Geography 5 Lab

Photo Journal

Steven Li

November 30, 2012

Trip One – October 6, 2012

• Mormon Rocks

• Cinder Hill

• Fossil Falls

Mormon Rocks - Formation Sitting on the San Andreas fault, Moron Rocks was formed from the

movement North American and Pacific Plates over thousands of

years.

Mormon Rocks

Steven Li

Mormon Rocks – Granular Structure The rocks are composed of sedimentary rock and after thousands

of years, gravel can be seen throughout the layers.

Gravel Deposits

Steven Li

Mormon Rocks – Stream Bed The stream bed located next to the Mormon Rocks. During heavy

rainfall, water from the adjacent mountains would run through this

stream bed.

Mormon Rocks

Stream Bed

Steven Li

Mormon Rocks – San Andreas Rift Zone Located off the 15 Freeway and Highway 138, the San Andreas Rift

Zone can be seen in the stream bed next to the Mormon Rocks.

The San Andreas fault is a “strike-slip” fault, in which the two plates

strike each other while moving in opposite directions to form the rift

zone.

San Andreas Rift Zone

Steven Li

Cinder Hill Located in the Coso Volcanic Field, Cinder Hill or Red Hill is a

cinder cone volcano.

Cinder Hill

Steven Li

Cinder Hill – Lava Flow Lava flow can be seen in the hills next to Cinder Hill. The lava flow

is made of basaltic lava which gives off a reddish color.

Lava Flow

Steven Li

Fossil Falls – Stream Bed The dried up stream bed where Owens River once flowed through.

Fossil Falls Stream Bed

Steven Li

Fossil Falls With glacier melt water flowing over the basaltic lava flow, Fossil

Falls was created. Over the years, the water flow smoothened and

shaped the Falls into what it is today.

Fossil Falls

Steven Li

Fossil Falls – Metate Holes One of the distinct features of Fossil Falls are the Metate Holes.

The Metate Holes were formed when debris flowed through the

river, hitting the same area in circular motions. The continuous

motion eventually carved out the Metate Holes. Sizes of the holes

range from a grapefruit to a soccer ball, or even bigger.

Metate Holes

Steven Li

Fossil Falls – Obsidian Flakes Native American that once inhabited the region created weapons,

such as arrowheads, and tools from the abundant obsidian found

near the volcanoes. Large chunks were brought back and worked

with near the river. This lead to the litter of obsidian all around and

in the river bed.

Obsidian Flakes

Steven Li

Fossil Falls – Petroglyph Petroglyphs are images or shapes created by carving or marking

the surface of a rock. The petroglyph was created by a Native

American thousands of years ago. The meaning of the petroglyph

is debated. Theories of the meaning include a image of the

surrounding animal (big-horn sheep) to a form of witchcraft.

Petroglyphs

Steven Li

Fossil Falls – House Rings House Rings were created by the Native Americans that used to

inhabit the area. The rings of rock were used to signify living

quarters. The size of the ring are about the size of three full sized

adults.

House Rings

Steven Li

Trip Two – November 16-18, 2012

• Diaz Lake • June Lake Loop

• Mono Lake • Mt. Whitney

• Panum Crater • Owens River

• Keoughs Hot Springs • Manzana

• Convict Lake • Eastern California

Museum

Diaz Lake Diaz Lake was created by the 1872 earthquake in Lone Pine. The

earthquake caused the land to drop off about 20ft. The drop off was

then filled with water that ran off into it, creating the lake. The

technical term for this type of lake is called a sag pond.

Diaz Lake

Steven Li

Diaz Lake – Lone Pine Fault At the base of the Alabama Hills is the Lone Pine Fault. The

severity of the earthquake caused a tremendous amount of

damage that leveled buildings of the neighboring towns. There

were 29 deaths reported for the city of Lone Pine, though the exact

number is not confirmed.

Lone Pine Fault

Alabama Hills

Steven Li

Mono Lake – Islands Two islands reside in Mono Lake – Negit and Paoha Island. Negit

is the older of the two islands and is composed dark lava flow

rocks. It is also an important nesting ground for migratory birds.

The bigger of the two, Paoha is a volcano – having only errupted

between 100 to 230 years ago.

Mono Lake

Negit Island Paoha Island

Steven Li

Mono Lake – Shorelines Three different shorelines can be seen from the transformation of

Mono Lake. 1) The ancient shoreline of Mono Lake which showed

how massive he lake was thousands of years ago. 2) The old

shoreline after Los Angeles diverted water 350 miles from the lake

to the city of Los Angeles. 3) The current and unfortunate shoreline.

Mono Lake - Shorelines

1

2 3

Steven Li

Mono Lake – Tufa formations Tufa towers appear all round the shore and even in the lake. They

are created when calcium-rich springs flow up from the bottom of

the lake. The calcium bonds with carbonates in the water forming

calcium carbonate, which is a type of limestone. Together, the

limestone builds on itself, eventually creating the tufa.

Mono Lake – Tufa

Steven Li

Mono Lake – Tufa formations Additional tufa formations.

Mono Lake – Tufa

Steven Li

Panum Crater Found off the shoreline of Mono Lake. Note picture here – the lava

plug in the middle of the crater is made of rhyolitic lava rock.

