﻿Report 
  of 
  the 
  State 
  Geologist, 
  427 
  

  

  and 
  present 
  smooth 
  surfaces, 
  except 
  where 
  they 
  are 
  cut 
  by- 
  

   streams. 
  

  

  The 
  Helderberg 
  escarpment. 
  — 
  The 
  Helderberg 
  escarpment 
  is 
  

   the 
  most 
  conspicuous 
  topographic 
  feature 
  in 
  Albany 
  county. 
  It 
  

   rises 
  with 
  great 
  steepness 
  at 
  the 
  western 
  margin 
  of 
  the 
  plain 
  

   above 
  described, 
  and 
  its 
  precipitous 
  level-crested 
  front 
  is 
  visible 
  

   for 
  many 
  miles 
  to 
  the 
  east 
  and 
  north. 
  Its 
  greatest 
  development 
  

   is 
  between 
  Altamont 
  and 
  New 
  Salem, 
  where 
  it 
  finally 
  attains 
  an 
  

   altitude 
  above 
  the 
  plain 
  of 
  1200 
  feet. 
  This 
  elevation 
  is 
  in 
  the 
  

   eastern 
  face 
  of 
  Countryman 
  hill, 
  opposite 
  New 
  Salem, 
  and 
  is 
  

   attained 
  in 
  a 
  series 
  of 
  strongly-marked 
  terraces. 
  The 
  escarp- 
  

   ment 
  enters 
  Albany 
  county 
  from 
  the 
  westward 
  with 
  less 
  distinct- 
  

   ness 
  than 
  it 
  usually 
  presents, 
  owing 
  to 
  a 
  great 
  mass 
  of 
  drift 
  which 
  

   lies 
  against 
  its 
  face. 
  Its 
  prominence 
  rapidly 
  increases 
  in 
  the 
  

   central 
  part 
  of 
  Knox 
  township, 
  but 
  its 
  elevation 
  and 
  steepness 
  

   are 
  variable. 
  To 
  the 
  north 
  it 
  descends 
  to 
  the 
  Boxenkill 
  valley 
  

   in 
  long 
  slopes 
  surmounted 
  by 
  a 
  more 
  or 
  less 
  distinct 
  precipice 
  at 
  

   all 
  points. 
  South 
  of 
  Altamont 
  the 
  cliffs 
  increase 
  in 
  height, 
  the 
  

   slopes 
  rapidly 
  shorten, 
  and 
  the 
  escarpment 
  turns 
  abruptly 
  south- 
  

   ward, 
  presenting 
  a 
  mural 
  front 
  800 
  feet 
  in 
  height 
  to 
  the 
  east- 
  

   ward. 
  At 
  several 
  points 
  it 
  is 
  recessed, 
  notably 
  at 
  the 
  Indian 
  

   Ladder, 
  where 
  a 
  magnificent 
  amphitheater 
  has 
  been 
  cut 
  by 
  the 
  

   little 
  stream 
  which 
  falls 
  over 
  a 
  limestone 
  cliff 
  at 
  the 
  top. 
  The 
  

   principal 
  features 
  of 
  the 
  escarpment 
  in 
  this 
  vicinity 
  are 
  shown 
  in 
  

   plate 
  1. 
  

  

  West 
  of 
  Indian 
  Ladder 
  the 
  escarpment 
  is 
  surmounted 
  by 
  a 
  

   series 
  of 
  wide 
  plateaus 
  extending 
  far 
  back 
  into 
  the 
  country 
  as 
  

   shown 
  very 
  plainly 
  in 
  the 
  plate. 
  To 
  the 
  south 
  of 
  Indian 
  Ladder 
  

   these 
  plateaus 
  and 
  the 
  range 
  of 
  high 
  hills 
  of 
  the 
  third 
  province 
  

   extend 
  eastward 
  to 
  the 
  edge 
  of 
  the 
  escarpment 
  and 
  a 
  maximum 
  

   elevation 
  of 
  1634 
  feet 
  is 
  attained 
  in 
  Countryman's 
  hill. 
  To 
  the 
  

   south 
  of 
  New 
  Salem 
  the 
  mass 
  of 
  high 
  hills 
  recede, 
  the 
  ter- 
  

   races 
  expand 
  and 
  the 
  southward 
  dip 
  of 
  the 
  rocks 
  gradually 
  

   carries 
  the 
  escarpment 
  down 
  to 
  a 
  very 
  moderate 
  degree 
  of 
  

   prominence. 
  In 
  the 
  central 
  part 
  of 
  New 
  Scotland 
  township 
  its 
  

   course 
  becomes 
  irregular 
  and 
  it 
  extends 
  to 
  the 
  southward 
  in 
  a 
  

   series 
  of 
  abrupt 
  offsetting 
  trends 
  to 
  the 
  eastward. 
  In 
  this 
  region 
  

   there 
  lie 
  in 
  front 
  of 
  the 
  escarpment 
  a 
  series 
  of 
  moderately 
  

   elevated 
  ridges 
  which 
  here 
  mark 
  the 
  western 
  border 
  of 
  the 
  plain. 
  

  

  