Query:

See also: Golden.

Name not recognized by U. S. Board on Geographic Names.

Field Trip Stop 14 — Highway 6-58-93 Junction — of Noe, et al. (1999) illustrates the Golden Fault, associated landslide hazards, mitigation of landslide hazards, and the short public memory.

Looking to the north and south, we can see the distinctive hogback of the Dakota Sandstone at both ends of the valley. But why is this hogback missing at the valley center? The answer is that the Golden Fault, a large, Laramide thrust fault, weaves along the valley just to the east of the mountain front. Here, the fault has displaced nearly 8,000 feet of the Paleozoic and Mesozoic, sedimentary section (Van Horn, 1976). The trace of the fault can be seen as it cuts up the side of the first large alluvial terrace to the south of Clear Creek. There is a distinct break in the vegetation between the Fountain Formation to the west (covered with mountain mahogany shrubs) and the Pierre Shale to the east (covered with grasses).

Looking directly west, we see a road cut for State Highway 93. This portion of the highway was first constructed in 1991. A small landslide formed in the west (opposite) face of the cut shortly thereafter, and the resulting toe bulge closed the southbound lanes of the new highway. Within a year, the landslide had developed a rim of head scarps with up to 12 feet of vertical slippage, and had captured the surface flow of a small stream in Magpie Gulch. Early efforts to drain the landslide were unsuccessful. A full geologic investigation subsequently revealed that the landslide sits directly atop the Golden Fault, with low-permeability Pierre Shale on the eastern side and a wedge of fractured, permeable Fountain Formation on the western side. In 1994, three lines of rock anchors (about 40 anchors in total) were installed across the landslide. The Magpie Gulch stream was piped across the head scarps, longer horizontal drains were installed, and a remote data-logging unit was set up. To date, this mitigative effort appears to have been successful. The combined maintenance and mitigation operations for this incident are reported to have cost about 3 million dollars.

The houses to the north of the landslide were built shortly after the landslide was mitigated and all signs of its existence had been “erased” from view. One can only imagine the concern of these residents had the landslide been active a few years later. This is a good illustration of the often short-term public memory of geologic hazards.

Elevation: 5900ft, 1799m.

Articles that refer to this location:

• Clear Creek Trail, Golden, Jefferson County, Colorado: at Magpie Gl; 
• Checklist Flora of Native and Naturalized Vascular Plants of Golden and Vicinity, Jefferson County, Colorado: Crataegus erythropoda;  Dodecatheon pulchellum;  Notes on Crataegus erythropoda; 
• Magpie Gulch Trail, Golden, Jefferson County, Colorado: along trail; 
• Colorado State Highway 93: at Magpie Gl; 
• Field Notes: September 6, 1913;  17 Aug 2014;  Wednesday, October 15th;  22 May 2023;  22 May 2023;  22 May 2023;  31 May 2023;  19 Sep 2023;  22 Oct 2023;  26 Jun 2024; 

Literature Referring To This Location:

• Noe, David C., James M. Soule, Jeffrey L. Hynes and Karen A. Berry. 1999. Bouncing boulders, rising rivers, and sneaky soils: A primer of geologic hazards and engineering geology along Colorado's Front Range. Field Guides. 1: 1-19. Boulder, CO: Geological Society of America, 1999. {TAS-pdf}
• Van Horn, Richard. 1972. Surficial and bedrock geologic map of the Golden Quadrangle, Jefferson County, Colorado. USGS IMAP: 761-A. 1972. {TAS-pdf} http://ngmdb.usgs.gov/ngm-bin/pdp/download.pl?q=7281_9511_5, accessed 27 August 2014

Area Plant Lists that contain this location:

• Area Plant List for Golden.

Species collected at or near this location.

This list summarizes plants collected or observed at this specific, named location. It does not include plants collected or observed at nearby named or unnamed locations. It may be more instructive to use the Area Lists that contain this location.

• TAS – The plant was collected by Tom Schweich.
• Oth – The plant was collected by someone, but not Tom.
• Obs – The plant was observed, but not collected.

