[cdt-l] Re:divides and crests

[cdt-l@mailman.backcountry.net (Rafi Youatt)]

thanks, brian... so it sounds like in the end, the Divide is not a
continuous geographical feature that runs the length of the Americas, since
water "crosses" it there at Two Oceans Pass. that was my best guess, but i
had always thought that the Divide could be geologically defined somehow -
like in some of the seemingly completely flat places in southern NM (near
Hachita).

and as for the Pacific Crest, I just never figured out how someone defined
what "was" the Crest. the schaeffer guidebooks always referred to regaining
the Crest or being off it or whatever, so I figured that it was a real
geological entity too, or at least, a defined thing. i wonder if if there's
a Commission on Pacific Crest Definition somewhere! :-) or heck, even a
Continental Divide Definition Organization.... maybe i'll start one....

i'm showing a CDT slideshow to some people over thanksgiving, and just
waiting for some smartass to ask me about the Parting of the Water, figured
I'd be prepared for it.

happy thanksigving all...

best,
rafi

>Date: Tue, 26 Nov 2002 16:21:39 -0800 (PST)
>From: Brian Robinson <brian.robinson@sbcglobal.net>
>Subject: Re: [cdt-l] divides and crests
>To: cdt-l@mailman.backcountry.net
>Reply-To: cdt-l@mailman.backcountry.net
>
>--
>[ Picked text/plain from multipart/alternative ]
>
>The Parting of the Waters is at Two Oceans Pass. From the perspective of
>so=
>meone crossing the pass, it's a very long, flat, narrow pass. If you don't
>=
>look too closely, you'd think you're in an ordinary canyon, rather than at
>=
>a pass. The top is a boggy area that's not obvious at all. There are side
>c=
>anyons with decent-sized creeks in them coming down on both sides of the
>pa=
>ss. The Parting of the Waters is a place where a "side" creek comes down
>ri=
>ght at the boggy pass area. It splits and flows down both sides of the
>pass=
>. Technically, the Continental Divide doesn't exist in this area. It must
>b=
>e seen to be believed.
>The Pacific Crest is not a true a divide like the Continental Divide,
>which=
>  separates waters that flow into the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans. For
>examp=
>le, the Columbia River flows through the Cascades. But as I'm sure you
>noti=
>ced, the PCT follows a string of mountain ranges that has a more
>continuous=
>  feel than those on the CDT.
>Flyin' Brian
>  Rafi Youatt <rafi_youatt@hotmail.com> wrote:I was thinking about the
>Parti=
>ng of the Waters on the CDT in WY, just south
>of Yellowstone, and I couldn't figure out how exactly it worked. It seems
>like a creek would have to flow exactly down the Divide itself so it could
>then split into the Atlantic and Pacific sides. But if the creek is
>actuall=
>y
>on one side and then splits in two, wouldn't that mean that the Divide
>isn'=
>t
>actually a divide, since water from one side could cross over to the other
>side? Maybe I'm misunderstanding the geological idea of a divide though -
>anyone know about this?
>
>And this reminded me of a conversation I had out on the CDT this year about
>what the "Pacific Crest" actually IS. It's not a watershed, as I understand
>it, so then how is it defined? Is it just made up?
>
>Anyway, I found pretty funny and a little sad that after having walked both
>the PCT and the CDT, I couldn't explain fully how the Divide worked and
>wha=
>t
>the Crest was!
>
>Rafi
>
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