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BuddhaStalin
climber
Truckee, CA
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Jul 26, 2013 - 11:36am PT
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I know there is precambrian sandstone in westwater canyon, cant imagine it gets older than that? Dunno if it gets climbed ever or if its even fit for it...
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WyoRockMan
climber
Flank of the Bighorns
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Jul 26, 2013 - 11:45am PT
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The Beartooths in Montana are on the order of 3.3 GA.
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Alan Rubin
climber
Amherst,MA.
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Jul 26, 2013 - 11:48am PT
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I believe that the rocks of the Canadian Shield up in the Laurentians in Quebec and Ontario are some of the oldest, if not THE oldest, exposed rocks on the continent. There are a number of climbing areas up there, though I don't know their specific geologic history.
Good one, Ron.
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Prezwoodz
climber
Anchorage
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Jul 26, 2013 - 11:52am PT
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I recently climbed in Aussenkehr, Namibia. The rocks there are 2 billion years old!
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Brandon-
climber
The Granite State.
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Jul 26, 2013 - 12:01pm PT
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I have heard the same as Alan.
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Klimmer
Mountain climber
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Jul 26, 2013 - 12:45pm PT
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I would say when the "Moon Walkers " our NASA Apollo astronauts walked, drove the rover around, ascended Lunar Highlands, and "bouldered" massive Lunar rocks (bet you didn't know about that did you? It was a Top Secret first ascent program), all on 4.5 B year old Lunar petrology then than is the oldest.
Don't get me started on the ascents of an ancient Mothership on the backside of the Moon near "Isak D" crater. That would qualify as the oldest "buildering."
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Spider Savage
Mountain climber
The shaggy fringe of Los Angeles
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Jul 26, 2013 - 01:27pm PT
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Oldest Rock Climbing Area
or
Rock Climbing Area With The Oldest Rocks
?
I'm confused.
I think Stoney Point might be one of the oldest climbing areas in the USA.
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Alan Rubin
climber
Amherst,MA.
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Jul 26, 2013 - 01:43pm PT
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Whatever the wording of the title the post itself specifies the "oldest rocks", but the oldest, in terms of years being climbed on, is also interesting. Though Donini will say--with considerable justification, as well as personal knowledge--that wherever the Anasazi lived will win. In terms of more modern climbing "for sport" you've got Anderson's climb of Half Dome or the "cowboys" on Devil's Tower--should they count? After that I think that the Boulder Flatirons are the most likely candidates.
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yanqui
climber
Balcarce, Argentina
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Jul 26, 2013 - 01:55pm PT
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I don't know tech stuff (geology) but they say the rocks here are some of the oldest (more than 2 billion years old). From what I can tell, there are basically two kinds of rock: a gneiss (looks like flakey granite to me) and a wonderful quartz-sandstone. I don't know if one of these types is supposed to be older and I would be interested if anyone has anything intelligent to say about this. At any rate, here's a geology reference for someone who reads Spanish and wants a look:
http://www.scielo.org.ar/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S1666-94792006000100002
It is worth mentioning that, while the gneiss offers some limited climbing potential, the quartzitic sandstone provides for outstanding bouldering (and some excellent short crag climbing as well).
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pyro
Big Wall climber
Calabasas
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Jul 26, 2013 - 03:53pm PT
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I'm with savage stoney pretty damn old.
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donini
Trad climber
Ouray, Colorado
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Jul 26, 2013 - 04:02pm PT
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The Anasazi were punching it in the Four Corners area a millennium ago.
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Brandon-
climber
The Granite State.
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Jul 26, 2013 - 04:06pm PT
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Isn't it profound and amazing that we conduct our sport on things that are so old?
I mean, they've been here essentially forever,and we found recreational use for them.
Makes you think.
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Alan Rubin
climber
Amherst,MA.
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Jul 26, 2013 - 04:07pm PT
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Jim, I beat you to it. You must be getting old!!!! Happy birthday a few days late. Alan
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RP3
Big Wall climber
El Portal/Chapel Hill
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Jul 27, 2013 - 11:04am PT
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Great question! There must be climbing on some of the super-old craton rocks of northeast/north-central Canada....
What about the youngest? Owens River Gorge is 750,000 years old.
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Jaybro
Social climber
Wolf City, Wyoming
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Jul 27, 2013 - 11:25am PT
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Gotta be either the stromatolites bearing Canadian Shield rocks or similar in australia
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cintune
climber
The Utility Muffin Research Kitchen
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Jul 27, 2013 - 12:12pm PT
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All the beige areas:
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mojede
Trad climber
Butte, America
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Jul 27, 2013 - 01:10pm PT
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Documented and ongoing routing makes the Beartooth Mountains and their walls a strong front runner for rock climbing on the oldest rock...
...that Shield stuff have anything that's been known to have routes ? Seems likely that it should.
Cave drawings have indicated topos and guides to climbing areas dating back 6,000 years ;-)
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Magic Ed
Trad climber
Nuevo Leon, Mexico
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Jul 27, 2013 - 01:23pm PT
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Devil's Lake quartzite.
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Todd Eastman
climber
Bellingham, WA
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Jul 27, 2013 - 03:10pm PT
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Much of the rock in the Adirondacks is part of the Canadian Shield and considered quite old. Like the rest of the Canadian Shield, it is bug infested and has too much rain for good climbing...
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geo_nutt
Gym climber
the big bang
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Jul 27, 2013 - 03:31pm PT
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Hmmm considering the bible places the earth being created in one giant week long event between 5,000-10,000yrs BP aren't all climbing areas the same age?
Until you can show me a Crocoduck I think its a sham that our hard earned tax payer dollars go to teach our children such liberal fallacies that the earth is anything older.
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