Quartz Mountain facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Quartz Mountain |
|
|---|---|
| Baldy Peak | |
 Quartz Mountain
Location in Oklahoma
|
|
| Highest point | |
| Elevation | 2,040 ft (620 m) |
| Geography | |
| Location | Greer County, Oklahoma, U.S. |
| Parent range | Wichita Mountains |
| Topo map | USGS Quartz Mountain |
Quartz Mountain, also known as Baldy Point, is a cool mountain in southwest Oklahoma. It's found in Greer County and is close to the towns of Mangum, Oklahoma and Altus, Oklahoma. This mountain gives its name to the Quartz Mountain Nature Park, and part of the park wraps around its eastern side. You can visit the park all year long for fun activities like rock climbing, hiking, boating, and camping. It's also a great place to watch nature, take pictures, and learn about the environment. The mountain offers amazing views of Lake Altus-Lugert.
Contents
What is Quartz Mountain Made Of?
Quartz Mountain is one of the westernmost peaks in the Wichita Mountains. The Wichita Mountains are mostly rocky hills and rounded bumps. They are made of different kinds of rocks. Some are red and black igneous rocks, which means they formed from cooled lava. Others are light-colored sedimentary rocks, formed from layers of sand and mud. There are also rocks made of many different boulders stuck together.
How Did the Wichita Mountains Form?
The Wichita Mountains were created over a very long time, in four main steps:
- Step 1: Hot Magma! Long, long ago, when the land was pulling apart, hot melted rock (magma) pushed up from deep inside the Earth. This happened around the Cambrian Period. This magma cooled to form the red rocks like granite and rhyolite, and the black rocks like gabbro and diabase.
- Step 2: Buried Deep! After the magma cooled, the land sank. Over time, layers of sand and mud covered the mountains. These layers turned into light-colored sandstone and limestone during the early Paleozoic Era.
- Step 3: Pushed Up! Much later, during the Pennsylvanian Period, a huge event called the Ouachita Orogeny pushed these buried rocks back up. This created the mountains we see today.
- Step 4: Worn Down! In the Permian Period, wind and water started to wear down the mountains. This erosion created a layer of rocky bits called conglomerates.
These mountains are like ancient landforms that were covered up by river sediments in the Permian Period. They have only recently been uncovered by nature. You can see more of these "fossil mountains" towards the southeast. Much of the western part is still hidden under layers of sandstone and shale.
What Kind of Granite is Quartz Mountain?
Quartz Mountain is made of granite that formed during the early Cambrian period. This granite is part of a larger group called the Wichita Granite Group. Most of Quartz Mountain is made of a pink-red rock called Lugert Granite.
However, on the side of Quartz Mountain and the peaks next to it, you can find a different type of red granite. This one is called Reformatory Granite and has larger grains. Reformatory Granite is dug up in quarries near the town of Granite. Many of the shiny stone monuments in the park are made from this rock.
Scientists have found a mixed area where the two types of granite meet. This shows that the Lugert Granite formed after the Reformatory Granite. In this area, you can also find many small pockets and veins filled with quartz.
Rock Climbing at Quartz Mountain
People started using modern climbing techniques at Quartz Mountain in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Most of the climbing paths we see today were set up between 1978 and 1982.
How Did the Park Get Protected?
For many years, the land where the mountain is located was owned by Ted and Margaret Johnson. They were kind enough to let climbers access the mountain. To make sure this special area would always be available, two groups, The Access Fund and the Wichita Mountains Climbers Coalition (WMCC), bought the land in 2001. They then gave it to the State of Oklahoma. In 2002, the area officially became the Quartz Mountain Nature Park.
Rules for Climbing at Baldy Point
There is no cost to climb Quartz Mountain. Climbing and other activities at Baldy Point are only allowed during the daytime. Climbers must leave the mountain and the parking lot before it gets dark.
Some climbers say that climbing at Quartz Mountain is very challenging. It's often compared to climbing at Joshua Tree National Park. It might not be the best place for beginners. Most of the climbing happens on the south side of the mountain. This means summer is not a good time to climb because it gets too hot. The best times to go climbing are in the spring and fall.
Where to Camp and What's Not Allowed
You cannot camp right at the climbing area, which is called Baldy Point. However, you can camp at the main Quartz Mountain park campground. This campground is about 3 miles (4.8 km) away from the climbing area. It has 100 spots for RVs and many places to set up tents.
At the climbing area, certain things are not allowed for safety and to protect the environment. These include:
- Fires
- Firearms (guns)
- Paintball guns
- Mountain bikes
- Dirt bikes
See also
