Geology (Unit 2) - The Big Stump and the "Scudder Pit": Florissant Formation

Stratigraphy of the florissant formation

The Big Stump is a fossilized redwood (Sequoioxylon pearsallii, probably synonymous with Sequoia affinis). Before the Monument was created, collectors attempted to cut the stump up and remove it in pieces. The attempt was unsuccessful, as the blades broke off in the stump, where they are still visible today.

At this location, three units of the Florissant Formation can be observed: the lower mudstone, the middle shale, and the caprock conglomerate.

 

A view of the Big Stump with the saw blades still intact. You can see the three units behind the stump.

 

Near the Big Stump is the "Scudder Pit," once believed to be one of early scientist Samuel H. Scudder's (1837 - 1911) collection localities. This is a good outcrop of the middle shale.