Fossil right across from Wakeena Falls Necktie

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Rustygoat
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Fossil right across from Wakeena Falls Necktie

Post by Rustygoat » April 3rd, 2013, 3:13 pm

I noticed this fossil in the rock wall along the old viewpoint trail at Wakeena Falls a few years ago. I always remembered it every time that I went back up there but always forgot to get a picture of it... until the other day. I was wondering if anyone else has seen it or knows what it is. It is on the wall of the old pathway right next to Wakeena Falls Necktie. So what was it :?:
IMG_8389.JPG
My hand for size comparison.
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Tim

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Guy
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Re: Fossil right across from Wakeena Falls Necktie

Post by Guy » April 3rd, 2013, 4:49 pm

Oh dear.....

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Splintercat
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Re: Fossil right across from Wakeena Falls Necktie

Post by Splintercat » April 12th, 2013, 6:54 pm

Hmm... looks vaguely familiar....
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Aieee!!!!

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Okay, if I really had to guess? It does look like a fossil (and not a basalt cooling feature), and I'm going to guess the trunk of a tree fern, palm or palmetto. Definitely a cool find! Can't believe I didn't see that..! Okay, well so I was death-gripping the railing and watching my feet, so that might have something to do with it...

Tom :)

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BrianEdwards
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Re: Fossil right across from Wakeena Falls Necktie

Post by BrianEdwards » April 12th, 2013, 7:02 pm

Nice find Tim! That's awesome to come across something like that.
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bobcat
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Re: Fossil right across from Wakeena Falls Necktie

Post by bobcat » April 20th, 2013, 12:02 pm

I've puzzled over this, but I never thought it was a fossil since almost everything would have been consumed in the lava flows leaving only casts. Thus I advance the "lava pillar" theory. There's a layer of pillow lava near the top of Multnomah Falls, meaning that it cooled underwater. This may be in the same stratum, the pillar having formed and then surrounded later by yet another basalt flow.

I believe Tom is the geologist around here, so I could be dreadfully wrong.

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Rustygoat
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Re: Fossil right across from Wakeena Falls Necktie

Post by Rustygoat » April 22nd, 2013, 7:12 pm

Splintercat wrote:Hmm... looks vaguely familiar....
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Aieee!!!!

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:lol: That was pretty funny. thanks for having someone look into it Tom.


Bobcat...very informative thread. When I first saw this thing years ago I knew it looked out of place, not just another odd rock formation. I used to tell my kids that it was a dinosaur leg and that it was sleeping beneath the dirt. If they didn't behave it might wake up and get them. :mrgreen: I hope someone can identify it because I really would like to know what it is.
Tim

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