Highly recommended (but not required):
Roadside Geology of Northern and Central California
available in the campus bookstore

Also recommended 
A STREETCAR TO SUBDUCTION - Revised Edition; Clyde Wahrhaftig; published by the American Geophysical Union (1984). A very good publication to help new readers get acquainted with the geological concepts of plate tectonics and subduction and the making of the geological landscape of the Bay Area. Getting hard to find outside of libraries.

Course Content and Requirements

1. Geology Colloquium: 1-unit, transferrable.

2. Topic for Spring 2001: Central California Geology

3. All students must understand that a colloquium is not a seminar. For a seminar class, the student shows up each time and hears a lecture. A colloquium, however, is a discussion format and I will not be providing a presentation for each class meeting. A colloquium is a fluid, dynamic discussion that may be led by the instructor or the students - circumstances will be different each time. The mix of students and their interests is also different each time. As the instructor, I provide guidance and I may provide some direction.

Warning: if you have little tolerance for other students who vocalize, you may not prefer to take a colloquium.

4. Attend at least 2 of the 3 scheduled field trips where students will

• plan the field trips (and the instructor will mentor...)
• take geologic field notes
• work with geologic and topographic maps where appropriate
• learn the geologic field compass if rock exposures permit
• obtain road maps of each field trip area and plot the trip route on the map
  
• I am also offering Hayward Fault and Sunol Field Trips to my other classes and these may count for the Colloquium (but not also for credit in another geology class)
• students who can not attend two of the schedule field trips, may create and conduct their own field trips - if they meet with the instructor (during office hours) before and after their personal field trip
• Hiking will not be planned to be strenuous
• Unless otherwise notified, students provide their own transportation to and from field trips
• Can you bring others along?  School rules say no - you can try talking to my bosses if you feel strongly about this (but I don't think it will do you much good)

5. Read and/or explore the geology of these field trip locations BEFORE the field trip dates.  Some of this exploration can be done during the scheduled Monday class time.  Students who can not attend the Monday class times must conduct these explorations on their own -- and then discuss and explain your findings with the instructor (either during office hours or by e-mail).  Please note that the instructor will probably not be able to send many e-mail replies.

• attendance of Monday class meetings is not mandatory; however, students who can not attend Monday class meetings must show that they have conducted their own explorations and "researchings" of Central California geology.

These are the three field trips

1. Mt. Diablo

2. Point Reyes
        to include pillow basalts and the Marin Headlands
        may include Mt. Tamalpais

3. Coastal Geology
      Half Moon Bay Area
       to include Devil's Slide

 

4. Field Trip Options
that you may conduct on your own:

• Feather River Canyon (a 3-day trip)
• Yosemite
• Pinnacles
• Moaning and/or California Caverns
• Gold Country
• The Geysers (Napa area)
• etc.

 

--- The logistics for an overnight trip for this class has turned out to be very difficult -- we have people who adamantly want to camp, others who adamantly will not camp, we have people who can not hike far at all and we have others who would like to climb mountains....we have some people who are very strapped for cash and want to do everything very cheap - and we have others who will be miserable with those conditions.....

 

 

The Semester Calendar is below
the first day's survey indicated that the days shaded grey are not "good" for many
--(notice how many days are "greyed-out")
I chose within the remaining dates to best spread the field trips apart

Mt. Diablo Sunday March 18

Mount Diablo Field Trip Photos

Mount Diablo Field Trip Photo Albums

The Mount Diablo Field Trip went very well -- the weather was perfect.  We met at 10am at the lookout on the top of the Summit Visitor's Center.  If anyone missed the chance to go inside the Visitor's Center, don't miss it the next time that you go to Mt. Diablo.

The view was spectacular - the view to the Sierra Nevadas was awesome.  Sutter Buttes, Mt. St. Helena and Lassen Peak were also visible (the Valley smog usually obscures all of these).  Fog covered San Francisco Bay... the downtown scyscrapers were visible - as was Mt. Tamalpais.  The Golden Gate Bridge began the emerge as the fog burned off as time progressed.  Milli and Santiago pointed out Brentwood for us!

From the top, we observed the cuesta ridges that include Morgan Territory along the east side of Mount Diablo - and we traced the path of the Calaveras Fault (from Danville to Sunol = 680).

Next, was a geology walk along the Summit Fire Interpretive Trail (a .5 mile loop).  Jurassic/Cretaceous Franciscan melange: serpentine with slickensides, greenstone, red-bedded radiolarian chert, graywacke, metachert, quartz veins with occasional calcite, folded chert beds. The Devil's Pulpit = chert knob (the one Santiago climbed).  Students began basic field notes and we introduced the Brunton geologic compass to measure strike and dip. As we had viewed rocks samples and discussed the Franciscan and California tectonic history in class, participants were able to recognize and understand the rocks and the geologic setting.  Great views.  Everyone's attitude was fantastic - nice bunch of folks.

