Category: Pacific Northwest geology

09-18-2021 (tentative date, Ian Miller) — Field Trip: Post-dam removal, sedimentation and salmon recovery of the Elwha River

QMPGEOeditor1

One-day field trip (car caravan) to see the Elwha River’s response to removal of its two dam 7 years ago (2014).  We’ll see one of the dissected lake basins, sedimentation alone the river’s mid-reach and the build out of the river’s delta.  We’ll try and recruit a salmon recovery expert to talk about the main reason to have done the dam removal.  Ian Miller, our primary guide, is with the SeaGrant program of the University of Washington, but resides in Port Angeles close to the action. Car caravan leaving from Port Angeles, BYO lunch, gone most of the day.  More details to follow, registration will open sometime next summer.

2021 Summer Geology Beach Walks

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We are announcing three different beach walks where you can learn more about the geology and sediments that form the bluffs and supply the beaches.

Each trip will run twice.  Because of parking and logistical difficulties, attendance is limited to about 20 participants for each trip. Here are the dates, trip details are below the registration button. Status as of JULY 9:

  • June 23, Port Williams, Sequim Bay   CLOSED
  • June 26, Nodule Point, Marrowstone Island   CLOSED
  • July 9, Nodule Point, Marrowstone Island   CLOSED 
  • July 10, Port Williams, Sequim Bay   CLOSED
  • July 23, North Beach, Port Townsend   5 spots left
  • Aug. 10, North Beach, Port Townsend  6 spots left

 

 

 

 

FORT WORDEN—NORTH BEACH, PORT TOWNSEND

  • Where: Meet at Fort Worden in the parking pad south of Battery Kinzie for a two-hour walk. State parks pass required to park here.
  • What: On the one-mile walk west towards North Beach county park, we’ll see a wide variety of glacial deposits including outwash and marine sediments, a peat layer, a “buried” forest, and glacial erratics on the beach. All are well exposed in a steep bluff at sea level. Generally, we walk up section (through younger deposits to the west). There are various return routes.
  • Leader: Kitty Reed, retired geologist, and several assistants.
  • For: Persons with limited geology background, easy walking across some bouldery section of beach.
  • To register. Download the registration form and mail with $20 check.
  • Fri. July 23, 9:30 am. Deadline to register is receipt of check and form by July 16.
  • Tues. Aug. 10, 11:00 am.  Deadline to register is receipt of check and form by Aug. 3.


PORT WILLIAMS, SEQUIM BAY

  • Where: Meet at Port Williams, NE of Sequim for a two-hour walk. Carpooling recommended; small parking lot at this county park.
  • What: We’ll see glacial deposits, including Vashon till and Possession drift, various outwash deposits, and locally derived alluvium of the Dungeness River. All are well exposed in a steep bluff at sea level.
  • Leader: Kitty Reed, retired geologist, and several assistants.
  • For: Persons with geology background. This is the least known of the three areas we’ll visit this summer. We invite active discussion. Generally easy walking
  • To register. BOTH TRIPS CLOSED.

 

NODULE POINT, MARROWSTONE ISLAND

  • Where: Meet at the East County Beach Park,  NE of Nordland on Marrowstone Island for a four-hour walk. Carpooling strongly recommended for this small (8-10 car) parking lot.
  • What: On the four-mile walk to the Point and back, we’ll see Vashon glacial till, outwash deposits, and glacial erratics. All well exposed in a steep bluff at sea level and on the beach. At the point, well see sandstone of Scow Bay, a basalt dike that intruded the sandstone, and many cemented sandstone concretions (not nodules, despite the point’s name). They are worth the long walk.
  • Leader: Michael, retired geologist, and several geohelpers.
  • For: Persons with limited geology background. This is the only walk that encounters bedrock of the three areas we’ll visit this summer.  Moderate walking across some bouldery beach, your shows will get wet.
  • To register. BOTH TRIPS CLOSED.

05-22-2021 Jennifer Pierce—Wildfires, Climate and Erosion

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On Saturday May 22, 2021 @ 4 pm, Dr. Jennifer Pierce of the Dept. of Geology at Boise State University will present a Zoom lecture on “Wildfires, Climate and Erosion in the past, present and future”.  Jennifer has been working on these topics since graduate school and will integrate these three subjects with reference to forests of the Northern Rocky Mountains. Although her studies have been concentrated in the Northern Rockies, the lessons learned apply well to the relatively arid regions of the West. Since she is speaking in late May, we could be into our fire season here in Washington, so the subject will be timely.