The American AssocialidD of Petroleum Geologists Bulletin

V. 60. No. 12 (DecenibiT \^^b>. } :i42-2166. 17 Figs., ? Tables

GEOLOGIC NOTES
Exposed Step in Laramide Thrust Fault, Southwest Montana'
D. S. BRUMBAUGH^ and H. W. DRESSER3
Flagstaff, Arizona 86001, and Butte, Montana 59701
Abstract .The Sandy Hollow thrust fault of soutfiwest-
ern Montana Is a Laramide overthrust that possesses
an unusually well-exposed step. In the step zone fold-
ing, fault-transported slices, splinter faults, and de-
collement have resulted from fault movement. The
wide variety of both brittle and ductile structures com-
monly should be associated with steps because they
are the inevitable result of step-fault mechanics in the
restricted temperature/pressure environment in which
thrusts form. Field evidence clearly indicates that
preexisting folds controlled the development of this
step zone in the Sandy Hollow thrust.
INTRODUCTION
Features associated with thrust faults include
fensters, klippen, gouge, various kinds of folds,
and steps. This report deals with the examination
of structures related to an unusually well-exposed
step, which is part of a Laramide overthrust fault
of the northern Rockies.
From Dillon to Divide, Montana, Laramide
fold axes and thrust faults bend eastward, defin-
ing a structural salient called the McCarthy
Mountain saUent (Brumbaugh, 1973). The salient
has a chord length of 30 mi (48 km) and is 10 mi
(16 km) wide from east to west (Fig. IB).
This report concerns the exposed geometry of
one fault of the McCarthy Mountain sahent, the
Sandy Hollow thrust (Figs. IB, C, 2). Gale (1910)
was apparently the first to map the Sandy Hollow
thrust. Pardee (Richards and Pardee, 1925) used
Gale's field notes and geologic map to describe
the geology of the area. Peterson et al (1954) sam-
pled and measured the phosphatic Permian rocks
adjacent to the Sandy Hollow fault. Steuer (1956)
mapped the area including the fault at a scale of
1:24,000.
SANDY HOLLOW THRUST AND RELATED
STRUCTURES
Apparent stratigraphic displacement varies
considerably along the trace of the Sandy Hollow
thrust. Thicknesses of stratigraphic units in the
area are given in Figure 3. The maximum strati-
graphic displacement on the Sandy Hollow thrust
is approximately 1,400 ft (427 m). This can be
seen along the Burma Road (Fig. 2) where the
Phosphoria Formation is thrust over the hme-
stone in the middle part of the Kootenai Forma-
tion. The stratigraphic displacement decreases
both to the north and south over an exposed trace
of 6 mi (10 km), but the stratigraphic displace-
ment probably bears little relation to the actual
displacement of a thrust fault that cuts folded
beds.
The most geometrically interesting exposures
of the Sandy Hollow thrust are at the northern
end of the fault trace. There, the fault trace
swings abruptly from north-northeast to nearly
due east (Figs. IC, 2. 4). An obvious explanation
for this change in trend would be erosional effects
on an irregular low dip surface. However, field
evidence does not support this. The fault as it is
exposed at the Burma Road (Fig. 5) has a dip of
50. Between the Burma Road and the locale
where the change in strike occurs, the trace of the
fault across the topography is straight, indicating
that the high dip angles are maintained along this
part of the fault. The change in fault trend is ex-
plained best if this part of the fault surface is en-
visioned as a plunging step (F"ig. 6). Proof of the
plunging character of the surface can be seen at
an exposure of the fault plane in a dry wash east
of the change in strike (at the circled A in Figs.
IC, 4). This outcrop clearly shows a northerly dip
of the fault surface. Two mi (3 km) farther east
the trend of the fault trace changes to north-
northeast again al the base of Block Mountain
(Figs. IC, 2, 4). This is the base of a second step,
the Block Mountam step
"Copyright 1976. Tiie American Association of Petroleum
Geologists. All rights reserved
IManuseript received, September 29. 1975; accepted, April
19, 1976.
^Department of Geology, Northern Arizona University.
3Department of Geology, Montana College of Mineral
Science and Technology.
