2. I recently visited the northern part of the Truckee river
and the surrounding area that included Amacker
Ranch.
This is a very beautiful area that demonstrates many
geological aspects including varies rocks, plants, trees,
and geological structures.
3.
4. Conglomerate rocks are a clastic sedimentary rock that
contains large rounded particles (Geology.com).
The space between the pebbles is generally filled with
smaller particles and/or a chemical cement that binds
the rock together (Geology).
This rock looks to have formed from mechanical
weathering debris as pebbles and sand combined
together to create this rock.
5.
6. The Jeffrey pine is the dominant conifer in the Lake
Tahoe basin (Macrae).
“This species and ponderosa pine are the only Tahoe
Basin pines that bear needles in bundles of three, and
their length (up to 10″) and blue-green color also help
to distinguish at a distance these two species from the
other Tahoe Basin pines (Macrae).”
This particular Jeffrey pine has experienced
considerable weathering effects as seen by the almost
branchless left side and branch heavy right side.
7.
8. In this portion of the Truckee River there is clear
evidence that massive erosion has occurred.
The bank on the left has eroded bank a considerable
amount causing multiply trees(far side of bank) to fall
into the river.
This erosion has most likely occurred because of the
force of the river but also due to the often harsh winter
conditions.
9.
10. Granodiorite is a coarse-grained, intrusive igneous
rock, similar to granite.
It contains quartz and plagioclase feldspar
(Geology.com).
Granodiorites are extremely common in the Sierra
Nevada Mountains along the Nevada-California
Border(Geology.com).
11.
12. This is just a small part of the massive Sierra Nevada
Mountains.
This mountain ranged formed when the Pacific Ocean
Plate was pushed under (subducted) the North
American Plate(TIIMS).
Glaciers, winter weather, and erosion have since
formed the Sierra Nevada Mountains that we see today
(TIIMS).
13. (2005, January). In Geology.com: Rocks. Retrieved July
29, 2012, from http://geology.com/rocks/
Macrae, T. C. (2009, March 28). In Trees of Lake
Tahoe-The Pines. Retrieved July 29, 2012, from
https://beetlesinthebush.wordpress.com/2009/03/28/
trees-of-lake-tahoe-the-pines/
(2011, January). In TIIMS: Geology. Retrieved July 29,
2012, from
http://eh2o.saic.com/tiimsWebsite/Content/BasinTop
ics/geology/default.asp