Around 12:30pm or so(?), we headed down the hill to Rock City.  Nice exposures of Franciscan rocks along the road down:  beautiful slickensides in serpentine and extensive red-bedded chert outcrops.

1-1:30 pm  Lunch at Rock City. 

2-2:30pm  We explored the vertical Eocene marine sandstone (Domengine) exposed at Rock City - the "Wind Caves".  Discussed the genesis and formation of the erosional features observed.  Walked around and on the rock exposures.

3:30? or so  Field Trip wrapped up and folks headed home.  Great Trip!  I hope that you all have a chance to go back with your friends and family - there are lots of spectacular views, lots of different trails to explore -- and you know the rocks and the geology!

Mount Diablo Field Trip Photos

Mount Diablo Field Trip Photo Albums

We will practice with the compasses tomorrow in class (not everyone got much of a chance to use them in the field).  BTW (by the way) - I found the missing Brunton compass.

Mt. Diablo Pre-trip info:

• We will meet at the top of Mt. Diablo - at the Visitor's Center
• It costs $5-10/car to enter the park
• We will walk and drive from there
• Students provide their own transportation to and from the field trip (and during the field trip)
• You'll be driving home in the dark
• Bring a pencil with an eraser and a notebook
• Pack a lunch and snacks and drinks (no alcohol)
• Be ready for hot, cold, wind, rain, fog, etc!
• Wear clothes that can get dirty
• Wear comfortable shoes that you can walk a few miles in
• Bring sunblock, a hat, a coat, etc.
• Bring a good attitude!
• Have enough gas in your car to get home (duh....)
• Geology of Mount Diablo
• Geology of Mount Diablo State Park
• The Franciscan

Mount Diablo Trip on March 4

Point Reyes

• The field trip went very well -- FANTASTIC WEATHER!!!!
  • this was a "classic" geologic road trip --
  • 10am We met at the Point Reyes Bear Valley Visitor Center 
  • brief overview of the regional geology
  • walked the Earthquake Interpretive Trail in the San Andreas Fault "Rift Zone"
  • 11:30am - lunch!
  • Next, we visited the pillow basalts exposed on Petaluma Rd
    • some was serpentinized
    • plotted location on maps
  • 1:15pm we drove on the SAFault to the south along Hwy 1 towards Bolinas Bay and the Marin Headlands
  • Drove by several outcrops of conglomerate and sandstone
  • Stopped at a great serpentine outcrop
  • Stopped at a basalt-to-blueschist outcrop
  • identified Franciscan melange "knockers"
  • Candace and Shauna found a large vein of calcite and broke it into some nice rhombohedral cleavage
  • identified a large slump/landslide just seaward of the road
  • Drove southwards over to the Marin Headlands
  • Fantastic views of the ocean; seastacks, etc.
  • 3:30 or so, arrived at the Marin Headlands
  • spent an hour or so inspecting several very nice exposures of folded red-bedded chert
    • sketched the outcrop folds
    • measured the strike and dip in various places
    • practiced with the Brunton geologic compass
    • plotted location on maps
  • 4:30pm, people started heading home 
  • Shauna, Linda, Lydonna, James and myself drove further along the road and stopped at a great overlook of the Golden Gate Bridge (also a nice folded chert outcrop)
  • When you get a chance to go back:
    • there is a black sand beach off of the road along the Marin headlands
    • Rodeo Beach has chert pebbles, shark's teeth and worn glass pebbles -- very cool sand!
  • I finally arrive home at 7:20pm and I am bushed!  Left the house at 7am!
  • Thanks to all who attended -- you were a great group -- thanks for the interested attitudes.... its a good thing that most of you like rocks  :)

For those who could not come, check out the websites below:

• Point Reyes Geology - PRINT THIS ONE
  • More Detailed Point Reyes Geology - PRINT THIS ONE
  • Some Pictures and Brief Geology info
• Point Reyes National Seashore Homepage
  • How to get there! - PRINT THIS ONE
  • From the East Bay 
• Marin Headlands - PRINT THIS ONE
  • Map - make sure that you print this map! - PRINT THIS ONE
• Ring Mountain Geology
  • Photo Stratigraphic Column
  • The Franciscan Melange - PRINT THIS ONE
  • Blueschists - PRINT THIS ONE
  • Cherts - PRINT THIS ONE
  • Greywacke/Shales - PRINT THIS ONE
  • Pillow Lavas - PRINT THIS ONE
  • Where is Ring Mountain?

