Geology Lab/Field Assignment

1. A Trip from Tamarack Lake to Red Lake
Jazmyn Dalton
Field Assignment
Summer 2016

3. Pine Trees
There are about 100 species
in the pine tree family. They
are easily known for their
needle like leaves that grow in
a bundle (fascicle) and pine-
cones that grow. Pine trees
are evergreen meaning that
they always have some
leaves. They have adapted to
be able to survive in many
conditions including freezing,
dry, and hot. The needles are
covered in a waxy substance
(cuticle) which reduces water
loss. It is believed that pine
trees originated here in North
America as this is where about
70 species are found. The
oldest fossile of a pinecone is
from about 130 million years
ago and is very similar looking
to modern day pinecones.
(science.jrank.org)

4. Whitetail Deer
Whitetail deer are some of the most
common deer we have. They are
believed to evolved from a pig-like
creature about 30 million years ago.
About 15 million years ago they crossed
the bridge from Asia to Alaska. These
animals are truly amazing. They are able
to adapt to so many different habitats
from our beautiful mountains to wetlands
or desserts. These animals are
herbivores and their teeth have adapted
for chewing plant material. I am
assuming the deer I saw was a male
deer due to the antlers, which get shed
each year as they grow larger. However,
it is possible for a doe to have antlers
and does occur in about 1 in every
1,000. The does that have antlers have
them for life and remain small and in
velvet rather than shedding.
(montclaire.edu)

5. Sierra Nevada Mountains
Our beautiful Sierra Nevada Mountain Ranges are still considered young in geological
terms. They began with an arc of volcanoes that erupted pushing up some of the
granite rocks we are all so used to seeing. Erosion was also taking place showing
more of the granitic rock. Then the continental crust began to stretch this broke the
ranges and gave us the valley and mountain ranges we see today. (usgs.gov) Then
there was a series of uplifting and down-dropping on the East the mountains began to
grow some more. Then the “Ice Age” hit and glaciers grew, as they made their way
down they created the “u” shaped valleys that we see today. It was not just one thing
that went into the creation of the Sierra Nevada Mountains like this one above but
rather many things over the last 80 million years or so. (Monroe 2009)

6. Sierra Nevada Mountains
Our beautiful Sierra Nevada Mountain Ranges are still considered young in geological
terms. They began with an arc of volcanoes that erupted pushing up some of the
granite rocks we are all so used to seeing. Erosion was also taking place showing
more of the granitic rock. Then the continental crust began to stretch this broke the
ranges and gave us the valley and mountain ranges we see today. (usgs.gov) Then
there was a series of uplifting and down-dropping on the East the mountains began to
grow some more. Then the “Ice Age” hit and glaciers grew, as they made their way
down they created the “u” shaped valleys that we see today. It was not just one thing
that went into the creation of the Sierra Nevada Mountains like this one above but
rather many things over the last 80 million years or so. (Monroe 2009)

8. This rock formation was found
next to the forestale divide above
Red Lake but and before Blue
Lakes. These are in the Sierra
Nevada mountains. This rock is
igneous rock, it is granite rock
which is what the Sierra Nevada
Mountains are covered in.
Although the way it is breaking
off it has the appearance of
Shale. A combination of both is
very possible. While the granite
is igneous the Shale is
sedimentary and can be
inclusions in the granite. We can
see that we have dark inclusions
in the rock. The rock is aphanitic,
it is not shiny. This rock is diorite
as it is very coarse. This rock is
currently experiencing chemical
weathering and is getting smaller
and smaller as the rock breaks
apart. This is helped by the
lichen both orange and gray in
color covering the rock feeding
off of it.

9. Quartz
Quartz is another very common rock
found in the Sierra Nevada Mountains.
This Rock was found near Red Lake.
Igneous rock. Crystal form.
Nonmetallic luster. Poor cleavage, the
breaks and splits are irregular.
Hardness of about 5. Quartz is
considered a mineral. Made by cooler lava

10. The piece of granite is found
on the shore of Tamarack
Lake. It is one of three
spherical small granite masses
about the size of a car mat.
When the Earth was younger
this area was covered in this
granite. Over time erosion and
weathering has occurred
causing there to only be pieces
left. This granite is primarily
composed of potassium
feldspar, plagioclase feldspar,
and of course quartz. You can
see a large growth of quartz in
the middle of the rock where it
had previously cracked and
then was filled in with the
quartz. High is silica.
Mechanical weathering caused
by water has helped this rock
break down.

11. Gold is found heavily in Northern California as well. This rock which appears to be gold inside a
bit of quartz. This rock was found on the beach of Upper Blue Lake. It is spherical probably due
to the water weathering it. The yellowing appears to be gold which is often found in and near
quartz. This can happen when it is forming as well as after if is formed and some
cleavage/breaking occurs and the gold can find its way inside the crevasses. Gold is quite
malleable and does not rate very high on the hardness scale.

12. Part 3
Wet Meadows Resevior Upper Sunset Lake

13. These are some of the Sierra Nevada Mountain ranges. On the
Pacific Crest Trail near Blue Lakes. In these rocks we see more
mechanical weathering caused by frost wedging. We can also see
Sheet joints on the far right side that are causing the rounded area
that we see. It looks as though the rocks have been deposited
horizontally (Principle of Original Horizontality) Due to glaciers and
erosion we see lost of dimension in the rock formation.

14. This rock formations shows
nonconformity. We see the erosion
between the sedimentary rock on
top with the igneous granite
underneath. The reddened soil
helps in giving us a hint that the
erosion may be quite old. The
sedimentary rocks are younger than
the igneous rocks which also shows
us the nonconformity.

15. Citations
Sierra Nevada Mountain Facts. Retrieved July 19, 2016
Http://geomaps.wr.usgs.gov/parks/province/pacifmt.html
Pine Tree Facts. Retrieved July 20, 2016 http://science.jrank.org
White Tail Deer. Retrieved July 24, 2016 http://montclaire.edu
Monroe, J. S., & Wicander, R. (2009). The changing Earth: Exploring geology &
evolution (5th ed.). Belmont, CA: Brooks/Cole, Cengage Learning.