This study was supported by grants from the Society of Sigma
Xi and Ihe Office of Research and Advanced Studies, Indiana
University
2142
Geologic Notes 2143
Divio*
LEGEND
Oho- Hillwash Alluvium
TOu- Undifferentiated
Tv - Volconics
Kc - Colorado Group
Kk - Kootenai Formotion
Jm - Morrison Formotion
l^d - Oinwoody Formation
Pp - Ptiosphorio Formotion
Anticline
e'
Syncline
Overturned Anticline
y
Overturned Synclin*
Thrust Contact of
Sondy Hollow Thruet
with "T"on Upper Plote
Decollement Contact
Arrow shows direction
of motion
A H
Locotion of Crois
Section, Fig. Z
A/2 km
SCALE
FIG. 1A, Index map of Montana. B, Sketch map of McCarthy Mountain salient. C, Geologic map of northern
part of Sandy Hollow thrust (T4S,R8W, Sees. 22, 23, 26, 27). Circled letters represent critical localities described in
text.
The cross section of Figure 2 shows a subsur-
face step of the Sandy Hollow thrust along the
Une from A to H just north of the Big Hole River
Valley. This hidden step is required to place the
west flank of Ziegler anticline against the west
flank of Sandy Hollow anticline.
It is instructive to examine this short stretch of
the Sandy Hollow thrust to observe some of the
structural phenomena associated with these steps
and jX)ssibly characteristic of steps in general.
Field observation of the Sandy Hollow thrust
suggests that step zones are zones of difficulty of
fault movement with the attendant production of
a wide variety of structures. Both brittle and duc-
tile structures abound at the site of the Sandy
Hollow step (Figs. 4, 6).
2144 Geologic Notes
?
^W- A\ -^

^H
C' ot* SfciA
: ' " ! " " ' : % - , ! '.
j*f=-
. _ .
No Vert i cal Exaggeration
FIG. 2Aerial oblique view northward across Big Hole River of Sandy Hollow thrust and associated structures.
Cross section shows interpretation of structure along hne from A to H, just north of Big Hole River Valley. Pq =
Quadrant Quartzite, Pp = Phosphoria Formation, Trd = Dinwoody Formation, Jm = Morrison Formation, Kk =
Kootenai Formation, Kc = Colorado Group, Tg = Tertiary gravel. For location see Figure IB.
Geologic Notes 2145
DjnKleberg
COLORADO
GROUP
KOOTENAI
FM.
gastropod Is.
MORRISON FM,
DINWOODY
FM.
PHOSPMORIA
FM.
bai ol chart
QUADRANT
QUART2ITE
AMSDEN FM
l50'S=:^:=
90 - ^ - ^ ^ ^ J m
>w<f >t ?
L E GE N D
[ V V v j POHLLUANtTE
^ j ? l SHALE
K ^ V ] SflNL'STONE
\o ^^ CONGLOME^'A^E
LIMESTONE
f ^ I SILTSIONE
| ^ = V ^ LIM* SiLISTONE
SILTY LIMESTONE
DOLOMtTE
CHERT
COAL
FIG. 3Generalized stratigraphic column of McCarthy Mountain area.
In turning the corner at the top of the Sandy
Hollow riser, the main thrust has splintered into
several subsidiary branches (Figs. 4, 6). In addi-
tion, large sHces of material have been caught up
in and moved along the thrust plane and lodged
on the platform of the Sandy Hollow step. A large
irregular sheet of upper Kootenai gastropod lime-
stone was torn from the west flank of the underly-
ing Sandy Hollow anticUne and was stretched
across the fault-truncated edges of the lower Col-
orado Group strata of the overridden block on
the platform of the fault's step (Fig. 4). Pieces of
hanging-wall basal Kootenai conglomerate, bro-
ken from the fault-truncated edge of the steep
east flank of Ziegler anticline as it moved across
the platform, lie discordantly on the gastropod
2146 Geologic Notes
FIG. 4Aerial oblique view northward of Sandy Hollow thrust in area between step in
lower middle part of picture and Block Mountain step near right edge. Pp = Phosphoria
Formation, Trd = Dinwoody Formation, Jm = Morrison Formation, Kk = Kootenai For-
mation, Kkc^l = basal chert pebble conglomerate member of Kootenai Formation, Kkgls =
gastropod limestone member of Kootenai Formation at its top, Kc = Colorado Group, Kcss
= prominent channel sandstone in lower part of Colorado Group, Tg = Tertiary gravel.
