SCHOHARIE FORMATION (LOWER DEVONIAN) GLACIAL ERRATICS FROM THE PREAKNESS FORMATION (LOWER JURASSIC) OF HIGH MOUNTAIN, PASSAIC COUNTY, NEW JERSEY

Large fossiliferous glacial erratics occur scattered across the basalt of the Preakness Formation (Lower Jurassic) on High Mountain, Passaic County, New Jersey. These erratics are comprised of light tan to yellow, sandy limestone and contain fossiliferous beds with casts and molds of invertebrates. Analysis of these fossils including: rostroconchs, brachiopods, pelecypods, corals, bryozoans, nautiloid cephalopods and trilobites as well as the distinct lithology indicate that these erratics belong to the Lower Devonian Tristates Group and Schoharie Formation. The outcrop belt of the Schoharie Formation occurs throughout the Lower Hudson Valley Region of New York and due north of the High Mountain recovery location. Reconstruction of the glacial history across the Lower Hudson Valley and New Jersey Piedmont indicates that the Schoharie Formation erratics have been transported tens of kilometers from their original source region during the Wisconsinian glaciation. The Schoharie Formation erratics provide a unique opportunity to reconstruct the complex surficial geology of the New Jersey Piedmont and High Mountain. Palynology of glacial kettle ponds adjacent to High Mountain indicate that the final deposition of the Schoharie Formation erratics occurred 12, 000 to 11,000 YBP.