Moab, Grand County, Utah
Photographer: Corey Unger; © 2012
Wingate Sandstone cliffs at Kane Springs Canyon near Moab, Grand County.
Tag Archive for: geology
accuweather.com
Last month’s mudslide in Oso, Snohomish County, Wash., has killed more than 30 people and has left many more still unaccounted for.
Canyonlands National Park, San Juan and Wayne Counties, Utah
Photographer: Rich Emerson; © 2012
Uplift of the Colorado Plateau has caused the Green River to entrench its meandering path into the relatively soft rocks of the Permian-age Organ Rock Shale. At Soda Springs Basin, vertical cliffs of the more-resistant White Rim Sandstone cap the Organ Rock Shale 400 feet above the river.
Goblin Valley State Park, Emery County, Utah
Photographer: Stevie Emerson; © 2012
Sandstone hoodoos at Goblin Valley State Park, Emery County.
Here’s a rockin’ scenic view to jump start another weekend!
The Rimrocks, Grand Staircase–Escalante National Monument, Kane County, Utah
Photographer: Taylor Boden; © 2012
Spire-like formations called “toadstools” form where resistant sandstone boulders of Cretaceous-age Dakota Formation (toadstool caps) protect the underlying, softer, Jurassic-age Entrada Sandstone (toadstool stems) from erosion. Beneath their protective caps, the spires stand tall above the surrounding eroded landscape.
stgeorgeutah.com
Stroll through some of Southern Utah’s most bizarre formations along this 9.2 mile round-trip hike to the Wahweap Hoodoos in the vast Grand-Staircase Escalante area near Lake Powell. Mother nature’s erosive artistry has left several groups of divine pearly-white towers capped with brown mushroom-like tops nuzzled in several coves for off-the-beaten-path hikers.
We’re back with another round of “Spot the Rock”! Where do you think these red rocks reside?
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UPDATE: Location Revealed
We’re not sure if last week’s “Spot the Rock” was too easy or too hard since we only got one guess (though that one guess was correct…so contrats!) This is a view of part of Sheep Creek Canyon Geological Area, located west of Flaming Gorge National Recreation Area in Daggett County.
The deep red rock layers at left in the photo belong to the 770 to 1,600 million year old Uinta Mountain Group. The ridge forming gray rocks immediately to the right are part of the roughly 330 to 354 million year old Madison Limestone (this cliff is locally called The Palisades). Separating the two units is a 450 million year unconformity and the southwest branch of the Uinta fault zone.
This road-side overlook also provides a somber view of the site of Utah’s most deadly landslide. On June 9, 1965 a debris flow swept through the former Palisade campground (bottom left of photo) destroying the campground and killing seven campers.
For more information, a geologic road guide for the area can be found here:http://www.utahgeology.org/road_logs/uga-29_first_edition/OP_guide/sheepcrk.pdf
By: Hellmut H. Doelling and Paul A. Kuehne
The Klondike Bluffs 7.5′ quadrangle covers a large part of Arches National Park and encompasses colorful bedrock strata ranging in age from Pennsylvania Paradox Formation to Cretaceous Mancos Shale. Salt diapirs are common throughout the area, and the Salt-Cache Valley Salt Structure is the most prominent structure, with several additional salt structures present, including the Salt Wash and Courthouse synclines and the Elephant Butte folds. Scenic resources in the area showcase joints, fins, grabens above salt wells, and the highest concentration of arches in the world.
This CD contains geographic information system (GIS) files in ESRI file geodatabase and shapefile formats. A geologic map at 1:24,000 scale and a 31-page booklet are also included in PDF format. The latest version of Adobe Reader is required to view the PDF files.
By: Hellmut H. Doelling and Paul A. Kuehne
The Mollie Hogans 7.5′ quadrangle covers a large part of Arches National Park and encompasses colorful bedrock strata ranging in age from Pennsylvanian Paradox Formation to Cretaceous Mancos Shale. Salt diapirs are common throughout the area, and the Salt-Cache Valley Salt Structure is the most prominent structure, with several additional salt structures present, including the Salt Wash and Courthouse synclines and the Elephant Butte folds. Scenic resources in the area showcase joints, fins, grabens above salt walls, and the highest concentration of arches in the world.
This CD contains geographic information system (GIS) files in ESRI file geodatabase and shapefile formats. A geologic map at 1:24,000 scale and a 31-page booklet are also included in PDF format. The latest version of Adobe Reader is required to view the PDF files.
By: Hellmut H. Doelling and Paul A. Kuehne
The Windows Section 7.5′ quadrangle covers a large part of Arches National Park and encompasses colorful bedrock strata ranging in age from Pennsylvanian Paradox Formation to Cretaceous Mancos Shale. Salt diapirs are common throughout the area, and the Salt-Cache Valley Salt Structure is the most prominent structure, with several additional salt structures present, including the Salt Wash and Courthouse synclines and the Elephant Butte folds. A one-mile-wide zone of faults is located in the Windows Section northeast of the Moab fault. Scenic resources in the area showcase joints, fins, grabens above salt walls, and the highest concentration of arches in the world.
This CD contains geographic information system (GIS) files in ESRI file geodatabase and shapefile formats. A geologic map at 1:24,000 scale and a 31-page booklet are also included in PDF format. The latest version of Adobe Reader is required to view the PDF files.
Henry Mountains, Garfield County, Utah
Photographer: Ken Krahulec; © 2012
Oligocene-age igneous intrusions exposed in the Henry Mountains, Garfield County.
The Cockscomb, Grand Staircase–Escalante National Monument, Kane County, Utah
Photographer: Stevie Emerson; © 2012
The Cockscomb formed along the steeply tilted sedimentary layers of a geologic feature known as the East Kaibab monocline. Faulting and erosion have shaped the tilted Jurassic and Cretaceous-age rocks into the spectacular “rooster’s comb” features seen today along Cottonwood Canyon Road.
LEARN MORE ABOUT THE UTAH GEOLOGICAL SURVEY
The Utah Geological Survey (UGS) is a division of the Utah Department of Natural Resources. Several specialized programs comprise the UGS: Data Management, Energy & Minerals, Geologic Hazards, Geologic Information & Outreach, Geologic Mapping, Groundwater & Wetlands, and Paleontology.
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Salt Lake City, Utah 84116
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Mailing Address:
PO BOX 146100
Salt Lake City, Utah 84114
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