Tag Archive for: Utah Geological Survey

Utah Geological Survey

POTD February 3, 2015: Desolation Canyon, Uintah County, Utah

The Green River forms a dramatic “gooseneck” near Sand Wash in upper Desolation Canyon. The river has incised into rocks of the Douglas Creek and Parachute Creek Members of the Tertiary-age Green River Formation, which comprises sediments that accumulated in ancient Lake Uinta. Desolation Canyon, Uintah County, Utah Photographer: Adam Hiscock; © 2014

Hey friends, we’ve finally made way with our new website! Visit geology.utah.gov to see our new look. Though, as most technical endeavors, we’ve encountered some difficulties. Switching the URLs erased our subscription list, and those who subscribed to our “New Blog,” you will have to re-subscribe. We apologize for the inconvenience, but we hope you’ll forgive us when you see this pretty picture of Utah geology.

new-blog

POTD 2-3-15 Desolation Canyon, Uintah County, Green River

Desolation Canyon, Uintah County, Utah
Photographer: Adam Hiscock; © 2014

The Green River forms a dramatic “gooseneck” near Sand Wash in upper Desolation Canyon. The river has incised into rocks of the Douglas Creek and Parachute Creek Members of the Tertiary-age Green River Formation, which comprises sediments that accumulated in ancient Lake Uinta.

Utah Geological Survey

POTD January 27, 2015: Bryce Canyon National Park, Garfield County, Utah

Bryce Canyon National Park, Garfield County, Utah Photographer: Danielle Lehle; © 2014

POTD 1-27-15 Bryce Canyon National Park, Garfield County

Bryce Canyon National Park, Garfield County, Utah
Photographer: Danielle Lehle; © 2014

Utah Geological Survey

POTD January 20, 2015: Arches National Park, Grand County, Utah

Turret Arch viewed through North Window arch in The Windows Section of Arches National Park. The arches formed as the result of erosion through weak parts of sandstone fins composed of Jurassic-age Dewey Bridge Member of the Carmel Formation and Slick Rock Member of the Entrada Sandstone. Arches National Park, Grand County, Utah Photographer: Gregg Beukelman; © 2014

POTD 1-20-15 Arches National Park, Grand County, Turret Arch

Arches National Park, Grand County, Utah
Photographer: Gregg Beukelman; © 2014

Turret Arch viewed through North Window arch in The Windows Section of Arches National Park. The arches formed as the result of erosion through weak parts of sandstone fins composed of Jurassic-age Dewey Bridge Member of the Carmel Formation and Slick Rock Member of the Entrada Sandstone.

Utah Geological Survey

POTD January 13, 2015: Goosenecks State Park, San Juan County, Utah

Goosenecks of the San Juan River from Goosenecks State Park, San Juan County, Utah. Photographer: Marshall Robinson; © 2014

POTD 1-13-15 Goosenecks, San Juan County, State Park

Goosenecks State Park, San Juan County, Utah
Photographer: Marshall Robinson; © 2014

Goosenecks of the San Juan River from Goosenecks State Park, San Juan County.

Utah Geological Survey
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Utah’s Dinosaur ‘Death Trap’ Reveals Trove of Giant Predators

Remember the family of Utah Raptors that arrived in a 9-ton ‘block’ in Salt Lake City a few months ago? Our Paleontologists here at the UGS have been working very closely on this project for years. Check out this wonderful highlight on their work so far, where you can see interviews from Utah State Paleontologist James Kirkland, and Paleontologists, Don DeBlieux and Scott Madsen.

news.nationalgeographic.com

A nine-ton block of sandstone that was pulled from a Utah mountain late last year holds the biggest fossil trove ever found of the giant predatory dinosaur known as Utahraptor. Covered in feathers, with a huge sickle claw on each second toe, Utahraptor looked like a pumped-up version of the Jurassic Park star Velociraptor.

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And further reading in this article below…

Fossil treasure trove in quicksand reveals ancient dinosaur death trap

washingtonpost.com

Reports of what looked like a human arm brought Utah state paleontologist James Kirkland to a particular sandstone hill in 2001. But it turned out that his graduate student had actually found something entirely different — a veritable mass grave of Utahraptor dinosaurs. Now they’ve found the remains of six individual dinosaurs, and there may still be more inside of the 9-ton sandstone block they’re excavating.

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Utah Geological Survey

POTD January 6, 2015: Colorado River, Grand County, Utah

Late-winter ice still clings to the Colorado River near Big Bend, north of Moab. Boulders of Jurassic-age Wingate Sandstone and Triassic-age Chinle Formation line the banks of the river, eroded from the cliffs and ledges cut by the river as it has incised its channel over millions of years. Colorado River, Grand County, Utah Photographer: Adam Hiscock; © 2014

POTD 1-6-15 Colorado River, Grand County, Utah

Colorado River, Grand County, Utah
Photographer: Adam Hiscock; © 2014

Late-winter ice still clings to the Colorado River near Big Bend, north of Moab. Boulders of Jurassic-age Wingate Sandstone and Triassic-age Chinle Formation line the banks of the river, eroded from the cliffs and ledges cut by the river as it has incised its channel over millions of years.

Utah Geological Survey

POTD December 30, 2014: Island in the Sky District, Canyonlands National Park, San Juan County, Utah

Island in the Sky District, Canyonlands National Park, San Juan County, Utah Photographer: Stevie Emerson; © 2014

POTD 12-30-14 Canyonlands National Park, San Juan County

Island in the Sky District, Canyonlands National Park, San Juan County, Utah
Photographer: Stevie Emerson; © 2014

Utah Geological Survey

POTD December 23, 2014: Zion National Park, Washington County, Utah

One of numerous slot canyons carved into Jurassic-age Navajo Sandstone in Zion National Park, Bear Trap Canyon is particularly dark and narrow. With little sunlight penetrating to the canyon floor, snow and ice often linger well into spring. Zion National Park, Washington County, Utah Photographer: Tyler Knudsen; © 2014

POTD 12-23-14 Zion National Park, Slot Canyon, Bear Trap Canyon

Zion National Park, Washington County, Utah
Photographer: Tyler Knudsen; © 2014

One of numerous slot canyons carved into Jurassic-age Navajo Sandstone in Zion National Park, Bear Trap Canyon is particularly dark and narrow. With little sunlight penetrating to the canyon floor, snow and ice often linger well into spring.

John Good
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Prehistoric Shorebirds Waded Alongside Their Dinosaur Cousins

nationalgeographic.com

Birds are dinosaurs. This fact is easily understood by looking at the scaly feet of a chickadee or by comparing a chicken wing to a Velociraptor arm. But given that birds are the only “terrible lizards” around today, it’s easy to forget that they also thrived alongside their non-avian kin for 84 million years. The first birds evolved in the Late Jurassic, roundabout 150 million years ago, and they became a widespread and successful branch of the dinosaur family tree.

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Utah Geological Survey

POTD December 16, 2014: South Arm of Great Salt Lake, Davis and Tooele Counties, Utah

Sunset over Great Salt Lake, Davis and Tooele Counties, Utah Photographer: Mark Milligan; © 2013

POTD 12-16-14 Great Salt Lake, Davis County, Tooele County

Great Salt Lake, Davis and Tooele Counties, Utah
Photographer: Mark Milligan; © 2013

Take in this photo as your day comes to a close. Sometimes a setting sun brings out the best colors in Utah Geology.