Abstract
Cave sediments in the Lime Creek area of Eagle County, Colorado were classified by composition and texture and were plotted on detailed maps of cave geomorphology. These maps were used to relate cave sediments to surface deposits and to assemble a depositional history of the caves. Speleogenesis and karst development was strongly controlled by the advances and retreats of Pleistocene glaciers and advances of Holocene rock glaciers. Cave development probably began about 95-130 ka and continues to the present. During glacial periods, caves overrun by glacial ice were characterized by calcite deposition and roof breakdown. Periglacial caves were marked by active stream erosion and deposition, and calcite deposition in abandoned passages. Meltwater from glaciers increased stream energy and transported glacial materials completely filling some passages. During interglacial periods, speleogenesis in most of the caves was limited to roof collapse, calcite precipitation, and sediment deposition.
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Burger, P.A. (2004). Glacially-Influenced Sediment Cycles in the Lime Creek Karst, Eagle County, Colorado. In: Sasowsky, I.D., Mylroie, J. (eds) Studies of Cave Sediments. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4419-9118-8_7
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4419-9118-8_7
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