I've been looking for videos to explain the geologic forces that created the beautiful natural sculpture of the southwest. Here they are. Thanks Shawn. Now I'm looking forward to learning about Idaho too.
Glad you found these, Scott and I hope they help you understand the geology of the western US. Let me know if there are any particular areas you are most interested in.
Thanks for the link to this video. Unfortunately, I never made it to SE Utah. I had hoped to get to the National Parks in Southern Utah, but that never worked out for me. So, I appreciate this video giving me a small glimpse of the ancestral Rockies. So they were a similar time period of the ancestral Appalachians. Until I was 13, I lived in VA. My mother had told me about the ancestral Appalachians. As I child, I couldn't visualize tall mts where my eyes showed me low rounded mts. My mother was from Illinois, and dad was from Washington state. At 13, we drove across the US by way of KS and CO. That year of 1962 was a real education for this kid. My mom decided she and I would explore a lot of the west until I went to college.
Thank you for this excellent video, teaching and hike. There are salt domes here in TX and LA gulf coast. A little town High Island is interesting. In LA there are salt mines and petroleum stores.
Always look forward to these lessons in geology. So many questions come up, but if you have time for just one. Do you have an explanation as to why some formations such as Curtis and Carmel having other names such as Slick Rock Member for Curtis, and Dewey Bridge Member for the Carmel Formation? Thanks Shawn, another wonderful lesson.
Hi MIchael. Good question. Packages of sedimentary rocks that are distinct from the surrounding rocks and represent a particular depositional environment are called formations. You named some of these but other recognizable examples include the Navajo Sandstone, Entrada Formation, Chinle Formation, etc. If a formation consists dominantly of one rock type then the rock name is included, like White Rim Sandstone. However, if the formation includes multiple rock types, it is called a formation, like the Moenkopi Formation. Formations are further divided into members (usually based on different rock types). For example, the Chinle Formation contains several such as the Shinarump Conglomerate, Owl Rock Member, Petrified Forest Member, etc. To make things even more complicated, as you move laterally from one area to another, the names of formations sometimes change even though the represent the same time and (usually) depositional environment. For example, the Navajo Sandstone (Jurassic) makes the big sandstone cliffs in Zion NP. The same sandstone is beautifully exposed west of Las Vegas at Red Rock National Conservation Area but there it is called the Aztec Sandstone. In northern Utah and Western Wyoming, the same unit is called the Nugget Sandstone. For your question, some of the members have been reassigned and found to be along to other formations. The Slickrock member is part of the Entrada Sandstone and the Dewey Bridge Member is now part of the Carmel Formation. Here is a nice summary: www.moabhappenings.com/Archives/Geology201812SimplySlickRock-Entrada.htm
@@shawnwillsey Thank you for the info. We spent the day today East of Moab (about mile marker 28 on highway 128) and up through the hills on a 4x4 trail called Dome Plateau. I suspected I was in Navajo Sandstone, but it looks so different than the Navajo Sandstone near the visitor center. It was quite confusing because we had driven past - what I think is - Entrada on the North side of the Colorado. Then we went higher in elevation and it made me confused as to why I thought I was driving on Navajo. I'm still not sure if I was right, but re-watching this video and Fisher Towers being Cutler, I now think maybe we did spend the day on Navajo. Anyway, I'm really trying since I just love this area. Thanks again.
@@shawnwillsey I just happened to watch a video by Nick Zentner about the Hailey conglomerate, and Roadside Geology of Idaho is featured. If you and Zentner got together it would be the geology equivalent of the band Toto, and I mean that as an absolute compliment.
@@markvincent522 Ha! That's so funny and great. I actually know Nick. We met at a geology field conference in 2015? way before he became a celebrity. We've emailed a bit this past year or so and he gave me a shout out or two as I was trying to connect with more folks and grow. I'll never be as prolific or ambitious as him but its cool we are each doing similar things in our own ways and in our own areas. I would love to meet up in the field and do something together. Maybe one day we can make it happen.
@@shawnwillsey That's so awesome! He seems like a cool guy and I think he might climb. He at least has a working knowledge of climbing and he seems to do videos at climbing spots like Smith Rock and Frenchman Coulee fairly regularly. You guys should do a video on the geology of the mountains in the documentary film Cliffhanger and how it contributed to all the real life climbing radness! :) I always carry my bolt gun in the mountains... Just like Stallone or Cesare Maestri. Keep kicking butt with your videos!
@@markvincent522 Yeah, I don't think Nick is climbing currently but may have at one point. A lot of climbing areas have cool geology stories so that tie is somewhat expected. Cliffhanger...don't get me started. Or the opening scene of Vertical Limit. Cringy. Rock on!
Beautiful place with a great story! Thx!
Very interesting Shawn Moab is a must visit.
Particularly enjoyed your pointing out the feature at the 4 min., something I would have walked right by.
Thanks. I love this area and the cool geologic stories it holds.
I've been looking for videos to explain the geologic forces that created the beautiful natural sculpture of the southwest. Here they are. Thanks Shawn. Now I'm looking forward to learning about Idaho too.
Glad you found these, Scott and I hope they help you understand the geology of the western US. Let me know if there are any particular areas you are most interested in.