Cupressaceae

Juniperus scopulorum Sarg. Rocky Mountain Juniper (Obs)

Pinaceae

Pinus ponderosa Laws. Ponderosa Pine (Obs)

Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirb.) Franco. Douglas Fir (Obs)

Anacardiaceae

Rhus glabra L. Smooth Sumac (Obs)

Rhus trilobata Nutt. trilobata. Skunkbush Sumac (Obs)

Toxicodendron rydbergii (Small ex Rydb.) Greene. Western Poison Ivy (Obs)

Apiaceae

Conium maculatum L. Common Poison Hemlock (Obs)

Lomatium orientale J.M. Coult. & Rose. Salt-and-Pepper (TAS+Obs)

Asclepiadaceae

Asclepias viridiflora Raf. Green Comet Milkweed (Obs)

Asteraceae

Achillea millefolium L. Common Yarrow (Obs)

Artemisia frigida Willd. Prairie Sagewort (Obs)

Artemisia ludoviciana Nutt. Silver Wormwood (Obs)

Carduus nutans L. Nodding Plumeless Thistle (Obs)

Cirsium arvense (L.) Scop. Canada Thistle (Obs)

Cirsium undulatum (Nutt.) Spreng. Wavy Leaved Thistle (Obs)

Cirsium vulgare (Savi) Ten. Bull Thistle (Obs)

Erigeron divergens Torr. & A. Gray. Spreading Fleabane (Obs)

Erigeron tracyi Greene. Running Fleabane (Obs)

Grindelia squarrosa (Pursh) Dunal. Curlycup Gumweed (Obs)

Helianthus pumilus Nutt. Little Sunflower (Obs)

Heliomeris multiflora Nutt. multiflora. Showy Golden Eye (TAS)

Heterotheca villosa (Pursh) Shinners. Hairy False Goldenaster (Obs)

Liatris punctata Hook. Dotted Blazing Star (Obs)

Lygodesmia juncea (Pursh) D. Don ex Hooker. Rush Skeletonplant (Obs)

Packera fendleri (A. Gray) W.A. Weber & Á. Löve. Fendler’s Ragwort (Obs)

Pseudognaphalium canescens (DC.) Anderberg. Wright's Rabbit-Tobacco (Obs)

Senecio integerrimus Nutt. Columbia Ragwort (Obs)

Symphyotrichum porteri (A. Gray) G.L. Nesom. Smooth White Aster (TAS)

Thelesperma megapotamicum (Spreng.) Kuntze. Hopi Tea Greenthread (Obs)

Tragopogon dubius Scop. Yellow Salsify (Obs)

Berberidaceae

Berberis repens Lindl. Creeping Barberry (Obs)

Boraginaceae

Cynoglossum officinale L. Gypsyflower (Obs)

Hydrophyllum fendleri (A. Gray) A. Heller. Fendler's Waterleaf (Obs)

Lappula occidentalis (S. Watson) Greene. Flatspine Stickseed (Obs)

Lithospermum incisum Lehm. Narrowleaf Stoneseed (Obs)

Lithospermum occidentale (Mack.) Weakley, Witsell & D. Estes. Western Marbleseed (Obs)

Mertensia lanceolata (Pursh) DC. Prairie Bluebells (Obs)

Phacelia heterophylla Pursh. Varileaf Phacelia (Obs)

Brassicaceae

Alyssum simplex Rudolphi. European Madwort (Obs)

Arabis pycnocarpa M. Hopkins pycnocarpa. Cream Flower Rockcress (Obs)

Descurainia pinnata (Walter) Britton brachycarpa (Richardson) Detling, Amer.Midl. Naturalist. 22: 509. Western Tansymustard (TAS)

Erysimum capitatum (Hook.) Greene. Sanddune Wallflower (Obs)

Physaria montana (A. Gray) Greene. Mountain Bladderpod (Obs)

Thlaspi arvense L. Field Penny Cress (Obs)

Turritis glabra L. Tower Rockcress (Obs)

Cactaceae

Echinocereus viridiflorus Engelm. Nylon Hedgehog Cactus (Obs)

Opuntia macrorhiza Engelm. Western Pricklypear (Obs)

Opuntia polyacantha Haw. Plains Pricklypear (Obs)

Campanulaceae

Campanula rotundifolia L. Harebell (Obs)

Cannabaceae

Celtis occidentalis L. Western Hackberry (Obs)

Celtis reticulata Torr. Net-Leaved Hackberry (Obs)

Caprifoliaceae

Symphoricarpos rotundifolius A. Gray. Roundleaf Snowberry (Obs)

Caryophyllaceae

Cerastium arvense L. strictum Gaudin. Field Chickweed (Obs)

Pseudostellaria jamesiana (Torr.) W. A. Weber & R. L. Hartm. Tuber Starwort (Obs)

Saponaria officinalis L. Bouncingbet (Obs)

Chenopodiaceae

Chenopodium album L. Lambsquarters (Obs)

