Archive - Schunemunk Mountain Conglomerate
May 29, 2021
Every weekend we present a notable item from our archives. This EPOD was originally published May 29, 2004.
Provided and copyright by: Dan Brownstein
Summary author: Dan Brownstein
This is an outstanding example of a puddingstone conglomerate from Schunemunk Mountain in New York. Schunemunk Mountain is an isolated Devonian-age ridge in a sea of Ordovician-age Martinsburg Shale. Note the exceptionally large quartz cobbles. Conglomerates form in near-shore environments, similar perhaps to what beaches look like today in Northern California. The Schunemunk puddingstone was also extensively polished during the last glacial period, which further reveals the unique texture of this rock.
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