Panum Crater

Steven Li

Convict Lake The lake was created from the glaciers which carved out a cirque.

As the glaciers melted, water filled the cavity which is known as

Convict Lake. The lake got its name when in the 1870s, a group of

convicts escaped prison and were found and hanged at the lake.

Convict Lake

Steven Li

Convict Lake – Lateral & Terminal Moraines Lateral and terminal moraines are hillsides of debris caused by the

glaciers. As the glaciers were pulled down by gravity, the debris

(moraines) of rock, dirt, and everything else in its path were

created.

Convict Lake

Terminal Moraine

Lateral Moraines

Steven Li

Convict Lake – Oldest Rock Formations Not seen in this picture due to clouds. The oldest rock formations in

the Sierras are found in the mountains near Convict Lake. The age

of the rock dates back to the Paleozoic era and are different colors

due to pressure and extreme heat changes.

Convict Lake

Steven Li

Keoughs Hot Springs The hot springs were created due the earthquake activity of the

area. As water flows through the cracks created by the earthquake,

it is heated by the underground volcanic activity and pushed back

up as heat rises.

Keoughs Hot Springs

Steven Li

June Lake Loop – Grant Lake Grant Lake with moraines on both sides.

Grant Lake

Moraines

Steven Li

June Lake Loop – Silver Lake Silver Lake with frozen waterfall in background.

Silver Lake

Frozen Waterfall

Steven Li

Mt. Whitney The elevation of Mt. Whitney reaches 14,505ft. It is the tallest

mountain in the contiguous United States.

Mt. Whitney

Steven Li

Mt. Whitney – Orographic Effect The orographic effect can be seen here in Lone Pine, below Mt.

Whitney. The orographic effect occurs when moist air is pushed up

the side of a mountain causing rain/snow on those mountains. As

the air passes the mountains, a rain shadow is created where the

air warms and dries, leaving sparse amounts of precipitation.

Mt. Whitney

Orographic Effect

Steven Li

Inyo-White Mountains Seen from Manzanar, the Inyo-White mountain range sits in the

rain shadow of the Eastern Sierras.

Inyo-White Mountains

Steven Li

Inyo-White Mountains – Alluvial Fan Alluvial Fan located on the Inyo White Mountains.

Inyo-White Mountains

Alluvial Fan

Steven Li

Owens River – Swallow Nests Owens River with swallow nests just under the overpass of the

river.

Owens River

Swallows Nests

Steven Li

Owens River – Benchmark A benchmark located at Owens River. These serve as a precise pin

point of where this disk is located.

Owens River

Steven Li

Bristlecone Trees Located on the Inyo-White Mountains, but not seen in this picture.

Bristlecone trees are known to be the oldest living organisms

among other living organisms. They are able to live for around

5000 years.

Bristlecone Trees

Steven Li

Manzanar – Guard Shack One two still standing guard shacks located at Manzanar. During

World War II, Manzanar was used an internment camp to hold

Japanese American citizens. They were told that it would be

temporary, but were forced leave everything behind and start over

in the camps. Some were lucky to have left after the war, but many

died from the climate and diseases, even children.

Manzanar

Steven Li

Manzanar – Various Plaques Manzanar sign located at the entrance of Manzanar.

Manzanar

Steven Li

Manzanar – Various Plaques Historical Landmark No. 850. The plaque gives a brief description

of Manzanar and the history behind it.

Manzanar

Steven Li

Manzanar – Various Plaques Blue Star Memorial Highway plaque. This plaque was placed in

honor of the American Japanese who served in the Armed Forces

during World War II.

Manzanar

Steven Li

Manzanar – Roundabout Planter Just past the guard shacks sits a planter in the middle of the

roundabout. Names of the American Japanese citizens were

stamped into the cement after they build it.

Manzanar

Steven Li

Manzanar – Building foundations Surrounding the planter are foundations were building in Manzanar

once stood. They are marked by rocks that outline where the

foundations are.

Manzanar

Building Foundation

Steven Li

Eastern California Museum The story about a girl. With the rich history of Manzanar at the

museum, I thought this photo and the story behind was interesting.

The girl (then unnamed) in the photo was lucky enough to have left

Manzanar with her family. She later grew up to graduate college

with a masters in theatre and started her own family.

Eastern California Museum

Steven Li

THIS MARKS THE END OF THE

PHOTO JOURNAL

Continue for In Transit-Optional photos

Garlock Fault The fault is named after the historic mining town of Garlock and is

the second longest fault line in California.

Joshua Trees

Creosote Bush and Burrowweed Grass

Mine Tailings Mine tailings are extracted mineral from the mining facilities near

by. After extraction, they are hauled off an dumped in the fields.

Owens Dry Lake Owens Dry Lake is dry because of the river water being diverted

into the Los Angeles Aqueduct.

California Aqueduct

Doppler Radar Tower The purpose of these Doppler Radar Towers is to measure

precipitation and wind of the surrounding area.

Steven Li

Solar Power Plant The name of this solar power plant is Kramer Junction Solar

Electric Generating Station.

Steven Li

THE END

All photographs with a Steven Li name stamp are property of Steven Li. Photographs without the name stamp have been provided by

Professor Schmidt.