Geology Underfoot In Southern Idaho

Geology professor Willsey aims to inspire more Idahoans and visitors to take an interest in one of the most compelling and fascinating regions of the earth. He aims to bridge the gap between geologists and the interested public by passing along a collection of fascinating stories told by southern Idaho's rocks and landscapes. Southern Idaho's geologic history spans about 2.5 billion years--more than half that of the Earth. Chapters represent a sampling of the unique geologic features that formed during this immense amount of time. Willsey selects accessible locations that are exceptional in terms of either location or geologic history. --Publisher.

Learn about the remarkable geologic diversity of the Gem State with the completely revised, full-color edition of Roadside Geology of Idaho. Excellent graphics, spectacular photographs, and straightforward writing describe and interpret the rocks and landscapes visible outside your car window, whether you're speeding across the Snake River Plain or following a narrow canyon enroute to a weekend getaway. The authors, a trio of experienced field geologists, guide you to outcrops and roadcuts where you can stretch your legs and expand your minds. The rocks of Idaho span a vast chunk of Earth's long-lived history and tell stories with many plot twists. Time and time again, geologic processes transformed the landscape-- mountains grew to towering heights only to be leveled by erosion, vast lakes drained in massive floods when ice and sediment dams failed, and lava poured into river valleys, creating new dams. With this book as their travel companion, residents and visitors alike are sure to understand and appreciate Idaho's sprawling plains, forested hills, and deep canyons in a completely new way.

Standing before any of southern Utah's enigmatic landforms, it's clear, there's a story here. This reference explores the stories behind 33 sites, some world-famous, others off the beaten path. Includes 146 black-and-white photographs, 31 maps, 37 black-and-white figures, bibliography, glossary, and index.

The introductory section of the book has an overview of the geology of the Pacific Northwest to give the necessary background and context for understanding the origin and evolution of large-scale landscapes. The Theory of Plate Tectonics revolutionized every aspect of earth science when it was formulated in the 1960s. This great unifying theory gave us a conceptual understanding of the origin and evolution of the major features of the continents and ocean basins. Throughout most of geological time archipelagos and microcontinents (the building blocks) have accreted to continents and continents have broken apart by rifting. Few continental margins of the Earth have been as affected by these processes as the American West. The Introduction also includes a timeline for the important events through geologic time and an overview of the common rocks and minerals of Idaho. Part two features geologic provinces and major rock types occurring in Idaho, and in many cases, extending over other States in the American West. Geologically significant landforms and features are scattered throughout Idaho and adjacent states. Many of these features are scientifically significant because they are among the best examples of their kind regionally, nationally, and in a few cases, globally. Part three describes water resources and features formed by water. Part four covers lode, placer, and gemstone deposits, using many Idaho examples.Idaho has outstanding examples of almost every type of landform, scientifically significant feature, rock type and mineral deposit. The oldest rocks are more than 2500 million years old and contain a record of many the events that transpired during that vast span of geologic time, including accretion of a significant portion of the Pacific Northwest terranes. During the last 20,000 years, Idaho has experienced major earthquakes, catastrophic floods, huge glacial ice sheets and volcanic eruptions. By visiting these diverse geologic environments, it is possible to develop a broad background in field geology applicable to understanding geology almost anyplace on earth.

In Geology Underfoot in Western Washington, the most recent addition to the Geology Underfoot series, author and geoscientist Dave Tucker narrates western Washington�s geologic tales, covering sites from it�s low-lying shorelines to its rugged mountaintops. The book�s 22 chapters, or vignettes, lead you to easily accessible stops along Washington�s highways�and some trails, too.

Although it�s also known for for wolves, bison, and stunning scenery, Yellowstone National Park was established as the world�s first national park in 1872 largely because of its geological wonders. In Geology Underfoot in Yellowstone Country, author and geologist Marc Hendrix takes you to over twenty sites in the park and surrounding region that illustrate the deep-time story of Yellowstone Country, from its early existence as a seafloor hundreds of millions of years ago to an earthquake swarm in 2008 that caused some folks to wonder if the Yellowstone Volcano was going to blow its top�again. Besides covering icons such as Old Faithful and Mammoth Hot Springs, Geology Underfoot in Yellowstone Country visits sites that are less well known but just as mind blowing, including outcrops of rock deposited by superfast incendiary flows of hot ash; the glacially sculpted grandeur of the Beartooth and Absaroka mountains witnessed along the Beartooth Highway; and the deadly Madison landslide that killed twenty-eight people in 1959. With prose tooled for the lay reader and a multitude of colorful photos and illustrations, Geology Underfoot in Yellowstone Country will help you read the landscape the way a geologist does. The Geology Underfoot series encourages you to get out of your car for an up-close look at rocks and landforms. These books inform and enlighten, no matter how much�or how little�geology you already know. What�s more, they�re simply good reading, on-site or at home.

The Appalachian Mountain chain to which the Appalachian Trail is anchored are America's classic mountains, featuring pieces of almost every major geological event in Earth's history. This amateur geologist (a chemical engineer by occupation) walked the entire trail over a period of more than 10 years, looking at the manifestations today of events millions of years ago-through a hiker's eyes. This book, reviewed before publication by three top academics in the field, provides background on the development of the rocks beneath the hiker's feet, with layperson-friendly maps and photographs.