geog5 field trip journal & field questions

Field Trip Journal

Adela LopezProfessor Schmidt

Chino, Mondays @ 1Geography 5

Section 63650

Mormon Rocks- Trip #1 March 12, 2011 9:30- 11:00am

MORMON ROCKS “ROCK CANDY”1. Mormon Rocks Formation- When faults move (earthquakes or

seismic activity)bottom of stream bed is picked up and the rocks begin to form.

2. Stream Bed/ San Andreas Rift Zone- dried up river, and the clashing of san Bernardino and San Gabriel mountains because of tectonic plates **Train Passing through

Mormon Rock Formation

Stream bed/San Andreas rift Zone

Granular StructureWe can see the levels as they are formed in layers. Depending on the size of the layers and the amount and size of debris and rocks we are able to find out the amount of precipitation that year.

This is a very small but great example of how the giant Mormon rocks start to form. On this 10 ft wall. You can see the layers of sandstone start to build up and how high the water reaches at times in this dried up river during our rain season.

Thick layer =lots of rain

Water line of recent precipitation

Granular Structure & Mormon Rocks

Big wholes are formed because of the constant wind and because over time the rocks or giant boulders fall out.

Dried up waterfall

Small hole, where rock fell out

Water line of a recent waterfall, no longer there at time of field trip

Field Trip #2-April 8, 2011 Around noon

Stream Bed

Little Lake Dry stream bed Once called “Owens Little Lake “

Fossil Falls

40 FT. dry water fall

Little Owens lake flowed through here once until the volcanic lava disturbed

and changed the direction of the streams.

Fossil Falls & Metate HolesFossil Falls

Metate Holes: were used by woman to crack the shells off

nuts and plant seeds.

Obsidian Flakes

Volcanic glass that was used to make arrowheads and other tools

Petro glyph

HousE rinGsThese rings were the foundation of their homes, which were covered with animal skins and grass and brush maybe.

Entrance to ring House Ring

Cinder Hill

Cinder hill is a result of a violent eruption of trapped gases and molten material from a vent in the earths crust.

As the material cooled quite fast after air hit it, the hill was formed called Scoria

Lava Flows440,00 years ago the Coso Mountain range was an active chain of volcanoes that erupted a number of times . Slow flowing dark lava called Basalt.

Keoughs Hot SpringsThe hot springs are warm springs that are formed because of the faults that have left cracks and when the water gets in the cracks and comes up making the water warm

Hi!!

Mono Lake Committee Visitors CenterApril 9, 2011 around 11:00am

MONO LAKE COMMITTEE VISITORS CENTER

You can come here to learn some history about Mono Lake

MONO LAKE APRIL 9, 2011

AROUND NOON

Lake and Islands

Mono lake“Sea of the desert”

Negit IslandBlack point

Mono Lake former shore lines In 1963 the elevation of the lake was at 6392 ft.

This deck was built in order to set a goal of where Mono lakes water should rise too.

Mono Lake

Former Shore lines

Tufa

Tufa is formed where there was once a hot water spring under water, the bubbles that come through up to the surface.

Glaciated Valley and Moraines

Panum Crater Glaciated Valley

Convict LakeApril 9, 2001

Around 3:00pm

Convict Lake and Oldest rock formation

Lateral and Terminal Moraines

Owens RiverApril 9, 2011

Around 5:30 pm

Owens River & Swallows Nests

This river used to flow into Owens Lake but it has been transitioned to California and LA aqueduct.

Inyo-White Mountains with Bristlecones

Benchmark

Oldest Trees on earth and only ones left.

Extra Credit

Solar Power Plant

Doppler Radar Tower

Extra Credit

Mine Tailings Joshua trees

Extra Credit

Dry Owens Lake SETI TOWERS

Field Questions

1. Mormon Rocks Formation-A. This are is very important because

this is where the Andreas Fault is and where a lot of seismic activity and earthquakes start.

B. The rocks are formed when there is a earthquake the bottom of the stream bed is then inverted and starts to form the rocks upward the oldest rocks being at the top. The rocks are formed because the water from the stream picks up all the debris and rocks and then it dries with the intense heat and cold desert temperatures.

2. Cinder (red) Hill/Fossil FallsA. I saw the red cinder hill, red

cinder all over the ground, the Lava rock formations, the house rings, and Fossil falls which are very high up.

B. 3 things that show evidence of Native American habitation are the pyroglyphs, house rings and the broken obsidian.

Field Questions3. Mt. Whitney Interagency

CenterA. The Sierra Nevada Mountains

are shaped in a “U” form because they are made by glaciers and the Inyo/White Mountains are “V” shaped because water has been a main ingredient to their formation.

4. Analema- On April 9th the sub solar angle was at 60 degrees North.

5. Mono Lake-a. The land forms I saw at Mono

Lake were the Tufa’s, Islands, volcanoes.

b. 3 evidences of former lake levels:

• Tufa’s that are far away from the water away from the shore lines which had to grow in the actual water.

• You can see the water levels on the mountains surrounding the lake.

• The wooden panels of where the deck was connected to the water.

My personal thoughts

This trip was extremely fun, relaxing and most importantly very educational!! I enjoyed myself and found everything we learned important. I have always enjoyed the outdoors and camping but never had the opportunity to actually learn important facts while enjoying nature at the same time. I came home a different person appreciating not only my surroundings but also appreciating each drop of water I use and the many I have taken for granted. I will definitely make changes to help preserve our beautiful environment and wild life. Thank you Professor Schmidt for the great experience.