Re: Correct Terminology: Talus Slope vs. Scree Field
Posted: Sat Nov 02, 2013 5:03 am
In-between scree and talus is "rubble".
Limestone sometimes breaks into pieces as big as your fist, or as big as your foot. This stuff won't flow like scree, but it's unstable and often rolls out from under your foot.
In limestone, the chunks are angular, abrasive, and sharp. Going down-hill, I've lost plenty of blood by rolling down on it.
Scree can be pea-size, up to thumb-size. Fresh scree flows like water, and is almost impossible to walk up, but easy to boot-ski down.
There is never a good route on fresh scree or rubble -- every route is bad. But the good thing about rubble is that it will settle and stabilize when folks walk on it. So you get paths worn into the hillside, and these paths are always easier to walk on that raw rubble.
Talus is usually big enough to step onto, although it might be unstable. Actually there is no upper limit for talus, it can get as big as a car, a house, or bigger.
Limestone sometimes breaks into pieces as big as your fist, or as big as your foot. This stuff won't flow like scree, but it's unstable and often rolls out from under your foot.
In limestone, the chunks are angular, abrasive, and sharp. Going down-hill, I've lost plenty of blood by rolling down on it.
Scree can be pea-size, up to thumb-size. Fresh scree flows like water, and is almost impossible to walk up, but easy to boot-ski down.
There is never a good route on fresh scree or rubble -- every route is bad. But the good thing about rubble is that it will settle and stabilize when folks walk on it. So you get paths worn into the hillside, and these paths are always easier to walk on that raw rubble.
Talus is usually big enough to step onto, although it might be unstable. Actually there is no upper limit for talus, it can get as big as a car, a house, or bigger.