2021 Summer—Three Geology Beach Walks and Detailed Guides
We led three different beach walks where you can learn more about the geology and sediments that form the bluffs and supply the beaches. Each trip ran twice. Because of parking and logistical difficulties, attendance was limited to about 20 participants for each trip. Field trip guides are available for downloading. This are preliminary and dynamic; we may update them as more information becomes available.
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 download the guide, 2021 NB bluff guide final.
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 download the guide, click this link (2021 Port Williams walkers guide).
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 download the guide, click this link
On Saturday May 22, 2021 @ 4 pm, Dr. Jennifer Pierce of the Dept. of Geology at Boise State University presented 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.