Point Reyes Pre-Trip Info

• meet at 10am at the Bear Valley Visitor Center in Point Reyes Park
• Bring a road map of the area with you that you can mark locations on as we move around Marin County
• Print out the maps and geology info from the links at the end of this list
• Please refer to your Roadside Geology of Northern and Central California book and let me know what your preferences are - bring your book if you have one
• This one is an all-day road trip
• give yourself 2 hours to get there and at least 2 hours to get home
• we will be driving between locations -- sometimes as much as 30-60 minutes to get from one spot to the next
• Students provide their own transportation to and from the field trip (and during the field trip)
• You'll be driving home in the dark
• Carpooling is by your own choice and arrangement - the instructor can not suggest any specific arrangements of who rides with whom (that way, the school and the instructor aren't liable)
• Bring a pencil with an eraser and a notebook
• Pack a lunch and snacks and drinks (no alcohol)
• Be ready for hot, cold, wind, rain, fog, etc!
• Wear clothes that can get dirty
• Wear comfortable shoes that you can walk a few miles in  - PRINT THIS ONE
• Bring sunblock, a hat, a coat, etc.
• Bring a good attitude!
• Have enough gas in your car to get home (duh....)
• Locations that we can visit:
  • Bear Valley Visitor Center, Point Reyes Park
    • San Andreas Fault Interpretive trail
  • Point Reyes Lighthouse (its at least a 45 minute drive to the lighthouse from the Bear Valley Visitor Center - and the same time to drive back out). - what's out there is a great view on a sunny day; conglomerate, sea stacks and whale spouts for the eagle-eyed.
  • Marin Headlands - chert, chert, chert, chert (very cool, folded chert)
    - and a GREAT view on a clear day
  • pillow basalts and Franciscan "knockers"- on one of the roads out to Point Reyes
  • Mount Tamalpais - for the view!  but its a long drive to the top (and then back down again)
• There will be a lot of driving and I need your feedback as to how much of this we try and do
• Assignment: Get a road map of the Marin Headlands/Mt. Tamalpais/Pt. Reyes areas. 
  Locate the places listed above and add up the mileage between places.
  Bring your map to class on the 26th. (if you can't attend class, bring your map to the field trip)
• Point Reyes Geology - PRINT THIS ONE
  • Link 1
  • More Detailed Point Reyes Geology - PRINT THIS ONE
• Point Reyes National Seashore Homepage
  • How to get there! - PRINT THIS ONE
  • From the East Bay 
• Marin Headlands - PRINT THIS ONE
  • Map - make sure that you print this map! - PRINT THIS ONE
• Ring Mountain Geology
  • Photo Stratigraphic Column
  • The Franciscan Melange - PRINT THIS ONE
  • Blueschists - PRINT THIS ONE
  • Cherts - PRINT THIS ONE
  • Greywacke/Shales - PRINT THIS ONE
  • Pillow Lavas - PRINT THIS ONE
  • Where is Ring Mountain?

Coastal Geology Field Trip 
  Sunday, April 29 10am

• The field trip went extremely well.  
  • The weather was spectacularly sunny and clear (I expected fog along the coast)
  • note: no park entrance or parking fee
• Around 10am, students started exploring the geology of the area
  • students explored and sketch-mapped either singly or in pairs
  • sketch-mapping the beach area (tide-pool strata and cliffs).
  • noting rock type and orientation (including strike and dip)
  • The syncline was very well-exposed
    • we measured strike and dip and plotted these on the sketches
• 11:45am - lunch
• followed by a discussion of the rock types found and the structural geology of the area
  • including the syncline, the overlying horizontal poorly-lithofied beach strata and the location of the San Gregorio/Seal Cove Fault
  • tidepool strata included mudstone, sandstone, siltstone, conglomerate, fossiliferous sandstone, cherty shale, etc.
  • float: Montara granite (granodiorite) (- note that this was beginning to acquire a slight foliation) -- also noted that this is the basement bedrock of this western side of the San Andreas Fault -- this rock came from southern California and has been moved north by transform plate tectonics
  • Franciscan chert rip-rap (imported)
  • cliffs: younger, horizontal poorly-lithofied sandstone strata; Shauna noted cross-bedding
  • iron-red calcite crystals
  • boring clam (creates most of those cool holes in the rocks)
  • orange tubastrea coral skeleton
  • coraline algae skeletons
  • interesting black organic coating on granite boulders down near the syncline
  • Note: The Seal Cove Fault passes just seaward of the syncline, goes through the chert rip-rap (just misses that lady's house), crosses the trail-entrance  and crosses the creek, and follows the landward side of the ridge just southwest of the parking lot.
• 1:30pm we headed towards Devil's Slide to see what the new road and pullouts look like
  • stopped along the road to inspect the extremely weathered and  fault-crushed Montara granite (granodiorite)
  • no further safe pullouts for the amount of traffic on the road today; drove through the Devil's Slide area and turned around at Pacifica
  • noted the thinly-bedded rocks in the Devil's Slide area -- uplifted deeper sea-floor mudstones and siltstones (actually these layers are properly called turbidites from a submarine fan deposit)
  • discussed the history of Devil's Slide and the issues with Highway 1 and Sea Cliff Retreat, a Dip-Slope, and faulted rocks!
• 2:30-3pm we dispersed for home following our own paths (ours took 2 hours to get to the junction of 92 and 880... sigh -- at least the weather was fantastic)
• Thanks again to all for coming! 
  You were a great group. 
  Our Fitzgerald/Moss Beach Photos