Convolvulaceae

Evolvulus nuttallianus Roem. & Schult. Shaggy Dwarf Morning Glory (Obs)

Crassulaceae

Sedum acre L. Goldmoss Stonecrop (Obs)

Sedum lanceolatum Torr. Spearleaf Stonecrop (Obs)

Elaeagnaceae

Elaeagnus angustifolia L. Russian Olive (Obs)

Euphorbiaceae

Euphorbia esula L. Leafy Spurge (Obs)

Euphorbia peplus L. Petty Spurge (TAS)

Tragia ramosa Torr. Branched Noseburn (Obs)

Fabaceae

Dalea purpurea Vent. Purple Prairie Clover (Obs)

Lupinus argenteus Pursh. Loosely Flowered Silver Lupine (Obs)

Oxytropis lambertii Pursh. Purple Locoweed (Obs)

Pediomelum tenuiflorum (Pursh) A. N. Egan. Slimflower Scurfpea (Obs)

Robinia pseudoacacia L. Black Locust (Obs)

Thermopsis rhombifolia (Nutt. ex Pursh) Nutt. ex Richardson divaricarpa (A. Nelson) Isely. Spreadfruit Goldenbanner (Obs)

Vicia americana Willd. American Vetch (Obs)

Fumariaceae

Corydalis aurea Willd. Scrambled Eggs (TAS+Obs)

Geraniaceae

Geranium viscosissimum Fisch. & C. A. Mey. ex C. A. Mey. Sticky Purple Geranium (Obs)

Grossulariaceae

Ribes cereum Douglas. Wax Currant (Obs)

Hypericaceae

Hypericum perforatum L. Common St. John's Wort (Obs)

Lamiaceae

Marrubium vulgare L. Horehound (Obs)

Mentha spicata L. Spearmint (Obs)

Monarda fistulosa L. Wild Bergamot (Obs)

Salvia L. Sage (Obs)

Scutellaria brittonii Porter. Britton's Skullcap (Obs)

Loasaceae

Mentzelia. Blazing Star (Obs)

Mentzelia albicaulis (Douglas ex Hook.) Douglas ex Torr. & A. Gray. White-Stem Blazing Star (TAS)

Malvaceae

Sphaeralcea coccinea (Nutt.) Rydb. Cowboy's Delight (Obs)

Nyctaginaceae

Mirabilis linearis (Pursh) Heimerl. Narrowleaf Four O'Clock (Obs)

Mirabilis nyctaginea (Michx.) MacMill. Heartleaf Four O'Clock (Obs)

Oleaceae

Fraxinus pennsylvanica Marshall. Green Ash (Obs)

Syringa vulgaris L. Common Purple Lilac (Obs)

Onagraceae

Oenothera coronopifolia Torr. & A. Gray. Crownleaf Evening Primrose. Hierba de San Juan. (Obs)

Oenothera curtiflora W.L. Wagner & Hoch. Velvet Butterfly-Weed (Obs)

Oenothera suffrutescens (Ser.) W. L. Wagner & Hoch. Linda Tarde (Obs)

Papaveraceae

Argemone polyanthemos (Fedde) G.B. Ownbey. Crested Prickly Poppy (Obs)

Phrymaceae

Erythranthe floribunda (Douglas ex Lindl.) G. L. Nesom. Many Flowered Monkey Flower (TAS)

Plantaginaceae

Collinsia parviflora Lindl. Maiden Blue-eyed Mary (Obs)

Linaria dalmatica (L.) Mill. Dalmatian ToadFlax (Obs)

Penstemon Schmidel. Beard Tongue (Obs)

Penstemon secundiflorus Benth. Sidebells Penstemon (Obs)

Penstemon virens Pennell ex Rydb. Front Range Beardtongue (Obs)

Polemoniaceae

Gilia ophthalmoides Brand. Pinyon Gilia (TAS)

Phlox multiflora A. Nelson. Mountain Phlox (Obs)

Polygonaceae

Eriogonum alatum Torrey in L. Sitgreaves, Rep. Exped. Zuni Colorado Rivers. 168, plate 8. 1853. Winged Buckwheat (Obs)

Eriogonum effusum Nuttall, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Philadelphia. 4: 15. 1848. Spreading Buckwheat (Obs)

Eriogonum jamesii Bentham in A. P. de Candolle and A. L. P. P. de Candolle, Prodr. 14: 7. 1856. James' Buckwheat (Obs)

Fallopia convolvulus (L.) A.Löve. Black Bindweed (Obs)

Rumex venosus Pursh. Veiny Dock (Obs)