Circled A location is same as that on Figure IC. Length of side of photo is approximately 0.86
mi (1.4 km).
limestone and on the Colorado Group shale. A
piece of Colorado Group sandstone torn from the
upturned edge of a bed in the overridden block
below the step platform was carried eastward and
lodged against the riser of the Block Mountain
step (Fig. 4). Tear faults (Figs. 2, 4) are confined
to the overriding block. They represent velocity
discontinuities that may result from local binding
of the allochthon as it slides over the step.
In addition to these brittle structures, folds
were produced in the overridden block at the top
of the riser of the Sandy Hollow step (at circled B
in Fig. IC). A bedding surface within the gastro-
pod limestone clearly served as a surface of de-
collement. The middle and upper parts of the gas-
tropod limestone were folded strongly and
pushed eastward over the lower part of the gas-
tropod limestone (Figs. 4, 7). The dominantly up-
ward movement of the overriding block at the
step-fault riser changed to nearly horizontal
movement over the step-fault platform. The over-
riding of the top edge of the step exerted a nearly
horizontal stress against the upper part of the
step, crumphng the gastropod limestone that here
formed this part of the step (Fig. 7). Many fold
structures also were produced in the thinly bed-
Geologic Notes 2147
FIG. 5View northward at outcrop of Sandy Hollow thrust and .issociated minor faults along Burma
Road (for location see Fig. 2)
' Faul t Surface
ndy Hollow Thrust
Thrust Tributary to Sondy Hollow Foult
FIG. 6Diagrammatic sketch of Sandy Hollow fault plane as it would appear if
rocks of upper plate were removed. Sketch is based on tracing from oblique air
photo.
2148 Geologic Notes
=' - j i i f ^- r
m-
FIG. 7View eastward at B (Fig. Ic) of gastropod limestone at top of riser of Sandy Hollow step.
Middle and upper parts of gastropod limestone crumpled and slid over its lower layers as overriding
block of Sandy Hollow thrust surmounted top of riser.
ded Dinwoody Formation as that unit sHd across
the Sandy Hollow step above the splinter faults
(Fig. 4).
This ductile response is in strong contrast to
the more brittle splintering effect along the fault
zone and to the tear faulting of the overriding
block (Figs. 4, 6). Field evidence (Brumbaugh,
1973) from the area of the Sandy Hollow thrust
clearly indicates shallow deformation10,000 ft
(3,048 m) or less. In such a tectonic environment,
mechanical behavior becomes varied and depen-
dent on Uthology. Quartzite and dolomite re-
spond in a more brittle fashion, whereas lime-
stone behaves in a ductile manner. Thus, the wide
variety of structures related to the Sandy Hollow
step is more a function of the temperature and
pressure than a necessary product of step me-
chanics. On the other hand, steps in general tend
to be present in thin-skinned environments, so
such an association of structures with steps prob-
ably is anything but unique.
SEQUENCE OF FAULTING AND FOLDING
The structural relations at the steps of the
Sandy Hollow thrust indicate that the fault suc-
ceeded much of the folding of Sandy Hollow and
Ziegler anticlines. The fault plane at best is folded
only sUghtly. The fault was controlled by the
folds, for the risers of its steps are located over
underlying anticlinal structures, and the plat-
forms of its steps across intervening synclines
(Fig. 2). A further indication that the fault post-
dates much of the folding is shown by the rela-
tions of the fault plane to the beds it cuts. At the
risers of the steps it dips more steeply than the
beds it cuts; at the platforms of the steps it dips
less steeply than the beds it cuts. In addition, its
trace cuts at a slight angle across the axes of Zie-
gler and Sandy Hollow anticlines (Figs. 2, 6).
These relations would be unlikely if the fault oc-
curred first and then was folded with the beds.
SUMMARY
This report has described a Laramide thrust or
step fault and the structures produced by step-
fault mechanics. Such structures include decoUe-
ment, splinter faults, smaller scale folding, and
fault transported slices. These step-fault struc-
tures should be associated quite commonly with
steps everywhere because they are the predictable
results of step-fault mechanics in the restricted
temperature-pressure range in which thrust faults
form, marginal to orogenic belts.
The sequence of faulting and folding for the
Sandy Hollow fault is indicated quite clearly
from field evidence. The classic model of thrust-
fault steps is that of the Pine Mountain fault
(Rich, 1934) where folding follows faulting. The
case for the Sandy Hollow fault is one in which
previously existing folds controlled the devel-
opment of step zones in the subsequent thrust
fault. Such a control by folds on the development
and location of step zones provides an interesting
alternative to the classic sequence of development
of steps as envisioned by Rich for the Pine Moun-
tain fault.
