Geology Of The Sierra Nevada : Revised Edition

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Writing with verve and clarity, Mary Hill tells the story of the magnificent Sierra Nevada—the longest, highest, and most spectacular mountain range in the contiguous United States. Hill takes us from the time before the land which would be California even existed, through the days of roaring volcanoes, violent earthquakes, and chilling ice sheets, to the more recent history of the Sierra's early explorers and the generations of adventuresome souls who followed. The author introduces the rocks of the Sierra Nevada, which tell the mountains' tale, and explains how nature's forces, such as volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, faulting, erosion, and glaciation formed the range's world-renowned scenery and mineral wealth, including gold. For thirty years, the first edition of Geology of the Sierra Nevada has been the definitive guide to the Sierra Nevada's geological history for nature lovers, travelers, hikers, campers, and armchair explorers. This new edition offers new chapters and sidebars and incorporates the concept of plate tectonics throughout the text. * Written in easy-to-understand language for a wide audience. * Gives detailed information on where to view outstanding Sierra Nevada geology in some of the world's most beloved natural treasures and national parks, including Yosemite. * Provides specific information on places to see glaciers and glacial deposits, caves, and exhibits of gold mines and mining equipment, many from Gold Rush times. * Superbly illustrated with 117 new color illustrations, 16 halftones, 39 line illustrations, and 12 maps, and also features an easy-to-use, interactive key for identifying rocks and a glossary of geological terms.

E-Book Content

C A L I F O R N I A N AT U R A L H I S T O R Y G U I D E S G E O L O G Y O F T H E S I E R R A N E VA D A California Natural History Guides Phyllis M. Faber and Br uce M. Pavlik, General Editors GEOLOGY of the Mar y Hill University of California Press, one of the most distinguished university presses in the United States, enriches lives around the world by advancing scholarship in the humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences. Its activities are supported by the UC Press Foundation and by philanthropic contributions from individuals and institutions. For more information, visit www.ucpress.edu. California Natural Histor y Guide Series No. 80 University of California Press Berkeley and Los Angeles, California University of California Press, Ltd. London, England © 2006 by the Regents of the University of California Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Hill, Mary. Geology of the Sierra Nevada / Mary R. Hill.— Rev. ed. p. cm. — (California natural history guides ; 80) Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 0-520-23695-5 — ISBN 0-520-23696-3 1. Geology—Sierra Nevada (Calif. and Nevada). 2. Sierra Nevada (Calif. and Nev.). I. Title. II. Series. QE90.S5H54 2006 557.94′4—dc22 Manufactured in China 10 09 08 07 06 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 2004006947 3 2 1 The paper used in this publication meets the minimum requirements of ANSI/NISO Z39.48–1992 (R 1997) (Permanence of Paper).A Title Page: Mount Whitney (14,496 ft [4,418 m]) and adjacent mountains through an arch in the Alabama Hills. Whitney is near the center of the arch; to the left are Keeler Needle (14,240 ft [4,340 m]), Day Needle (14,080 ft [4,292 m]), and Third Needle (14,080 ft [4,292 m]). In many lists of high peaks, all four are grouped under “Mount Whitney.” The Alabama Hills, made of granitic rock like the Whitney group, look very old and worn. Worn they are, but their rock is roughly the same age as that in Mount Whitney—84 million years—despite the legend that they are the oldest rocks in the Sierra Nevada. The oldest roc