[Dr T]

a random one
was talking to a colleague at school today - (a geologist and climber) - and we were pondering what marble is like to climb on...
anyone done any?
Nib's - there's loads in northern italy - any experience?

[Houdini]

I know no marble only  T h e   M y s t e r i o u s  Q u a r t z   B l o c. 

[al]

not sure what its geology is but I spent a bit of time at a place in leicestershire called 'beacon hill' as a nipper - really slippery marble like-rock and great for technique (like climbing on slate but more shapely features)

[GCW]

not sure what its geology

My alcohol soaked brain screams "Beacon Hill Hornstones" for some reason.  Precambrian sedimentary, anyone?

[Nibile]

there's one small crag close to siena, where we all grew up climbing wise, and it has a thin limestone surface over marble (it was an old quarry).
it's shit.

[SA Chris]

Used to be some quarry in France ,I think, where a whole load of photos came from of some clean cut angular rock in the early 90s. One route called Etoile Noir? Was that marble?

[andy_e]

Marble is metamorphosed limestones/chalks. I'm not sure to what degree of metamorphosis or if it's contact or regional, but that's not important. I reckon it'd be very slippery when wet to climb, and would polish easily, so kinda like limestone but a bit slipperier (if that's a word.)

[Dr T]

so kinda like limestone but a bit slipperier (if that's a word.)

that's what we figured....

there's one small crag close to siena, where we all grew up climbing wise, and it has a thin limestone surface over marble (it was an old quarry).it's shit.

and that doesn't surprise me...

[Houdini]

Precambrian sedimentary, anyone?

No thanks, I've just eaten

[GCW]

No thanks, I've just eaten

And it only took 2 and a bit months to think up that witty repose.  Well done.

[Houdini]

Mmmmm . . .     




Aridity