REFERENCES CITED
Brumbaugh, D. S., 1973, Structural analysis of the com-
plexly deformed Big Hole River area, Madison, Bea-
Geologic Notes
2149
verhead, and Silver Bow Counties, Montana; PhD
thesis, Indiana Univ., 96 p.
Gale, H. S., 1910, Rock phosphate near Melrose, Mon-
tana: U.S. Geol. Survey Bull. 470, p. 440-451.
Peterson, J. A., R. F. Gosman, and R. W. Swanson,
1954, Stratigraphic sections of the Phosphoria For-
mation in Montana, 1951: U.S. Geol. Survey Circ.
326, 27 p.
Rich, J. L., 1934, Mechanics of low-angle overthrust
faulting as illustrated by Cumberland thrust block,
Virginia. Kentucky, and Tennessee: AAPG Bull., v.
18, p. 1584-1596. ''
Richards, R. W., and J. T. Pardee, 1925, The Melrose
phosphate field. Montana: U.S. Geol. Survey Bull.
780A, p. 1-32.
Steuer, P., 1956, Geology of the McCarthy Mountain
area, Beaverhead and Madison Counties, Montana:
Master's thesis, Univ. Utah, 71 p.
Alaska Geological Society History^
REGINALD W. ELKINS>
Anchorage, Alaska 99501
The first meeting of the Alaska Geological So-
ciety was held in Anchorage December 3, 1957.
Those present and their affiliations were: Waring
Bradley, Aledo Oil Co.; Henry T. Herlyn, Phillips
Petfoleum Co.; Phil O'Rourke, Phillips Petroleum
Co.; Ruth A. M. Schmidt, U.S. Geological Sur-
vey; Robert S. Velikanje, Dist. Engineers; Roger
M. Waller, U.S. Geological Survey; Armour C.
Winslow, Humble Oil & Refg. Co.; William Zae-
gel, Dist. Engineers. This group held meetings on
a regular basis with Roger Waller, program chair-
man, and Ruth Schmidt, secretary.
On October 7, 1958, membership dues were ap-
proved and Ruth Schmidt was elected the first
president. On November 8, 1960, a membership
of 39 approved a statement of purpose and by-
laws. The group has grown steadily to the present
total of 350 members.
Diversity has been a source of strength for the
Alaska Geological Society. Geologists from the
academic, mining, petroleum, and engineering
fields are represented in its membership.
The society grew as geologists found that meet-
ings offered exposure to the many facets of Alas-
kan geology and the opportunity to meet other
Alaskan geologists. The program chairman some-
times was at a loss to think of a subject appealing
to all the geologic interests represented but it
soon was apparent that a good paper on any
branch of geologic investigation captured the at-
tention of title entire group.
The society now meets regularly twice a month
except during the summer when special meetings
are held at the call of the president.
Much of the work of the society is done by
standing committees. Noteworthy contributions
have been made by the Stratigraphic and Publica-
tions Committees which have prepared and pub-
lished structure and stratigraphic studies and
guidebooks. The Continuing Education Commit-
tee has obtained world-renowned speakers and
presented outstanding seminars and special pro-
grams for the membership.
The society is not interested solely in itself.
Last year the Community Services Committee ini-
tiated a volunteer-geologist speaker pool and pro-
vided the Anchorage Borough School District
with science and geology classes by many lectur-
ers on a variety of subjects.
Some significant milestones of society growth
are as follows;
Initial meetingDec. 3, 1957
First full slate of officers chosenOct. 7, 1958
Bylaws and statement of purpose acceptedNov. 8,
1960
Affiliation with AAPG Pacific SectionMay 1961
Guidebook and Road Log from Anchorage to Sutton
published1963
Guidebook and Road Log from Sutton to Caribou
Creek published1964
First Distinguished AAPG Lecturer, Robert J. Weim-
erMar. 9, 1964
First AGI Visiting International Scientist Lecturer,
Umberto ColomboMay 22, 1964
Society Emblem chosenOct. 15, 1964
First Membership Directory published1965
Second Membership Directory published1967
Central Cook Inlet Basin Structure Section pub-
lished1967
First symposium on Alaska tectonics heldFeb.
1968
Copyright 1976. The American Association of Petroleum
Geologists. All rights reserved.
Manuscript received, March 30, 1976; accepted, April 19,
1976.
^Cities Service Company.