Primulaceae

Dodecatheon pulchellum (Raf.) Merr. Beautiful Shootingstar (TAS+Obs)

Ranunculaceae

Clematis L. Clematis (Obs)

Delphinium carolinianum Walter virescens (Nutt.) R.E. Brooks. Plains Larkspur (Obs)

Delphinium nuttallianum Pritz. Twolobe Larkspur (Obs)

Rosaceae

Amelanchier alnifolia (Nutt.) Nutt. ex M. Roem. Saskatoon Serviceberry (Obs)

Cercocarpus montanus Raf. Alder-Leaf Mountain Mahogany (Obs)

Crataegus erythropoda Ashe. Cerro Hawthorn (TAS)

Crataegus succulenta Schrad. ex Link. Fleshy Hawthorn (Obs)

Malus L. Apple (Obs)

Potentilla fissa Nutt. ex Torr. & A.Gray. Bigflower Cinquefoil (Obs)

Potentilla norvegica L. Norwegian Cinquefoil (TAS)

Physocarpus monogynus (Torr.) J.M. Coult. Mountain Ninebark (Obs)

Prunus virginiana L. Chokecherry (Obs)

Rosa woodsii Lindl. Mountain Rose (Obs)

Rubus deliciosus Torr. Delicious raspberry (Obs)

Rubiaceae

Galium aparine L. Sticky Willy, Cleavers (Obs)

Salicaceae

Populus × acuminata Rydb. Lanceleaf Cottonwood (Obs)

Populus angustifolia E. James. Narrowleaf Cottonwood (Obs)

Populus deltoides Marshall monilifera (Aiton) Eckenw. Plains Cottonwood (Obs)

Salix exigua Nutt. Coyote Willow, Narrow-Leaved Willow (Obs)

Santalaceae

Comandra umbellata (L.) Nutt. pallida (A. DC.) Piehl. Pale Bastard Toadflax (Obs)

Sapindaceae

Acer glabrum Torr. Rocky Mountain Maple (Obs)

Saxifragaceae

Heuchera parvifolia Nutt. ex Torr. & A. Gray. Littleleaf Alumroot (TAS)

Scrophulariaceae

Scrophularia lanceolata Pursh. Lanceleaf Figwort (Obs)

Verbascum thapsus L. Common Mullein (Obs)

Ulmaceae

Ulmus pumila L. Siberian Elm (Obs)

Urticaceae

Parietaria pensylvanica Willd. Pennsylvania Pellitory (TAS)

Violaceae

Viola nuttallii Pursh. Nuttall's Violet (Obs)

Vitaceae

Parthenocissus Planchon. Virginia Creeper (Obs)

Vitis riparia Michx. Riverbank Grape (Obs)

Agavaceae

Yucca glauca Nutt. Soapweed Yucca (Obs)

Alliaceae

Allium textile A. Nelson & J.F. Macbr. Textile Onion (TAS+Obs)

Anthericeae

Leucocrinum montanum Nutt. ex A. Gray. Star Lily (Obs)

Asparagaceae

Asparagus officinalis L. Asparagus (Obs)

Commelinaceae

Tradescantia occidentalis (Britton) Smyth. Prairie Spiderwort (Obs)

Cyperaceae

Carex L. Sedge (Obs)

Eleocharis R. Br. Spikerush (Obs)

Eleocharis quinqueflora (Hartmann) O. Schwarz. Fewflower Spikerush (TAS)

Iridaceae

Iris L. Horticultural Iris (Obs)

Juncaceae

Juncus bufonius L. Toad Rush (TAS)

Poaceae

Aristida purpurea Nutt. longiseta (Steud.) Vasey. Purple Threeawn (Obs)

Bromus inermis Leyss. Smooth Brome (Obs)

Bromus tectorum L. Cheat Grass (Obs)

Festuca trachyphylla (Hack.) Krajina. Hard Fescue (TAS)

Hesperostipa comata (Trin. & Rupr.) Barkworth. Needle and Thread (Obs)

Koeleria macrantha (Ledeb.) Schult. Prairie Junegrass (Obs)

Munroa squarrosa (Nutt.) Torr. False Buffalograss (Obs)

Poa. (TAS)

Poa pratensis L. Kentucky Bluegrass (Obs)

Sorghastrum nutans (L.) Nash. Yellow Indian Grass (Obs)

Sporobolus cryptandrus (Torr.) A. Gray. Sand Drop-seed (Obs)

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Date and time this article was prepared:8:31:54 PM, 4/21/2025.