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Section 16
Except for strata younger than the Dakota sandstone, the sedimentary strata of Red Rock Canyon continue south into the northern part of Section 16.
Lytle sandstone member of the Purgatoire formation
Dinosaur bones in Morrison sandstone
Stromatolites
in the Lykins formation
in the Lykins formation
Lyons sandstone
Fountain sandstone
South of the Ute Pass fault the rocks are older
The only rocks south of the fault which could be considered sedimentary are Cambrian sandstone dikes. These are not part of the stratigraphic column, but were formed when sand was injected into cracks.
Someone once imagined mineral wealth in one of the Cambrian sandstone dikes.
As one might expect, much of the rock south of the Ute Pass fault is Pikes Peak granite.
The granite in Section 16 is similar to to the granite in North Cheyenne Canyon and offers some traditional (trad) climbing routes, with the potential for more.
1.8 billion year old Idaho Springs gneiss is much older than the billion year old Pikes Peak granite and may be the oldest rock in the region.
Unlike Pikes Peak granite which disintegrates into crystalline grains of gravel, the Idaho Springs gneiss tends to break into chunks. This difference results in very different forms and surface textures, as you can see in this photo which shows an outcrop of Idaho Springs gneiss and a more distant outcrop of Pikes Peak granite.