Pre-Trip Info

• We will meet at Fitzgerald Marine Reserve at 10am
• I think that it costs $5-10/car to enter the park
• Bring a road map of the area with you that you can mark locations on as we move around the Half Moon Bay Area
• Print out the maps and geology info from the links at the end of this list
  • students are expected to arrive with a basic understanding of the regional geology and stratigraphy - to include the Seal Cove/San Gregario Fault, the Purisima Formation, the Montara Granite, etc. -- see the links that I have provided below and search the internet for more information.
• Read the entire checklist below.
• We will be spending the morning at the Marine Reserve and we will eat lunch there.
  • we will explore the rocks exposed in the cliffs and in the beach
  • there is a syncline where we should be able to use the Brunton compasses
  • students will map and sketch the geology, stratigraphy and structure
  • geology majors will construct a stratigraphic column (it is their responsibility to find out what that is before they show up...)  Others who are interested may also construct a stratigraphic column if they wish.
  • tidepool critter exploration optional and time-dependent
• In the afternoon, if the road is open, we will explore the exposures at Devil's Slide if the road conditions allow us to pull-off the road.
• I checked the tides - and it looks great for the day and time we will be there; however, this also means that hundreds of other school field trips will also probably show up to take advantage of the low tide....  therefore, it will probably be crowded even if the weather is foggy, rainy or windy. 
• I highly recommend getting there EARLY -- or you may have to park far away and walk in.
• Please explore and research the geology and stratigraphy before you come.
• Bring printouts of maps and information that you find about the geology of the area.
• Please refer to your Roadside Geology of Northern and Central California book and let me know what your preferences are - bring your book if you have one
• This one is an all-day trip
• give yourself 2 hours to get there and at least 2 hours to get home
• we may be driving between locations -- sometimes as much as 30-60 minutes to get from one spot to the next
• Students provide their own transportation to and from the field trip (and during the field trip)
• You'll be driving home in the dark
• Carpooling is by your own choice and arrangement - the instructor can not suggest any specific arrangements of who rides with whom (that way, the school and the instructor aren't liable)
• Bring a pencil with an eraser and a notebook
• Bring a pencil with an eraser and a notebook
• Pack a lunch and snacks and drinks (no alcohol)
• Be ready for hot, cold, wind, rain, fog, etc!
• Wear clothes that can get dirty
• Wear comfortable shoes that you can walk a few miles in
• Bring sunblock, a hat, a coat, etc.
• Bring a good attitude!
• Have enough gas in your car to get home (duh....)
• Great 3-D coastal view with faults marked
• Purisima Formation
  • Link 1 
  • USGS Coastal Geology - PRINT the maps on pages 6 and 23 (but do not print the entire file - its over 100 page - most of it references and data).
• Pigeon Point Formation
  • Pigeon Point Formation
  • Pescadero State Beach
  • Pigeon Point State Park
• Fitzgerald Marine Reserve
  • UC Davis Moss Beach Fold Exercise
  • Good Block-Diagram Structural Map - Print this one
  • Link 2 - includes directions and a map
  • Link 3 - includes direction if you scroll down the page 
  • Link 4
• Half Moon Bay Coastal Geology Map
• Devil's Slide
  • Coastal Erosion Map
  • Coastal Geology Map
  • News Article
• Bay Area Fault Map
• McNee Ranch State Park and Montara Mountain
• Ano Nuevo Geology
• Half Moon Bay Tide Predictor

Field Trip Tallies as of May 1