talus
1
9.3
- noun
- /ˈtæləs/
- Specialized
:
talud
- We crawl a near-vertical talus slope that slides with each step.
- talus slope
Examples
-
As we navigated the steep trail, the talus made our ascent challenging but exciting.
-
Lepidopterist Thomas Emmel examines a Magdalena alpine, a butterfly that typically inhabits talus, or fallen rock debris.
Academic text (2011) -
In the afternoon shadow on the talus slope to my left, something is moving.
Fiction book (1990) -
Butterfly collectors fan out on the talus slope.
Academic text (2011) -
A talus slope dropped from the ridge to a glacial basin containing a small lake.
Fiction book (1991) -
In the Great Basin of the American West, pikas live high in the mountains on rocky talus slopes.
Academic text (2004) -
You slide down the talus slope, sprint across the gully, and find the path back to the canyon's rim.
Fiction book (1998) -
With the sunny weather still holding, we extended our collecting to a nearby talus slope, an accumulation of rock debris fallen from the wall of a cliff.
Academic text (2011) -
Historic populations of pikas (Ochotona princeps), rabbit relatives that live on rocky talus slopes, have gone extinct in the Great Basin region.
Academic text (2004) -
Before attempting the hike, check the stability of the talus at the foot of the cliff to ensure a safe crossing.
Synonyms
2
9.1
A slope of loose stones at the base of a cliff
How Big
Surface Forms
Etymology
Talus for a pile of loose rock comes from the French word talus, meaning 'slope', so it names the slope or heap of fallen stones at the foot of a cliff.