Authors
Patricia Corcoran, Phil McCausland
Publication date
2020
Journal
Geoscience Canada
Volume
47
Issue
4
Pages
215-218
Publisher
Érudit
Description
The Niagara Escarpment is a steep-sloped cuesta that stretches from New York State through Ontario and into Michigan and Wisconsin. It is composed of Ordovician to Devonian sedimentary deposits, primarily dolostones, shales and sandstones. Across the length of the escarpment, there is significant variation in its lithological characteristics, including unit thicknesses and jointing patterns. This field trip will explore outcrops of the Niagara Escarpment in the city of Hamilton, an area that shows significant change in the nature of exposed sedimentary rocks. The escarpment runs through Hamilton, separating the lower and upper city which are connected by 19 access roads. Hamilton is also known as the “city of waterfalls”, a moniker related to the over 100 waterfalls that cascade over the escarpment edge. The escarpment here is of interest to the local community, to researchers, and to city planners as its continuous …
Scholar articles