Opalized Wood

[chameleon]

Today, I found some large, beautiful chunks of opalized wood. Sorry - no pic yet - I'll try to get a few up tomorrow. It was a large chunk in the middle of a talus field (that had split into pieces) squarely located in the Columbia River Basalt formation. Intrigued, I did some research.

Shivers ran down my spine when I did a search to find out what the conditions were like when this tree lived. It probably grew next to a small lake that formed during one of the quiet periods between massive basalt flows. Small elephants and rhinos wandered the land. Hippos might have swum the lake nearby, and turtles skirted around them.

Birds, very similar to those we know today, sang. Several types of small horses grazed the grasslands and forests. Bear-dogs and hyenas hunted them and small deer-like creatures.

I wonder...what did the birds look like that perched in this tree? Did an elephant ever brush against it, snapping off an unfortunate branch? What happened in each of the years the rings clearly marked in it represent?

Pretty fascinating...so far my imagination is running wild as I hold it. If only it could talk...

[sasquatch22]

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[chameleon]

That's what I'm guessing. Apparently it is most common in that layer. The cliffs above are some of the tallest in the Gorge, and according to Ira Williams, just a stream or so over (Gorton Creek), you have the greatest depth of Columbia River Basalt in the Gorge. So, I'm guessing they did come from the Vantage layer, which is undoubtedly up there in the cliff somewhere - possibly identifiable by a good geologist with binoculars!

[sasquatch22]

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[chameleon]

It was a long scree/talus chute just west of Gray's Creek. Above is an enormous basalt bluff. Absolutely beautiful stuff - I collected probably a couple pounds of chunks. It has the feel of obsidian, but of course looks like a tree! It turns gorgeous shades of red and orange when wet.

[BrianEdwards]

I'm becoming quite envious of all your cool findings, Zach. Your becoming something of a gorge Legend with all these neat adventures and discoveries. I'm thinking your book is gonna turn into a series rather than one big one. Keep it up, so I can keep salivating over your pictures

[chameleon]

Ok, I've taken some better pics of it now.

[BrianEdwards]

In pic 1, looks like you have an opalized knot in the lower left, pretty cool.

[chameleon]

Brian - Yeah, could be. There are interesting consistencies throughout the pieces (I collected @ 15 that day). I'm not sure what they each represent. I may have pieces of bark, knots, etc... mixed in there. It would be interesting to figure out what they are.