3. Mormon Rock Formation Stream bed/San Andreas rift Zone Mormon Rocks “rock candy” Mormon Rocks Formation- When faults move (earthquakes or seismic activity)bottom of stream bed is picked up and the rocks begin to form. 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
4. Granular Structure We 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
5. 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
8. Fossil Falls Little Owens lake flowed through here once until the volcanic lava disturbed and changed the direction of the streams. 40 FT. dry water fall
9. Fossil Falls & Metate Holes Fossil Falls Metate Holes: were used by woman to crack the shells off nuts and plant seeds.
12. HousErinGs These rings were the foundation of their homes, which were covered with animal skins and grass and brush maybe. Entrance to ring HouseRing
13. 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
14. Lava Flows 440,00 years ago the Coso Mountain range was an active chain of volcanoes that erupted a number of times . Slow flowing dark lava called Basalt.
15. Keoughs Hot Springs The 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!!
19. Lake and Islands Negit Island Black point Mono lake “Sea of the desert”
20. 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.
33. Field Questions Mormon Rocks Formation- This are is very important because this is where the Andreas Fault is and where a lot of seismic activity and earthquakes start. 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 Falls 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. 3 things that show evidence of Native American habitation are the pyroglyphs, house rings and the broken obsidian.
34. Field Questions Mt. Whitney Interagency Center A. 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- The land forms I saw at Mono Lake were the Tufa’s, Islands, volcanoes. 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.
35. 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.
