Step Canyon

Step Canyon (known to young Earth creationists as the "Little Grand Canyon") is a canyon on the foothills of Mt St Helens in Washington State, formed by a mudslide in 1982 after an earthquake.

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Creationist abuse

Step canyon was formed "catastrophically" in a matter of minutes. It is thus used by creationists as an analogous - albeit significantly smaller - canyon to the Grand Canyon, so they can argue that the G.C. could have been formed in a similar way.[1]

The facts
“”[T]here are no comparisons to Step Canyon (What YECers like to call the “Little Grand Canyon”) and the (real) Grand Canyon. Step Canyon goes through fields of unconsolidated pyroclastic flow deposits that is subject to easy erosion from the wet Pacific Northwest climate and there is a 2000 foot elevation drop within 1 mile, further adding to the erosion.
—Lance Wilson, on a Panda's Thumb comments page.[2]

To put this in layman's terms, the Step Canyon was formed from weakened rock that was much more vulnerable to erosion, as well as having a very nearby drain-off point. The Grand Canyon on the other hand, is formed of an entirely different rock and has a runoff point much, much further away.[3] Because of the massive differences between them, comparing the two is exceedingly stupid.

gollark: ``` _________________________________________ / However, on religious issures there can \| be little or no compromise. There is no || position on which people are so || immovable as their religious beliefs. || There is no more powerful ally one can || claim in a debate than Jesus Christ, or || God, or Allah, or whatever one calls || this supreme being. But like any || powerful weapon, the use of God's name || on one's behalf should be used || sparingly. The religious factions that || are growing throughout our land are not || using their religious clout with || wisdom. They are trying to force || government leaders into following their || position 100 percent. If you disagree || with these religious groups on a || particular moral issue, they complain, || they threaten you with a loss of money || or votes or both. I'm frankly sick and || tired of the political preachers across || this country telling me as a citizen || that if I want to be a moral person, I || must believe in "A," "B," "C," and "D." || Just who do they think they are? And || from where do they presume to claim the || right to dictate their moral beliefs to || me? And I am even more angry as a || legislator who must endure the threats || of every religious group who thinks it || has some God-granted right to control || my vote on every roll call in the || Senate. I am warning them today: I will || fight them every step of the way if || they try to dictate their moral || convictions to all Americans in the || name of "conservatism." - Senator Barry || Goldwater, from the Congressional |\ Record, September 16, 1981 / ----------------------------------------- \ ^__^ \ (oo)\_______ (__)\ )\/\ ||----w | || ||```I need a cowsay command.
gollark: ++fortune
gollark: Hask is all haskell types, right?
gollark: No, seriously, what's an endofunctor.
gollark: What's an endofunctor?

See also
  • PRATT

References
  1. Little Grand Canyon - video from the Institute for Creation Research.
  2. Comment, from Adam and Steve Steve in the Garden of Eden
  3. http://www.talkorigins.org/faqs/icr-visit/bartelt1.html A Visit to the Institute for Creation Research
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