Help ID'ing cause of terrain feature:

[GeoMike]

http://www.mcschell.com/crack.jpg
This image is from a hiking trip I took a few years back. The image is of a mountain on the Maine/New Hampshire border (West Royce Mtn.). The mountain has a large vertical fracture running almost the whole length of the steep northeast face of the mountain. Through binoculars the fracture appears quite deep.

To the left and right of the fracture you can see evidence of what looks like exfoliation. Would the fracture also be the result of expansion after uplift, or some other cause?

Full image is here:
http://www.mcschell.com/wroyce.jpg

Thanks,
-GeoMike-

 

[Bystander]

http://www.coloradocollege.edu/Dept/GY/faculty/wphillips/web%20page.htm

Looks like you've got your choice of residual stress in a fold, residual stress from geopressure following erosion, faulting, slump into incompetent bed, or someone with a really big rock saw.

 

[LURCH]

Based on the sarounding topography in the larger photo, I would say slumping is the most likely. Looks like the end of the larger structrue is breaking off into the adjacent valley.

 

[Skyhunter]

http://www.coloradocollege.edu/Dept/GY/faculty/wphillips/web%20page.htm

Looks like you've got your choice of residual stress in a fold, residual stress from geopressure following erosion, faulting, slump into incompetent bed, or someone with a really big rock saw.

That was definitely caused by Paul Bunyan sticking his ax in the ground.