Thanks for the link to this video. Unfortunately, I never made it to SE Utah. I had hoped to get to the National Parks in Southern Utah, but that never worked out for me. So, I appreciate this video giving me a small glimpse of the ancestral Rockies. So they were a similar time period of the ancestral Appalachians. Until I was 13, I lived in VA. My mother had told me about the ancestral Appalachians. As I child, I couldn't visualize tall mts where my eyes showed me low rounded mts. My mother was from Illinois, and dad was from Washington state. At 13, we drove across the US by way of KS and CO. That year of 1962 was a real education for this kid. My mom decided she and I would explore a lot of the west until I went to college.
Amazing scenery! Makes me miss your geology classes.
Hi Jose. Hope you are well. Keep learning and exploring.
This is amazing. I was looking at the towers and wondering why they look so muddy and different compared to the structures in Arches.
Thank you for this excellent video, teaching and hike.
There are salt domes here in TX and LA gulf coast. A little town High Island is interesting. In LA there are salt mines and petroleum stores.
LOVE IT! I've tried to memorize many of the layers found around Moab, but can never keep them straight. Or is it flat?!!!!
Always look forward to these lessons in geology.
So many questions come up, but if you have time for just one.
Do you have an explanation as to why some formations such as Curtis and Carmel having other names such as Slick Rock Member for Curtis, and Dewey Bridge Member for the Carmel Formation?
Thanks Shawn, another wonderful lesson.
Hi MIchael. Good question. Packages of sedimentary rocks that are distinct from the surrounding rocks and represent a particular depositional environment are called formations. You named some of these but other recognizable examples include the Navajo Sandstone, Entrada Formation, Chinle Formation, etc. If a formation consists dominantly of one rock type then the rock name is included, like White Rim Sandstone. However, if the formation includes multiple rock types, it is called a formation, like the Moenkopi Formation. Formations are further divided into members (usually based on different rock types). For example, the Chinle Formation contains several such as the Shinarump Conglomerate, Owl Rock Member, Petrified Forest Member, etc. To make things even more complicated, as you move laterally from one area to another, the names of formations sometimes change even though the represent the same time and (usually) depositional environment. For example, the Navajo Sandstone (Jurassic) makes the big sandstone cliffs in Zion NP. The same sandstone is beautifully exposed west of Las Vegas at Red Rock National Conservation Area but there it is called the Aztec Sandstone. In northern Utah and Western Wyoming, the same unit is called the Nugget Sandstone. For your question, some of the members have been reassigned and found to be along to other formations. The Slickrock member is part of the Entrada Sandstone and the Dewey Bridge Member is now part of the Carmel Formation. Here is a nice summary: www.moabhappenings.com/Archives/Geology201812SimplySlickRock-Entrada.htm
@@shawnwillsey Thank you for the info. We spent the day today East of Moab (about mile marker 28 on highway 128) and up through the hills on a 4x4 trail called Dome Plateau. I suspected I was in Navajo Sandstone, but it looks so different than the Navajo Sandstone near the visitor center. It was quite confusing because we had driven past - what I think is - Entrada on the North side of the Colorado. Then we went higher in elevation and it made me confused as to why I thought I was driving on Navajo. I'm still not sure if I was right, but re-watching this video and Fisher Towers being Cutler, I now think maybe we did spend the day on Navajo. Anyway, I'm really trying since I just love this area. Thanks again.
Thanks for the link. I have saved it to read myself.
Awesome place!
Have you ever been to Teepee Rocks southwest of Oakley, Idaho? I would love to hear your explanation of the place.
Yes, been there. Hope to do a video there this fall.
@@shawnwillsey looking forward to seeing what you say!
Did you climb at Fisher at all? I've always wanted to, but it seems fairly terrifying 😅
No. I was alone. I wouldn't mind trying a few of the classics but its definitely a spicy flavor of climbing. Not for the timid.
@@shawnwillsey I just happened to watch a video by Nick Zentner about the Hailey conglomerate, and Roadside Geology of Idaho is featured. If you and Zentner got together it would be the geology equivalent of the band Toto, and I mean that as an absolute compliment.
@@markvincent522 Ha! That's so funny and great. I actually know Nick. We met at a geology field conference in 2015? way before he became a celebrity. We've emailed a bit this past year or so and he gave me a shout out or two as I was trying to connect with more folks and grow. I'll never be as prolific or ambitious as him but its cool we are each doing similar things in our own ways and in our own areas. I would love to meet up in the field and do something together. Maybe one day we can make it happen.
@@shawnwillsey That's so awesome! He seems like a cool guy and I think he might climb. He at least has a working knowledge of climbing and he seems to do videos at climbing spots like Smith Rock and Frenchman Coulee fairly regularly. You guys should do a video on the geology of the mountains in the documentary film Cliffhanger and how it contributed to all the real life climbing radness! :) I always carry my bolt gun in the mountains... Just like Stallone or Cesare Maestri.
Keep kicking butt with your videos!
@@markvincent522 Yeah, I don't think Nick is climbing currently but may have at one point. A lot of climbing areas have cool geology stories so that tie is somewhat expected. Cliffhanger...don't get me started. Or the opening scene of Vertical Limit. Cringy. Rock on!