Flakes, Jugs, and Splitters: A Rock Climber's Guide to Geology (How To Climb Series)

Rock climbers have an inherent interest in geology. For some, it's about knowing what gear to use or how to avoid rotten bands of rock. For others, it's about finding the next hot-spot boulder field, or understanding why their local crag exists. For most of them, curiosity about rocks comes as naturally as their desire to climb them. Geology is the fundamental control on the sport, and yet there are no practical guides for the climber interested in rocks. & nbsp;Flakes, Jugs, and Splitters fills the niche. With an informal Q & A format and fun, informative language, it brings the often esoteric science of geology into the hands of rock climbers. Covering topics from how to use a geologic map to finding new crags, from why Europe has the best limestone to how El Capitan's North America Wall got its name, this book has a fact for every climber's ponderings. Top-quality photographs of worldwide destinations and easy-to-read artist's renderings of geologic concepts make it as visually engaging as it is entertaining and edifying. pt. I : Geology 101 -- The Basics -- Millions and billions : the grand scale of geologic time -- Earth as a jigsaw puzzle : plate tetonics -- Five important earth processes -- Liquid, hot magma : the formation of igneous rocks -- Taken for granite -- Coral reefs, beach sand, and dirt : the formation of sedimentary rocks -- Heating and squeezing : the formation of metamorphic rocks -- Faulting, folding, and rock uplift : the making of mountains -- Sculptures of wind and water : erosion and weathering -- pt. II : Answers to all your rock questions -- Northeast -- Southeast -- Midwest -- Rocky Mountains -- Southwest -- California -- Northwest and Alaska -- Africa -- Asia -- Australia and New Zealand -- Antarctica -- Europe -- South America -- General rock questions -- References -- Index. Covering topics that range from how to use a geologic map to find new crags, to why Europe has the best limestone, to how El Capitan's North America Wall got its name, this book has a fact for every climber's ponderings. With an informal Q-and-A format and fun, informative language, this book brings the often-esoteric science of geology into the hands of rock climbers With an informal Q-and-A format and fun, informative language, this book brings the often-esoteric science of geology into the hands of rock climbers. Winner of the 2009 Banff Mountain Book Award for mountain exposition.