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Talus identification and geology

An accumulation of rock debris at the base of a cliff, steep slope, or mountain, formed by rockfall and frost wedging from the rock face above. Talus deposits consist of angular, unsorted fragments ranging from small chips to massive blocks, and they typically form cone-shaped or apron-shaped deposits. Talus slopes are characteristically steep, approaching the angle of repose approximately 33–37° for angular rock debris . Field: geomorphology. Example: Massive talus cones below the limestone cliffs of the Canadian Rocky Mountains are composed of frost-wedged angular blocks, some the size of automobiles, accumulating at the angle of repose.. Related terms: Rockfall, Scree, Mass wasting, Angle of repose.

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Sources, scope & corrections

These authoritative resources support category-level nomenclature, terminology, identification methods, and safety. When a specimen-specific safety warning appears, the public-health source listed here directly supports that precaution. They are not line-by-line citations for every other property on this entry, and natural specimens vary.

Editorial owner
GeoMiner
Last updated
2026-03-30T15:19:42.096023+00:00
Review status
Published; not independently peer-reviewed
  • USGS Thesaurus — U.S. Geological Survey. Controlled earth-science terminology used to describe USGS information resources.
  • Glossary of Geologic Terms — U.S. National Park Service. Geologic definitions prepared by the NPS Geologic Resources Inventory.

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Common questions

What does Talus mean in geology?
An accumulation of rock debris at the base of a cliff, steep slope, or mountain, formed by rockfall and frost wedging from the rock face above. Talus deposits consist of angular, unsorted fragments ranging from small chips to massive blocks, and they typically form cone-shaped or apron-shaped deposits. Talus slopes are characteristically steep, approaching the angle of repose approximately 33–37° for angular rock debris .
What is an example of Talus?
Massive talus cones below the limestone cliffs of the Canadian Rocky Mountains are composed of frost-wedged angular blocks, some the size of automobiles, accumulating at the angle of repose.
Which earth-science field uses the term Talus?
Talus is used in geomorphology.
Which terms are related to Talus?
Related terms in this reference are Rockfall, Scree, Mass wasting, Angle of repose.

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