllureoutdoors7321]

GO HOKIES!!!

[@gabanjoman]

In the Electric Universe "That Dog Won't Hunt"😂😂 Nice scenery though thanks 👍

[@malikto1]

Well done.

[@dennistate5953]

My dog & i have that very uniform! Reunite Pangea!❤

[@misspat7555]

It will, at least one more time! ❤