2. Field Trip One
Mormon Rocks
Mormon Rocks was
formed due to erosion
that happened
overtime through rain
and snow. This is how
Mormon rocks gets its
layers. The reason for
its holes is because
there used to be large
rocks inside and they
fell out. Mormon
Rocks is made from
sandstone. It lies
along the San Andreas
Rift Zone.
3. Mormon Rocks
Granular Structure
The granular
structure if
Mormon Rocks is
made from
sandstone. As
shown in the
photo we can see
little rocks (some
larger than others).
The reason for its
holes is because
there were other
larger rocks inside
which fell off.
4. Mormon Rocks
San Andreas Rift Zone
This is the San
Andreas Rift Zone.
This is here because
the Pacific plate is
moving north and the
North American plate
is moving South. This
is what we call a
transform fault plate
boundary.
5. Cinder Hill
Cinder Hill is a Cinder
Cone Volcano. This
Particular volcano
last erupted some
500 years ago. Its
remains contain
basalt which gives it
its red color. There
are rocks here that
have been thrown
out of the volcano
called scoria which
contain tiny holes
due to volcanic
gasses.
6. Cinder Hill
Lava Flows
Lava flows
The lava flows are made of basalt which is a rock that has lots of little holes in it due to
the heat from the volcano. All the gasses get trapped inside the lava making little
bubbles and when the lava turns to stone we get these little holes. The lava flows not
only came from Cinder cone but from the chain of volcanoes called Coso Mountain
Range to the East.
Lava flow wall
7. Fossil Falls
Stream Bed
This stream bed is
called fossil falls.
This place was home
to the Native
Americans and they
used to thrive here
with its raging
waters. The water
has dried now only
leaving us with
these rocks that
have been softened
and smoothed out
by the water that
used to pass through
here.
8. Fossil Falls
Fossil Falls was
created by the
lava flows that
came from cinder
hill and other
neighboring
volcanoes. The
Owens River that
ran through here
Smoothed and
polished the
rocks. This is a
waterfall that
drops down to
forty feet.
9. Fossil Falls
Metate Holes
These metate holes
were made from the
holes that are caused
from the volcanic
gasses and from the
water that ran
through here which
was the Owens River.
This stone is called
basalt.
10. Fossil Falls
Obsidian Flakes
These obsidian flakes
litter the ground near
the volcano because
they were ejected from
the volcano at the time
of eruption. These are
made of obsidian which
is a type of glass. It is
very smooth and the
Native Americans used
to use this glass for
arrowheads.
11. Fossil Falls
Petroglyph
This petroglyph which is a drawing made by
the Native Americans telling a story shows
us a big horned sheep that is now
endangered. Perhaps they were thriving
long ago. The bottom picture might be that
of a shaman which is a leader or a medicine
man. This painting is proof that the natives
used to live here and they tell us their story
through this petroglyph.
12. Fossil Falls
House Rings
These house rings are
another piece of
evidence that show us
how the Native
Americans used to live.
They would build their
huts/teepee’s around
these rocks called house
rings. The entrance of
their home would face
east facing the rising
sun.
13. Field Trip Two
Mt. Whitney Interagency Visitors Center
Mt. Whitney
Elevation 3686.2 ft.
This is Mt. Whitney it was great
importance because it is part of the
Sierra Nevadas. They cast a rain
shadow over the Inyo-White
Mountains which gives them a lack
of vegetation, rainfall and snow.
14. Mt. Whitney
Orographic Effect
As we can see there a great difference between Mt.
Whitney’s tall pointy peaks and the Inyo’s and their
brown dull hills. The Inyo-White Mountains lack
vegetation because Mt. Whitney casts a rain shadow
over the Inyo-White Mountains which reduces the
amount of rain they get hence the lack of vegetation.
Inyo-White MountainsMt. Whitney
17. Diaz Lake
This lake was caused by
a huge earthquake the
earth cracked and made
a big hole. This is how
Diaz Lake was formed.
18. Manzanar
Guard Shack and Plaques
Housing for the Japanese at
the camp
The Japanese were placed here for about 5 years.
They had them arrive and build everything themselves.
They tore them apart from their families and they did
this because the Americans were afraid of what had
happened at Pearl Harbor and were just doing this to
protect themselves from the Japanese that already
lived here.
20. Mammoth Rest Area
Beetle Bark Infestation
The beetle bark infested forest has
beetles that have gone inside the bark
of these trees and destroyed them
causing them to become weak and
break.
These marks on this piece of bark indicate
the damage that has been caused by the
beetle.
21. Mono Lake
and Islands
Mono lake has two
islands one of them is
a volcano. The
volcanic lava has
formed this volcano
under water and has
caused it to get to the
surface and create an
island.
Volcanic
Island
Regular
Island
22. Mono Lake
Former Shorelines
Mono Lake has former
shorelines. The evidence is that
we can see an exposed
shoreline, the vegetation is
different on the outskirts of the
lake compared to the actual
shoreline we see now, and the
tufas are out of the water
indication of former water levels.
Different vegetation, larger
bushes on the outskirts,
smaller plants as you approach
the lake.
Exposed
Shoreline
23. Mono Lake
Former Shore Lines
Tufa’s are out of
water and the
vegetation is
different.
Exposed tufas
Different
Vegetation
24. Mono Lake
Tufa Formations
Calcium Carbonate
Limestone and Calcium Carbonate
forms in the water bubbling from
under the lake along the fault, the
two mix and form tufa.
26. Convict Lake
Convict Lake was
created by a moraine.
A moraine can be
caused by an
earthquake causing
rocks to create a
pathway or a type of
space that can be filled
with water like Convict
Lake.
27. Convict Lake
Lateral and Terminal Moraine
Lateral and Terminal
Moraine are created by
avalanche and then lake
is formed.
28. Convict Lake
Oldest Rock Formations
Oldest rock
formations are
formed at the peak
because everything
gets pushed up. The
youngest part of
earth is towards the
bottom.
29. Keoughs Hot Springs
The stream is hot
because there is a
crack in the ground
that reaches down
to the depths of
earth and as it is
known the closer
you get to the
center of the earth
the hotter it gets
so it is hot because
the water reaches
down to where it is
hot. The higher
you go up the
creek the hotter it
gets.
30. June Lake Loop
Grant Lake/Moraines
Island inside Grant Lake,
moraine present around the lake.
Grant Lake open view of the rest of the
lake.
35. Eastern California Museum
I found it Interesting
how many of these
shoppes and houses are
still in pretty good
condition. I liked it so
much that me and
Eddie decided to reinact
the American Gothic
Painting since he
happened to find a
pitchfork!
36. Eastern California Museum
I also found this printing
press! I found it to be
very interesting
because I didn’t really
know how huge these
things were!!! I’m glad I
was able to see one in
person!
37. Extra Credit
Cucamonga alluvial fan
Alluvial fans are created
when water passes
down a hill or mountain
and it creates a fan
shape.
43. Extra Credit
Mine Tailings
These mine shafts were used by the early settlers and they
used to mine for gold. The pile of dirt on the right is made
of minerals which gives them their pretty colors. The red is
made from iron, green from copper, and yellow from sulfur.
45. Extra Credit
Owens Dry Lake
Owens Lake is dry because L.A. took all of its water!!!
The townspeople destroyed their aqueduct lots of
times. L.A. took the water from streams that led to it
since this was a salt water lake.
